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Deputy hangs police flag at half-staff to remember Cpl. Cole

"It's very hard because of where it's at on that flagpole, at half-staff. You know someone that you worked with and cared for has lost their life, so it's tough."

SKOWHEGAN (NEWS CENTER Maine) - Corporal Eugene Cole is being memorialized all over Somerset County - with blue ribbons, flowers, and signs.

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A fellow sheriff's deputy knew he had to do something special to honor his fallen brother.

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On Tuesday, Somerset County Sheriff's Deputy Mike Cray hung the 'Blue Lives Matter' flag outside of the Somerset County Courthouse at half-staff. It's a black and white American flag with a blue stripe in the middle, meant to show respect for police officers.

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"It's very hard because of where it's at on that flagpole, at half-staff," he said. "You know someone that you worked with and cared for has lost their life, so it's tough."

Cray fought back tears when talking about his fellow officer. He says he and Cole connected because they were the same age. They would often talk about how much being a police officer has changed in recent years.

"Everybody's scared," Cray said. "If you're not, you're not human. But you have to put that aside and do your job. And that's what Corporal Cole did."

Cray says the last few days of work have been incredibly tough. "It's going to be emotional for a long, long, long time," he said. "It's something you're never going to forget."

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What made Corporal Eugene Cole special, Cray said, was his ability to connect with anyone and everyone - from coworkers, to the people he arrested. "He could deal with people, and talk with people, no matter if it was sa good situation or bad situation," he said.

All Somerset County employees are getting the day off on Monday, May 7, to attend Corporal Cole's funeral in Bangor. The courts have rescheduled appearances.

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