Slain Detective Is Named Honorary Marshal of St. Patrick’s Parade

Oxnard Police Detective Jim O’Brien, killed in a shootout with slain mass-murderer Alan Winterbourne, has been named honorary grand marshal of the sixth annual Ventura St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Parade organizers announced the decision at their annual Green Pig Party fund-raiser Friday night.

“A lot of people might not feel too good about it, but everyone who knew Jim knows he would have loved it,” said Nan Drake, who serves on a committee putting the parade together. “This fits him like a glove.”

Before making their announcement, organizers approached the family to ask what they thought of the idea, Drake said.

“We asked his brother and he said Jim loved parades,” she said. O’Brien was proud of his Irish heritage and participated in Irish folk dancing with his family, according to Drake.

The theme of the parade will be “Our Fighting Irish Heroes” and is intended to also honor all police officers. Organizers expect to have about 100 floats. The O’Brien family and members of the Oxnard Police Department will lead the parade, Drake said.

“If you think it’s going to be a somber event, you don’t know the Irish,” said Ventura City Council Member Jim Monahan, who heads the committee. “The Irish never have somber occasions. They always honor their dead in such ways.”