NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Jason Rivera, the NYPD officer who was fatally shot on Friday night while responding to a domestic dispute, always dreamed of being a police officer.
The uptown Manhattan native reflected on police relations in his Inwood neighborhood in an essay written during his time at police academy. Rivera said the relationship between his neighborhood and the local police wasn't good and he wanted to join the force to try and improve it.
Before signing up for the academy, Rivera worked at Inwood Pharmacy where a coworker, Jose Torres, remembered Rivera always saying he wanted to become a cop and he worked hard to achieve that goal.
“He was well liked and a hard worker,” Torres told 1010 WINS. “He used to work for Foot Locker before he came [to the pharmacy].”
The son of immigrant parents, Rivera joined the NYPD’s 32nd Precinct in November of 2020 where fellow officers remembered him for always being happy.
“It was like the best smile that you could ever see. Fantastic guy. This is a hard one,” the officer said of Rivera. “We all love what we do. Words just can't describe what we're all going through and what's going on.”
The NY Police and Fire Widows' & Children's Benefit Fund, also known as “Answer the Call”, announced on Saturday they would be providing Rivera’s spouse with an immediate $25,000 and fundraise with the intent of providing an annual stipend of the same amount for life.
"We send our deepest condolences to the family of Officer Rivera, as well as the entire NYPD Community." said Stephen Dannhauser, Board Chair of Answer the Call. "Answer the Call vows to honor our fallen heroes by helping those they loved the most - their families. We are also keeping Officer Mora in our prayers, as he remains in critical condition and is fighting for his life.”
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