Loved ones gathered in Poughkeepsie today to pay their respects to a man who dedicated his life to serving and protecting his community.

Theodore Alston, nicknamed Teddy, was 66 years old when he died last week from a medical complication.

Alston served with the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department for 35 years. He spent much of his career as a detective and is said to have been the first African American to hold that position in the county.

After retiring there, he also continued to work as a detective with the Town of Fishkill for a decade.

"Teddy was one of the most dedicated police officers I ever worked with. He was a detective when I came on in 1983 and he was one of those guys that you could always go to,” says City of Poughkeepsie Police Department Chief Tom Pape. “He’ll be sorely missed, and he was an asset to our community here in the City of Poughkeepsie and he went on to be an asset to the Town of Fishkill."

Alston is survived by his fiancé and daughters.