Death of a Hero

The death of a loved one is one of the most heart wrenching events that a Police Family or any family can go through especially when it was not a horrible accident or a tragic event that ended a life; but a deliberate attack on humanity and our Thin Blue Line that protects citizens from evil. The brutal killing of Officer Jonathan Molina was one of those events that ripped the hearts from our chests and remind us all that we are just mortals.

I personally can only go back about 4 years that I knew Jon when he graduated from our academy and was assigned to Central Regional Command. I cannot call him an ex-Marine because there is no such animal, once a Marine always a Marine.  Jon was deployed twice during his tours with the US Marine Corps, once in Iraq and the other in Afghanistan where he served his country and protected our way of life on a global scale. He took his service as a peace officer as if he was still in the Marines and served our community with pride. After probation he finally made it to the Mighty CRCC Bakers Shift where he thrived. Most of us dream of being an officer chasing suspects, fighting criminals and getting involved in every critical incident we can, Jon was no different and loved the Baker Shift and his Family in Blue.

I got the extreme honor and privilege of working around Jon as he grew into a fine officer before I became your President.  He was an officer that the brass loved because of his dedication and love for the call to duty. He excelled in everything and was one of those officers you turned to when you needed something done and done right. If you needed an officer to be first in the stack he was your man. You trusted him and knew no matter what, he always had your back. He never had to be reminded to do the right thing and he was always willing and ready to help those in need. He was not just an excellent officer and a brother to his Family in Blue; he was an excellent son and brother who looked out for his personal family.

How do you gauge our loss when a hero falls during his Tour of Duty. You can only look back at what he has accomplished and wonder why God has taken him from us. I know why, God needed another angel by his side for a bigger purpose. He now stands beside God as his guardian watching over us and protecting his Family in Blue from harm and evil. Every time we respond to a call, Jon is now watching over us along with all the others that have given the ultimate sacrifice before him. We see the End of Watch here on earth and forget that he has now started his watch as a guardian for all of us. In his second life he will not hurt nor suffer during his tour of duty and will protect his Family in Blue at all costs. It is very hard for his family during this time of deep sorrow but he will never be forgotten and will always be in each one of us.

The out pouring of support and kindness to his family makes me extremely proud to be counted alongside each and every one of you as part of his Family In Blue. All of you helping each other and not stopping and letting evil consume us, makes me proud. The collection of almost $20,000.00 from both uniformed and civilian personnel is a true testament to what our Family In Blue is all about.

Even as he passed away surrounded by his family, each of you still answered the call. The call to duty, the 911 calls, the calls for help the calls never stop no matter our costs. We run into danger as others run away with no care for our safety; that is what makes me so proud of all of you. You do what others can only dream of and it comes totally natural and without thought, as it should be. Jon was one of us and did the same every day and he will be missed. We do what others dream and sometimes that dream is deadly but we continue as a family.

One thing I ask is never forget each other, never let time make you forget the heroes of the past that have fallen. For Jon and all the others that have passed before, please seek out their families and say hello. Stop by their old neighborhoods and remind people who we are and who they were. Don’t let time fade them into just memories. Stop by and say hi to Jon’s mom from time to time and take her to lunch when you can. Who cares what the brass may say, we are a family and we take care of our own. One sobering thought was that between the association and all of you we have raised and given the family more financial assistance than the City. We only have each other so take care of each other and let Jon’s death mesh us together even stronger than before with a renewed sense of family. At the end of the day that’s all we have, the Family in Blue.

…………….so others may live!

Ron Martin

EPMPOA President