GREENLAND — Car wash worker Mike Cuceu felt he had to do something as thousands of police officers from across the nation prepare to pay their final respects to fallen Greenland Police Chief Michael Maloney Thursday.

Cuceu grabbed some letters and placed a message on a sign outside Pro Wash Car Wash and Auto Detailing.

“Chief Maloney: A True American Hero” is the message he wanted motorists to see when they passed by the North Hampton business.

It didn't take him long to come up with the right words after learning that Maloney pulled a wounded detective out of the line of fire after they came under attack by Cullen Mutrie.

“I said, ‘You know what? He was a hero. It's the least we can do,'” said Cuceu, a manager at the car wash who detailed Maloney's Audi last year.

Across the street, Verizon Wireless worker Joe Bowmaster spent Tuesday morning sticking a line of American flags on the store's property along Route 1.

“We wanted to make sure we're showing our respect,” he said. “This is small-town America.”

All across the Seacoast, messages offering condolences, prayers and other comforting words have been displayed in the wake of last week's shootings, which killed Maloney and wounded four other officers assigned to the Attorney General's Drug Task Force.

Two of the more seriously wounded officers, Newmarket Detective Scott Kukesh, 33, and Rochester Detective Jeremiah Murphy, 34, have now been moved out of the intensive care unit and were listed in good condition Tuesday.

The other officers, Dover Detective Gregory Turner, 32, and University of New Hampshire Detective Eric Kulberg, 31, were released shortly after the shooting.

The farewell for the chief will begin today with a walk-through for law enforcement from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at Remick & Gendron Funeral Home-Crematory, 811 Lafayette Road in Hampton.

Public visiting hours will be from 5 to 9 p.m. in the funeral home.

Services will be held at noon Thursday at the athletic field at Winnacunnet High School, 1 Alumni Drive, Hampton.

It will be moved into the school gymnasium in the event of inclement weather.

“Chief Maloney was a cop till the end,” said Nottingham Police Chief Gunner Foss, who stood outside Remick & Gendron Funeral Home in Hampton Tuesday with fellow Nottingham Detective Ross Oberlin and Salem Officer Basil Chingros.

Police from different agencies have remained outside the funeral home around the clock, keeping a vigil until the fallen chief is laid to rest.

At one point Tuesday morning, Maloney's brother stood outside the funeral home, thanked Foss and the other officers, and then gave them a hug before leaving.

At the Greenland Police Department, mourners stopped by with flowers and cards and shared memories of the chief.

Greenland police secretary Carole Smith fought back tears as she recalled the man who hired her a decade ago.

“He was a great chief. He was a great boss. He cared about his officers. He cared about people,” Smith said.

Ron and Jinni Demo visited the police department briefly to offer their condolences. They lived in town for 50 years before recently moving to Dover.

The couple were deeply affected for another reason as well.

Their son, Steve, helped start the Attorney General's Drug Task Force many years ago. He passed away at the age of 42.

The pair recalled how Maloney often parked outside their home to run radar.

“We had the right bushes for him to stand behind,” Ron Demo said with a laugh.