As the hearse carrying PC Matt Blades, bearing the word 'Dad', made its way down Hutton Avenue in his hometown of Hartlepool today, the dignified silence was almost unnerving.
For minutes at a time, the only sounds audible above respectful whispers were the buzz of a drone filming this ceremonial funeral and the clip-clop of hooves from the four horses that led the procession.
Given the chaos which has gripped this part of north-east England in the weeks since PC Blades, 37, and his colleague at Cleveland Police, PC Tom Clough, 38, were killed in a head-on smash on the A66 in Middlesbrough, the respect shown by the hundreds of members of the public who gathered to pay their respects restored a little of one's faith in humanity.
How different this scene was to those over recent days celebrating the lives of the five young men driving a car on cloned number plates who also died in the crash that killed the two officers.
During a 'memorial' service to Michael Cahill, 23, last month, five vehicles were set alight in Haswell, County Durham, and fireworks and flares were set off.
Other funerals to the five have seen young men hiding their faces behind balaclavas or hanging out of car windows.
It was little different today.
Just as more than 1,000 police officers quietly lined the streets to watch PC Blades' coffin, draped in the Union Jack, carried into St Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, a service for Cole Worthy, who died in the same crash, was being held nearby in Middlesbrough.
Bagpipers lead the funeral cortege through the streets lined with police colleagues
Police officers hug each other before the funeral of PC Matthew Blades
A huge police presence with name badge tributes as mourners attend the funeral
Pall bearers carry the coffin of PC Matthew Blades into his funeral in Hartlepool
Police attend the funeral of PC Matthew Blades at St Joseph's Roman Catholic Church
A huge police presence as mourners attend the funeral of PC Matthew Blades in Hartlepool
PC Blades was one of two officers killed in a head-on smash on the A66 in Middlesbrough
Remarkably, midway through his funeral at Teesside Crematorium, police received reports of a 'disturbance' and officers were called to the scene.
A 39-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault before the service resumed.
There were no such issues at the funeral for married father-of-two PC Blades, an armed response officer and former teacher who had served with Cleveland Police since 2015.
Many officers hugged before the procession arrived and even touchingly fixed one another's lapels and straightened ties.
Some wore identity patches bearing the words 'PC 2443 BLADES' and 'PC 3234 CLOUGH'.
Standard bearers waved flags representing every force from across the country before four pipers and a drummer processed in front of the funeral car and played Amazing Grace as the coffin was led inside the church.
Emergency services representatives from the North East Ambulance Service and Great North Air Ambulance were also in attendance.
Among those paying their respects were Cleveland Police Chief Constable Victoria Fuller, policing minister Sarah Jones, Home Office minister Anna Turley, Conservative MP for Stockton West Matt Vickers and Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen.
Cleveland Police Federation paid tribute to PC Blades, who was known as Matty, and to the courage of his family.
A huge police presence as mourners attend the funeral of PC Matthew Blades in Hartlepool
The hearse carrying PC Matt Blades through Hartlepool today bears the word 'Dad'
A police officer works with a dog in Hartlepool today as the funeral takes place
Pall bearers carry the coffin of PC Matthew Blades into his funeral at the church
Police officers hug each other before the funeral of PC Matthew Blades in Hartlepool
Mourners attend the funeral of PC Matthew Blades at St Joseph's Roman Catholic Church
Hundreds of police officers line the street at the funeral of their colleague
Lauren Somerville, chairman of Cleveland Police Federation, said: 'The police family came together shoulder to shoulder today, arm in arm to remember our brave colleague PC Matthew Blades.
'It was an honour and a privilege to attend today's funeral on behalf of our colleagues across Cleveland.
'His family have shown incredible dignity and bravery since those awful events in August and it was our privilege to play our small part in honouring Matt's memory.
'Matt was a devoted husband and father. An adored son and brother, son-in-law, and is remembered as the most fun uncle.
'He has been taken from his loving family far too soon and they remain squarely in our thoughts.
'The support and love we offer them does not end today. We will always be there to take care of them.'
Well-wishers in attendance spoke of how they felt a duty to pay their respects to a man who died 'doing his job.'
Helen Byers, 65, a nurse from Hartlepool, said: 'This was a young lad who lost his life looking after us all. It's just tragic. I'm just glad there hasn't been any trouble.
Cleveland Police Chief Constable Victoria Fuller greets mourners at the entrance to the church
The service for PC Blades at St Joseph's Roman Catholic Church in his hometown of Hartlepool
Some of the officers wore identity patches saying 'PC 2443 BLADES' and 'PC 3234 CLOUGH'
Standard bearers represent every UK force at the service for PC Matthew Blades
A police officer holds the helmets of her colleagues acting as pall bearers at the funeral
Some officers who lined the length of Hutton Avenue outside the church wear identity patches
Before the service, traffic officers in white caps hug each other as they remember PC Blades
A floral wreath with a message from An Garda Siochana in Ireland is carried into the funeral
Four pipers and a drummer process in front of the funeral car and play Amazing Grace
The hearse had a white and red floral tribute which read 'Dad' on the roof for the father-of-two
'I was really upset when I heard what happened to him – somebody going out to do their job and then not coming home to a young family is absolutely tragic.'
Anne Roe, 60, a retired care worker, said: 'They [the police] are heroes. I don't come out of the house often these days but I had to come out for this.
'I wanted to pay my respects and show they are respected.'
PC Blades, a football coach for youth teams, was a Manchester United fan and a regular at Old Trafford. His two young sons were mascots for the club's first home game of the season.
His wife, Sarah, paid tribute to her husband the day after the tragedy which claimed his life.
She said: 'No words will ever feel like the right words to honour our Matt – my beloved husband, my best friend, and the most devoted father to our two young boys.
'He was an adored son and brother, a perfect son-in-law, and the most fun uncle. He was loved beyond words by all his family and friends, and his loss has left a space that can never be filled.
'He gave his life in the line of duty, protecting and serving others with courage, dedication and selflessness.
'The pain of losing him is beyond words, and our lives will never be the same. Neither will the love he gave us ever fade.
'Our children will grow up knowing what an incredible father he was and will always be, and I will carry his love, his memory and everything we shared with me always.'