There, an informal memorial has appeared outside with stuffed animals, votive candles, bouquets, notes offering sympathy, scriptural passages, and promises of justice.
As a chilling autumnal breeze scattered leaves across the West Oak Lane neighborhood, a steady flow of visitors - strangers, friends, some tearful, all somber - stopped to stare at the offerings, to take a snapshot, to reflect on the tragedy.
While police continued to search for leads, officials increased the reward for Cassidy 's killer again, to $153,000.
Mayor Street, in his weekly radio address yesterday, renewed his call for greater state and national gun-control laws after the shootings of Cassidy , 54, and two other officers last week in separate crimes.
"We need stronger laws against the flood tide of illegal handguns in our communities," the mayor said.
"The violence just doesn't seem to end," said Adele Friedman, 59, of Rhawnhurst, who arrived at the memorial with her son, Elliot, to deposit a bouquet.
"He had such a short life," she said. She said she was struck by those who had "their lives taken away without anybody having a chance to say goodbye. It's not something that people should get used to. "
A breeze fluttered the balloons, which lent an incongruously festive look to the memorial. The owner of the Dunkin' Donuts shop erected a tent over the growing pile Friday. He said the shop would not reopen until after Cassidy 's funeral Wednesday, out of respect to the officer who stopped there daily on his security rounds.
"I came to pay my respects," said John Stires, 25, a police officer from Gloucester Township, who visited with his wife, Amber. They laid down a bouquet of yellow roses. "I'm just glad to see that Officer Cassidy has support. He's not alone. "
