On Friday, family, friends and police officers gathered in Harlem to pay their final respects to Roger Abel, a retired police detective who was remembered as a good officer and a serious community activist. NY1's Dean Meminger filed the following report.

"He was firm, he was business and he was straightforward," said the Reverend Calvin Butts.

Abel, who was born in Harlem, joined the New York City Police Department in 1967 and served 28 years. He became the president of the Guardians Association and a chairperson for the National Black Police Association.

He was often in the middle of big battles between the NYPD and the black community. While Abel was a policeman, he also fought to make sure there was an organization to monitor police brutality and misconduct.

"A lot of momentum in 1991 and '92 to create the Civilian Complaint Review Board was driven by Roger Abel," said civil rights attorney Norman Siegel.

The CCRB was formed in 1993, close to the time Abel retired, but he stayed active and kept a close watch on NYPD matters and the political scene. He often spoke out against politicians, officers and policies that he thought negatively impacted the black community.

"I wanted to invite certain people to come by and speak here at the church. Roger would say, 'Don't invite him,'" said Butts. "I would say, 'Roger, that might be the right political thing to do.' He would say, 'No, let me tell you about him.'"

Many African-American officers say Abel was a trailblazer who helped them climb the ladder to success.

"I thank him today, because I probably wouldn't be where I am today if it was not for people like Roger Abel and the Guardian Association," said Lieutenant Victor Swinton, the current president of the Guardians Association.

"Roger Abel was a very strong mentor. He was very scholarly and he took everyone under his wings," said Robert Hood of the National Black Police Association.

It was clear that Abel wanted fairness in the NYPD and in the community, and if he did not agree with you, he would let you know.

"Roger has a vision, and maybe I wasn't going in that direction, so he would let me know," said Swinton. "But the next day, he would always call and say, 'Big brother, is everything all right? You need anything, let me know."

"This is what he lived for. His entire life, he tried to help people," said Troy Abel, the son of Roger Abel. "It is rewarding to see people he tried to help come back and mourn his death."

Roger Abel died at age 70 after battling diabetes for many years.