At a time when the violent deaths of police officers have become all too common across the country, the sudden loss of Deputy Sheriff Steven
Brett Hawkins who collapsed at a family gathering Sunday in Pattonsburg deeply shocked the Harrison County law enforcement community.
âWhen I got the call, I was just dumfounded,â said Sheriff Josh Eckerson about the death of his 34-year-old deputy and longtime friend.
Friends said Mr. Hawkins collapsed while attending a family birthday gathering at the Pattonsburg senior center. He was taken by ambulance to the Harrison County Community Hospital where he died.
An autopsy was conducted to determine the cause of death.
Brett joined the sheriffâs department in 2012 and had been a D.A.R.E. officer for the past two years. He was scheduled to start D.A.R.E. classes in January, according to Eckerson.
Deputy Hawkins had been working nights through the Northwest Missouri State Fair over Labor Day weekend. The sheriffâs department includes four full-time deputies and Eckerson.
âThe last major case that he worked on was when the car burned at the state forest,â Eckerson said. A Des Moines man and his young son were killed in the fire which was attributed to a murder-suicide.
Eckerson said he has been receiving calls from across the state about Deputy Hawkinsâ death. St. Louis police officers were among those inquiring about the arrangements.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 18, at the Immanuel Baptist Church in Bethany. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday at the Roberson Funeral Home.