Funeral For A Cop

They are burying Officer Brian Moore today at St. James Roman Catholic Church in Seaford on Long Island, not far from where the 25-year old still lived at home with his parents. Shot in the face at point blank range by a violent thug who had just served 7 years behind bars for attempted murder and other crimes, the young cop had already distinguished himself in New York’s toughest job. 
On the force since he was barely out of his teens, he worked mainly in Queens County a half hour’s drive from his family home. In his almost five years of brave service, Brian made more than 150 arrests, earning several medals along the way.
At his wake yesterday, Brian was remembered by his family, friends and dignitaries. The governor came, Andrew Cuomo offering especially poignant support for the grieving parents, Raymond and Irene. Cardinal Timothy Dolan the New York archbishop attended, as did New York’s mayor Bill de Blasio who despite his sometimes strained relationship with the NYPD was warmly received later that evening. The secretary of Homeland Security, Jeh Johnson spoke about how dangerous it is for the men and women in blue to keep big cities safe.
It was a privilege to convey face-to-face to Brian’s dad Raymond and mom Irene my deepest condolences over their loss. They are down home, decent, loving folks crushed by the death of their only son. Because the dad was a career NYPD cop, the family understood the inherent risk in the job. That doesn’t make their loss any easier to bear. Not of their only son who was following in his father’s footsteps.
My brother Craig came with me. He and I grew up not far from the Moore’s and both of us saw in ourselves the pictures of Brian's youth on the Island, going to the beach with his pals and goofing around with his family on holidays. To look from those pictures of this typical kid hanging with his buddies to the walls lined with flowers sent by well-wishers from around the country to the long lines of Brian’s fellow cops from the 105 Precinct waiting to pay their respects to the devastated parents is to be reminded of what should be obvious.
Cops lives matter too.