PAX Centurion - April / June 2016

Page 52 • PAX CENTURION • April-May-June 2016 617-989-BPPA (2772) By P.O. Robert E. Anthony, BPPA Historian O n the Morning of February 6, 1974, sixty five (65) Boston Police recruits entered the Boston PoliceAcademy to begin their training to join the nation’s First Police Department. One of Boston’s newest recruits was a young man named José Maceira. José was born in Caguas, Puerto Rico on June 11, 1943 and raised in the Bronx He moved to Boston in 1967 after he was discharged from the U.S. Navy. José was a VietnamVeteran in the U.S. Navy, who received an honorable discharge in 1967. He was 31 years of age when he joined the Boston Police to learn a new profession after spending many years as a laborer. The class of Feb. 6, 1974 had some of the best recruits. Many of whom would later become Deputies, Captains, Lieutenants, Sergeants and the Patrolmen would later become Boston’s Finest. Recruit Officer Maceira’s day was just like any of the recruits that began with their daily physical training, criminal law, constitutional law, motor vehicle law. A few recruits would not make it to the end of the training, but Recruit Officer Maceria was not one of them – he passed theAcademy and was assigned to Division 2. His training officer was Patrolman Leon Martin. On Saturday, November 23, 1974, just short of two weeks out of theAcademy, Patrolmen Martin and Maceira, assigned to the 2-11 sector car, were dispatched to the rear of 8 Humphrey Place, Dorchester for a report of suspicious persons. Upon arrival, the officers found an eight foot chain link fence obstructing their Patrolman José A. Maceira The firstHispanicBostonPolice officer killed in the line of duty approach to the railroad tracks, the location of the investigation. The Officers then got back into their marked police cruiser and drove to Clifton Street and were able to walk onto the railroad tracks where they observed two Hispanic males with their faces placed into plastic bags, a further check revealed these males to be inhaling a toxic substance, namely glue. Both males were then taken into custody and walked over to the marked police cruiser. While walking over to the cruiser, one of the suspects who was later identified as David Rivera, 18 years of age, struggled with Patrolman Maceira and was able to gain control of his weapon, and pointed it at Patrolman Martin who was forced to take cover. The suspect then ran towards Patrolman Maceira and placed the weapon at the Officer’s head and fired one round which struck Patrolman Maceria in the cheek. Patrolman Maceria collapsed and fell to the ground. Patrolman Martin then fired six rounds from his service revolver at the two suspects who had climbed over the chain link fence and fled down Humphrey Place toward Humphrey Street. Patrolman Martin requested additional units and an ambulance and broadcast a description of the two armed suspects. Patrolman Maceria was placed into the 201Wagon by Patrolmen Reardon and Gross and transported to Boston City Hospital. About 4:15 p.m., a few minutes after the shooting of Patrolman Maceria, Patrolman Robert McCarthy and Patrolman Joseph (JJ) O’Malley in the 2-11 car while searching the area for the two suspects observed in the rear of 636 Colombia Road – the wanted suspects. The patrolmen approached with their service revolvers drawn and chased the suspects for nearly 500 yards before they were able to corner them behind the Uphams Corner Post Office. After a violent struggle with the officers, suspect David Rivera attempted to pull out Patrolman Maceria’s stolen weapon which was hidden inside his shirt, but Patrolmen O’Malley was able to wrestle it away from him. While performing the arrest, the suspects began struggling violently with the Patrolmen. Officer McCarthy, to overcome the resistance offered in effecting the arrest, struck suspect Juan Rivera once on the head with his service revolver and was able to place him into custody and he was taken to Boston City Hospital for head trauma. Both suspects were placed under arrest and identified as the two suspects in the shooting of Patrolman Maceria. Patrolman José A. Maciera First Hispanic Boston Police Officer Killed in the Line of Duty