‘It hits home;’ Local police chief who trained fallen Deputy Hamilton remembers time together

PREBLE COUNTY — Visitation and funeral services to honor Preble County Sheriff’s Deputy Josh Hamilton are set for Friday night and Saturday morning.

>>RELATED: ‘It hits you pretty hard;’ Preble County sheriff mourns loss of deputy killed in crash

Hamilton died in a head-on collision that also took the life of Michael Gayhart II on Monday.

News Center 7′s Mike Campbell spoke with a police chief who helped train Hamilton about why all local departments are impacted by death.

“It brings home the realities of the job and the dangers associated with it,” Chief Kurt Althouse said.

>>RELATED: Preble County deputy, second driver killed after head-on crash

Althouse is the Vandalia Police Chief and is part of the Montgomery County Officer Memorial Group.

This group often organizes official processions of law enforcement to honor a fallen officer or deputy.

One of the most recent occasions was when Richmond Police Officer Seara Burton died after she was shot in the line of duty.

>>RELATED: Large law enforcement processional for fallen Preble Co. deputy arrives at coroner’s office

“This year we’ve urged departments to send reps directly to the funeral,” Althouse said.

He said many of the officers apart of the group will be a part of the funeral procession from a Richmond church to the Preble County graveside.

Althouse is headed to the funeral himself.

>>RELATED: Local law enforcement agencies react to death of Preble Co. deputy killed in crash

The news of the deputy’s death and images from the crash hit home, even before he realized he had a personal connection.

“It hits home with me because I was one of the instructors in the academy three years ago when he attended the Greene County Police Academy,” Althouse said.

The chief said he taught Hamilton things like evidence collection and safety steps in traffic stops.

It’s just one example of how small and closely connected the Miami Valley law enforcement community is.

>>PHOTOS: Deputy, second driver killed in head-on crash in Preble County

“So having that personal interaction with him, being one of his instructors, it hits home, close to the heart when we’ve lost one that’s been serving his community out in Preble County,” Althouse said.

Sheriff Mike Simpson hired Hamilton in the summer of 2022 and he recently became a road deputy in June of this year.

“He also served the country, first in the U.S. Navy Reserve, and at the time of his death was an active member of the U.S. Army National Guard,” Althouse said.

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