The 16-member, all-volunteer group of city police officers marches in 10 to 12 parades a year, but at any moment can be summoned for funerals for city officers.

They once had to do a funeral and a wake in one day, said Robert C. Robinson, a retired city police captain who founded the group in 1993 and continues to lead it as officer-in-charge.

"It gives the deceased officers the honor they deserve," Robinson said.

On Thursday, the Honor Guard took part in the funeral of former Bridgeport police officer Edward J. Moran, a 30- year veteran of the force.

In addition to using their spare time to remember their comrades, Honor Guard members must pay for their own uniforms, costing about $1,000 to $1,500, according to Robinson. It's the only volunteer police guard in the state that he knows of, he said.

The group wears special white shirts, decorative belts resembling their duty belts, and navy blue pants and jackets with a light blue stripe running down the legs and circling the sleeve cuffs.

The stripe represents "the thin blue line," or police work, said city Officer Daniel Gomez Jr., a member for about half of his 13-year career.

"You have to have a lot of honor to do it," he said.

One of the guard's more somber duties has been to stand watch over a wreath at the Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, D.C., during a ceremony for Police Week every May.

For the last five years, they have been chosen over other departments' honor guards to participate in the Police Week ceremony, Robinson said.

Seeing the honor guard at the memorial inspired Officer Sandra Gonzalez to join a year ago. She is one of three women in the group.

"They were really sharp," said Gonzalez, who has four years in the department. "It's a good, little and tightknit union. It's a little family."

The other officers making up the group are Sgts. Steven Lougal and Kimberly Parkes; and Officers Jonna Mack, Jose Sepulveda, Gerardo Ortiz, Phillip Sharp, Edward Rivera, Edward Rodriguez, Gabe Meszaros and Daniel Gulino.

Although the guard's funeral routine is mainly marching and saying a prayer, it helps families of deceased officers cope, Gomez said.

"It's a good detail. People appreciate it," he said, adding that the group gets letters of appreciation from grieving families.

On the bright side, they strut their stuff in numerous city parades, New Haven's St. Patrick's Day parade and at the Big E in Massachusetts.

They have been named the best color guard in New Haven St. Patrick's Day parades in 2000 and from 2002 to 2005, Robinson said, also winning in the 2004 Aquidneck Island National Police Parade for best uniform.

Robinson said he's pleased at the number of volunteers the group has attracted.

Most stay for several years. The longest-serving member, Sepulveda, joined the guard when it was formed, Robinson said. Robinson wants to keep the group all-volunteer.

"I like it the way it is now because you come in here because you want to," he said.

They next march for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport's Blue Mass in September.

Aaron Leo, who covers regional issues, can be reached at 330-6222.