By Ricardo Kaulessar- Photos by Ricardo Kaulessar 

The funeral for Jersey City Police

Officer Melvin Santiago on Friday offered a somber pause, a reflective respite from a very tense week for law enforcement and the public at large.

The 23-year-old was laid to rest at St. Aloysius Church on West Side Avenue, mourned by grieving family and friends, his fellow officers, and elected officials. Also, hundreds of officers from locations as far away as Philadelphia lined the street outside when his casket was brought into the church.

Santiago was killed on July 13 at around 4 a.m. when the rookie officer and his partner, Ismael Martinez, responded to a 911 call about an armed robbery at the Walgreens Pharmacy on Communipaw Avenue and Kennedy Boulevard. Authorities said the assailant Lawrence Campbell, 27, did not rob the drug store but assaulted a security guard and took his gun, which he used to fire close range at Santiagoâ€s vehicle with a bullet hitting Santiago in the head and killing him. Police returned gunfire that killed Campbell.

Since then, emotions have run high amongst those outraged at Santiagoâ€s death and those who were upset over Campbellâ€s death.

Rumors circulated during the week that there would be retaliation from street gangs against local police for Campbell being killed as well as the unrelated death of Lavon King, 20, whose confrontation with a Jersey City police officer on June 24 that led to him being shot dead when trying to wrestle away the officerâ€s gun. Authorities said while King was affiliated with the Bloods, Campbell was not known to have any gang connection.

And there was the tearing down by the city of memorials put up separately for Campbell and King, each located within blocks of one another on Martin Luther King Drive, in response to negative reactions by residents and others outside the city who viewed the makeshift shrines as glorifying criminal behavior and anti-police sentiment. Supporters of the memorials told local media they were erected to remember members of their community who lost their lives.

In the midst of this tumult, city officials and police brass sought to get the focus on Santiago for giving his life in the line of duty by honoring him with a posthumous promotion to detective and the departmentâ€s Medal of Honor. And by giving him the kind of funeral befitting a fallen hero.

Remembering Melvin Santiago

 

Charles Reynolds in 1883. Clarence Weir in 1921. Caspar Buonocore, Jr. in 1973. Melvin Vincent Santiago in 2014. They are among the 39 men who died while on the job during the Jersey City Police Departmentâ€s 185 years of operation.

The 39th member of this tragic fraternity laid in a closed casket in a packed church that resonated with tributes, prayers and music as part of a solemn farewell to Santiago.

Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop in his eulogy for Santiago called him “hard working and conscientious, good and courageous, strong and considerate” and pointed out how those traits served the rookie cop well in his seven months on the job working out the cityâ€s tough West District.

“And whether it was neighbors’ yelling, domestic disputes, or the threat of gun violence, Melvin was intent upon good prevailing over evil, protecting the vulnerable, and order maintained in our community,” Fulop said.

Santiago was also remembered by his uncle, retired Jersey City policeman Frank DeFazio, as someone looking to follow the career path paved by DeFazio and other relatives in becoming one of the cityâ€s finest, and how he achieved that goal only to pay the ultimate price.

“You made the ultimate sacrifice … I will make sure you are never forgotten,” DeFazio said. “I love you Mel.”

Former Jersey City Police Chaplain Kevin Carter said the reason for the officerâ€s death is that “human life is so cheap today,” and that Santiago went to his final crime scene to “serve and protect” the citizens of Jersey City.

After the funeral, Santiagoâ€s casket was taken out of St. Aloysius Church by several police officers and placed in a hearse that traveled to Holy Cross Cemetery in North Arlington for a private burial.

Santiago is survived by various family members including his mother Cathy McBride, his stepfather Alex McBride, his father Melvin Santiago Sr., and his stepbrother Alex Jr.

The post Fallen Jersey City Police Officer Melvin Santiago Remembered at Funeral first appeared on River View Observer.

Jersey City Police Officer
Melvin Santiago

Archbishop Hebda, members of the clergy, to Kathy and Al McBride, Melvinâ€s brother Alex, all of his family and friends that are here today.  On behalf of the City of Jersey City and the Jersey City Police Department, I offer to you our deepest condolences.

Melvin Santiago was everything we would want in a police officer. He was hard working and conscientious, good and courageous, strong and considerate. To quote the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, D.C., “It was not how these officers died that made them heroes; it is how they lived.”

Melvin had always wanted to be a police officer.  Iâ€ve been told that as a boy heâ€d travel with his uncle to the precinct to learn about the JC Police Department.

From family and friends, weâ€ve learned that Melvin kept that dream alive in his heart and worked diligently in high school and his years in college to qualify as a police officer. And, when the time came to serve, he repeatedly requested to serve in the West District so that he could guard the community which was his home, which was his family.

