CHARLOTTE Neighborhood Charlotte Information — Lecturers, substantial faculty pupils and police officers arrived jointly Monday to mourn the reduction of 54-12 months-previous CMPD officer Julio Herrera.
Herrera served at CMPD for 28 years, and was just months absent from retirement when he died previous 7 days right after battling COVID-19.
Men and women shared awesome stories about Officer Herrera at his funeral at Initial Baptist Church in Uptown Charlotte. CMPD Main Johnny Jennings spoke at the funeral contacting Herrera “one of the best CMPD had to provide.”
“Everything you can feel of, he was,” mentioned Haleigh Washington, a senior at Ardrey Kell High Faculty.
A sea of blue lights lined the street, and an American flag was draped throughout the sky to try to remember a person who was more than just a police officer.
“He would normally say, ‘Do far better. You can do greater, I’m listed here for you.’ It was nearly like he was a assistance counselor and officer in just one,” reported Washington.
Officer Hererra was a father to his two sons and a father figure to lots of at Ardrey Kell High School.
“Freshman year he saw me finding in a large amount of hassle and he just sat me down and he was like, ‘Listen.’ He was like, ‘Just do improved,” reported Dominique Jenkins, a junior at Ardrey Kell.
Jenkins was a person of a lot of pupils who knew Officer Herrera, not only as his faculty source officer, but also as his mentor.
“When I go to faculty, I generally talked to him, he was constantly at our football games, so I’m likely to skip possessing that, like, a particular person in your corner at college, who you can usually speak to, I’m likely to miss out on that.”
Police officers mourned alongside high college learners for a male who was taken from them.
“I really feel blessed to have worked with him, so it is a unfortunate time for our neighborhood. He’s intended so substantially. He’s been there due to the fact the college was opened,” reported Brian Knab, Ardrey Kell Significant School’s Athletic Director.
“I’m going to miss observing his smile and listening to his voice and looking at him at every sporting function he could go to,” said Washington.
But there’s anything demise can’t choose away.
“He realized there was some superior deep inside of you,” stated Washington.
Officer Herrera’s legacy will endure.
“It pushes me to make the planet better,” stated Washington.
Officer Herrera leaves guiding his wife and two sons. College students at Ardrey Kell say they want to place up a mural in remembrance of Officer Herrera and retain his identify on his business office doorway as a tribute to what he meant to absolutely everyone at the school.
