POLICE WEEK 2015: THE CANDLELIGHT VIGIL
Finding comfort and support
MELVIN SANTIAGO
Jersey City Police Department
n BY JOSHUA SIGMUND
For Cathy McBride – mother of Jersey
City Officer Melvin Santiago – coming to
Police Week provided consolation by being
around others who have lost a child in the
line of duty, as well as other officers who
were inspired by Santiago’s sacrifice.
“Everyday I wake up and I think for a second that it’s a dream, but I have to convince
myself that it’s reality,” McBride struggled to
admit from her seat at the National Law
Enforcement Officers Memorial during the
Candlelight Vigil. “Nothing lightens the
load, but you find a little comfort knowing
that you’re not alone.”
Surrounded by 50 members of the Jersey
City Police Officers’ Benevolent Association
(JCPOBA) that travelled down to Washington D.C. in Santiago’s honor, along with
hundreds of NJ State PBA members and
countless more law enforcement officers
from across the U.S. and abroad, McBride
and the rest of Santiago’s family members
certainly were not alone.
McBride spent her time at Police Week
connecting with other grieving mothers of
fallen officers – namely, those of Waldwick
Officer Christopher Goodell and Cliffside
Park Officer Stephen Petruzzello, both of
whom were added to the Memorial Wall this
year.
“I’ve met a lot of great people all under
the same circumstances with the same
story unfortunately,” she noted. “It’s some-
thing you don’t want to be a part of, but if
you have to be, you’re grateful it’s with these
people.”
Santiago’s brothers and sisters in blue
descended to D.C. en masse with a mission
of support and honor due to the hero who
was assassinated in cold blood in his patrol
car on July 13, 2014.
“It was worse than an assassination,”
corrected JCPOBA Vice-President Vinny
Disbrow. “It was a cowardly act by someone
who wanted to be made famous. For us to
all come down here, it shows the respect for
Melvin and what he died for, and that we
really believe in what we do. The camaraderie is still there.”
The officers came down to D.C. with a
special item that was displayed on top of the
Memorial Wall above Santiago’s etched
name – the door of the patrol car the officer
was in when he was killed. On the Wall, this
door served as a beacon, leading dozens of
friends and family members to Santiago’s
panel.
The officers also brought down an
unmistakable sense of pride, never lost
among New Jersey law enforcement. It is a
renewed drive to protect and serve, and it is
a testament to Santiago to continue to
believe in the work that police officers do
every day.
“It says how important Melvin was; how
important it is to keep his memory alive
because he was viciously taken from us for
no reason,” McBride affirmed about the
grand showing at the Vigil. “To have everybody here to support us is overwhelming.
It’s been an emotional week. The support
Jersey City has shown my family, myself
and my son… I can’t even find the words
for it.” d
www.njcopsmagazine.com
n
JUNE 2015
35