Family of late Chief Justin McIntire buys guitar made in his honor at police fundraiser

A custom guitar honoring fallen Brackenridge police Chief Justin McIntire fetched $2,000 at auction Saturday to benefit the Harrison Police Department.

In a crowd of about 100 people, it didn’t go to just anyone.

McIntire’s sister, Tiffany Black, came out on top of a friendly bidding war with her husband, Matt.

“We wanted to keep it in the family,” she said.

Kaley’s Kops organized the event from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 894 in Harrison.

McIntire was killed in the line of duty in January 2023. The street where he grew up has since been renamed McIntire Way.

Started by 11-year-old Kaley Bastine and her mother, Jamie, in 2018, the initiative has raised more than $58,000 for police officers in Harrison, New Kensington and Lower Burrell. Saturday’s event focused on raising money for the Harrison police force.

Between the guitar, food sales and various other auctions, the event raised $16,000, according to Jamie Bastine.

For Kaley, honoring the memory of fallen officers and supporting local departments has been a constant in her young life. She began fundraising for local law enforcement when she was 6 by selling cupcakes, candy and more.

“It started out as a lemonade stand and now we’re this,” Jamie Bastine said.

It took Justin Melanson three weeks to handcraft the electric guitar, which includes several nods to McIntire.

The body is wrapped in a “thin blue line” flag design. Melanson also added a St. Michael medallion and engraved “in memory of Justin McIntire” into the neck.

“I’m so impressed with what she did,” Melanson said of Kaley. “We wanted to contribute any way we could.”

This story is updated to reflect that Saturday’s auction specifically benefited the Harrison Police Department.