Crime & Safety
Peabody Cop To Deploy To Puerto Rico, Help With Relief Efforts
He's visited family on the island every year since moving to the U.S., but now he's visiting with the purpose of serving.
PEABODY, MA — A Peabody cop is joining 68 other Massachusetts police officers in deploying to Puerto Rico to help the island recover from the destruction left behind by Hurricane Maria.
Officer Javier Sanchez, along with cops from all over the state, from Provincetown to Easthampton, Holyoke to Littleton, are going to the island to help local authorities enforce curfews and provide security.
A native of Puerto Rico, Sanchez moved to the mainland U.S. when he was 13. "I was heartbroken," he told the Salem News, when he heard of the damage Maria had done. "When I saw the pictures and videos and not being able to communicate with my family, I felt heartbroken. I've never seen Puerto Rico like that," he said.
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Also See: Trump, San Juan's Mayor Have Different Views On His Puerto Rico Trip
Sanchez, a resident of Salem, is no stranger to deploying to dangerous areas. A veteran of the U.S. armed forces, he has deployed to Iraq twice, according to the Salem News.
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"When I went there, we helped the people in Iraq – I believe that," he said. "That’s what motivated me to become a police officer, I enjoy helping people," he told the Salem News.
The deployment is being put together by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, and will include 13 Massachusetts State Police cruisers.
We are proud that a team of law enforcement officers will deploy to Puerto Rico to help keep residents safe after the recent catastrophic hurricanes," Gov. Charlie Baker said in a statement, WBUR reported. "The Commonwealth continues to offer personnel and equipment resources as needed to Puerto Rico, and is preparing to welcome disaster survivors traveling to Massachusetts."
Of Officer Sanchez, "I'm not surprised, knowing the kind of guy he is," said Police Chief Tom Griffin said. "I was on the phone with Javier for maybe 30 seconds before he said he was interested in going," he told the Salem News.
Article image credit: Nino De La Cruz, Digital Content Coordinator, Peabody Police Department
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