He was assigned to the West. Captain Mike Kelly describes Melvin as squared away in his work and manner, intent upon learning, and always trying to be better. Mike told me how Melvin would just watch the older guys, watch and learn, that he wanted to bring pride to the West, an bring honor the profession of law enforcement. Kelly would try to encourage Melvin to relax and smile. I personally think that the “Eagles” cap that Melvin wore to work put Mike a bit off.

In the year since Melvin came on the West, he participated in patrols and police work, he chased down perpetrators and arrested them, he was on the front lines of the district and handled everything that came his way.

And whether it was neighbors†yelling, domestic disputes, or the threat of gun violence, Melvin was intent upon good prevailing over evil, protecting the vulnerable, and order maintained in or community.

Melvin represented the best of that thin blue line which protects and defends civilized society from the indiscriminate violence which human beings are capable of.

Melvin understood that serving as a police officer is dangerous, but he also knew that it was the highest calling of service.

And as Melvinâ€s family knows, it was not only his willingness to make the supreme sacrifice, but his daily commitment to service, his quiet, dogged determination to be a force for good, and to give the protection of the law to the entire community — including those who would tear it down.

Melvin never excused himself from the standards that he was commanded to enforce. The self-discipline and principled behavior, which Melvin always showed, is what makes a police officer so unique, and it is also what makes the brother and sisterhood that is law enforcement so sacred.

While we ask you to protect and serve us all, we also ask you to hold yourselves to the highest standards, on the job and also in your private lives. This was a part of his service which Melvin approached with a determination which was exceptional even among police officers.

This morning, in this sacred place, we as a community express our eternal gratitude for the life and legacy of Melvin Santiago, and that of all law enforcement.

Last week when Alex wrote an essay about his brother, he expressed his gratitude in the title, “my hero.” Well Alex, Melvin is also my hero and Iâ€m quite certain heâ€s also the hero of quite a few people in this church

As every police officer will honor his memory each time they don the uniform, let all of us take a moment deepen our appreciation for Melvinâ€s life and sacrifice.

Let us also consider our larger struggle to carve out a space of order and security in this world for ourselves and our families.

Melvinâ€s service and sacrifice are a special part of that struggle, and in light of his courage, let us return to it with a renewed determination and commitment which meets his high standards.

May eternal rest grant unto Melvin, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

May his soul and all of the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

The post Eulogy for Jersey City Police Officer Melvin Santiago by Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop July, 18, 2014 first appeared on River View Observer.

JERSEY CITY – Mayor Steven M. Fulop will promote posthumously Police Officer Melvin Santiago, who was killed in the line of duty Sunday morning, to the rank of Detective and will bestow the Departmentâ€sMedal of Honor on Officer Santiago, which is the highest honor for any police department.

 The promotion and honor ceremony will take place at Officer Santiagoâ€s wake at 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 17th, 2014 at McLaughlin Funeral Home, 625 Pavonia Avenue.

 “This honor will be a lasting tribute to the ultimate sacrifice paid by Officer Santiago,” said Mayor Fulop. “He was truly everything one would want in a police officer and was a shining star in our community.  It is fitting and right that we honor and recognize him for his bravery and dedication to the police department and the people of Jersey City.”

The post Mayor Fulop to Promote Police Officer Melvin Santiago to the Rank of Detective; Officer Santiago to be Bestowed Department’s Highest Honor – the Medal of Honor first appeared on River View Observer.

Daniel Wilson wanted in prior homicide
JCPD Photo

JERSEY CITY – Yesterday, Jersey City Police brought into custody Daniel Wilson, 23, of Grant Avenue.  At the time of his arrest, he was armed and was charged with multiple firearms and narcotics offenses.  Homicide detectives from the Jersey City Police Department and Hudson County Prosecutorâ€s Office continue to actively investigate the case.  We thank the media for their help in developing leads last night that led to this development.

All media inquiries should be directed to Jennifer Morrill, Press Secretary to Mayor Steven M. Fulop at 201-547-4836 or 201-376-0699.////

The post Daniel Wilson Wanted in Prior Homicide in Jersey City Brought Into Custody first appeared on River View Observer.

The additional information was consistent with Police Department information received over the last week, and police also identified Daniel Wilson as another person of interest in the prior homicide. The JCPD have been applying high pressure and aggressively searching for Daniel Wilson for past three days. We are still searching for Daniel Wilson and JCPD provide a photo.

The post Update on Investigation into Shooting Death of Jersey City Police Officer Melvin Santiago first appeared on River View Observer.

The post Jersey City Police Officer Melvin Santiago Killed Responding to Armed Robbery at Jersey City Walgreens first appeared on River View Observer.