Sep 14, 2007 7:41 pm US/Eastern
Dade Officers Push Forward Despite Devastation
by Stephen Stock
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
Thursday's police shootings in Southwest Miami-Dade came only weeks after two different shootings of officers in Broward County, and one of those also ended in an officer's death—his killer yet to be found. Police morale is at its lowest in recent years.
One police officer who lived through his own shooting says cops in Miami-Dade County will rally to help each other. As president of the Police Benevolent Association, John Rivera knows what it's like to be on the receiving end of an assailant's weapon. Nearly 30 years ago Rivera was shot in the line of duty while working on the Mariel Task Force, and in 1990 Rivera held his partner as he died of his wounds in a shooting while working the streets of Miami-Dade.
"When it's happening, you seem like it's never going to come to an end, and then when you think about it afterwards you say 'boy that went fast,'" he said.
But Rivera says none of it compares to the last two month, which have been riddled with tragedy for police departments, with three different shootings of officers from Broward to Miami-Dade Counties and seven officers wounded. Two of them, including Jose Somohano from Miami-Dade, died.
Click Here to read about police shootings throughout the years in South Florida.
Friday, in his role as president of the local police union, Rivera spent the afternoon consoling the family of Somohano.
"You hug them, and you tell them that 'we're there.' You look into their eyes and just show them love through your physical affection."
Somohano's parents in Puerto Rico have been notified of the incident.
"It's hard to understand what they're going through, but you try your best," he said.
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