For Immediate Release January 22, 2022
STATEMENT FROM THE NEW YORK STATE POLICE INVESTIGATORS ASSOCIATION
The following statement is attributable to Tim Dymond, President of the New York State Police Investigators Association
“We learned that on Friday, January 21st two New York City Police Officers were shot in the line of duty, and one was killed while responding to an incident in Manhattan. The members of the New York State Police Investigators Association (NYSPIA) send our deepest condolences to the family of Officer Jason Rivera. We also share our prayers and concern for his partner, Officer Wilbert Mora, who is in critical condition in a New York City hospital.
As police officers, we face dangerous situations every day. We know that is part of the job and we accept it willingly as part of our commitment to protect the public. However, what we do not accept and will never accept is when our brothers and sisters in law enforcement are being put into life threatening situations caused by reckless politicians who are passing laws that embolden dangerous criminals and exacerbated the anti-police climate across the state. Every time a police officer is shot or killed, which is happening more and more each week, we have to read statements from politicians who send “thoughts and prayers” while the next day they go to work and pass more laws making it harder and more dangerous for us to do our job. This hypocrisy is a disgusting, insulting and demoralizing. There is nothing worse than someone who wonders why the fire spreads as they fan the flames. We stand with our fellow officers in this moment of tragedy and will fight to change the circumstances creating this climate of chaos.”