Papa…cried the boy. Papa. Papa where are you. He did not understand his dad was no more. How could he, at four years old?
Last week I went to Tijuana, Mexico in uniform, minus the gun. It was a little unnerving. D the Criminal Intelligence Detective Sergeant assigned to Mexico, his detectives and I went to the police HQ of TJ PD. The HQ building smells of death. Not from the 31 cops killed in TJ this year alone, but from the beef processing plant it was for decades prior to becoming a fortified police building. When we arrived at the building it looked like we were in the middle of Kabul, Afghanistan. Sandbags surrounded the entrance manned by cops with 60 caliber machine guns. A caravan of police vehicles were inside. Two pickup trucks filled with armed officers in heavy body armor, ballistic helmets and automatic rifles. They were ready for a full assault. In between the trucks was a bullet proof and bomb plated SUV. It was non-descript in color and markings, smoked windows and every seat had a rack with an M-4 sub-machine gun. We climbed in for a ride to the Army compound near the big Mexican flag in TJ. We were with the Chief of Police for TJ. There is a contract on his life. We are told it’s around $500,000. The cartels want him dead.
As we bombed through the streets of TJ, I looked at the masses of people in the routine of daily life in one of the most violent cities in the world. They had no idea of the events unfolding around them. They seemed to have little concern about the chaos of life and the sacrifices being made for them and the cost of their freedom. I think mostly because of the rampant corruption they experience with the justice system in Mexico. The visual representation of justice is the uniformed men and women of law enforcement. But the problems in Mexico are systemic and pervasive. It runs deep into the fabric of society.
We turned the corner to the military base and a dark colored van moved to block our path. The lead vehicle had gone around it leaving the protection package (us) venerable. Was this going to be an assault on the Chief’s car, with unarmed US law enforcement inside, or a simple delivery truck with a poor driver? The police radio clamored with excitement and the driver gunned it past the truck. We’ll never know. We sped on. It did cause a rise in blood pressure and a racking of rounds into the chambers of several M-4’s.
We arrived at the impenetrable military base and walked to a large open courtyard. There were police officers from the Federal Police (AFI), State Judicial Police, State Preventative Police and Tijuana Municipal Police. There were maybe 200 of them, small numbers by our standards for a funeral of a slain cop. Maybe they were tired of attending funerals for cops. Dave told me this was one of the bigger funerals. The family came in last. The wife of the officer was a poor woman (cops make about $1,700 a month). The cost of living is not that much different than SD other than housing. She has 7 kids and now no husband.
Two days earlier José Luis Torrijos was at work protecting his captain as they drove through the Colonia Libertad area of the city. Would be murders assaulted their vehicles with military precision. Torrijos, excited the car while taking automatic weapons fire and engaged the cartel in a gunfight. Jose Luis Torrijos knew he was likely to sacrifice his life for a cause greater than himself. Because of his actions on October 18, 2009, others were able to live. I wonder what his thoughts were as Jose laid on the pavement dying of mortal wounds. Did he just feel alone as Jesus did? Forsaken? I don’t think there was a bright light other than muzzle flash.
D, F, J and I stood at attention in the warm Mexico sun, saluting a casket of a Mexican hero. My throat was choked with emotion as the Director of Public safety read the description of how Jose fought to save the lives of others and how he died. I noticed a little boy running in and out of the hedges behind the casket and no one stopped him.
It is Mexican tradition that each Law Enforcement agency stand watch over the fallen officer for one minute during the ceremony. We stood next to Jose Luis Torrijos and I prayed for his family. The little boy running about went to the fallen officer’s wife and said, “Papa. Papa. Where are you?” She could not look at him.
Javier, Papa sacrificed his life so others could live.
Jesus sacrificed his life (as God) so that others might live. He did it willingly and with the power to stop his torture and death. I wonder what Jesus’ thoughts were in the last few hours of his life, as he hung on the cross. We know some of them.: He felt abandoned. He forgave those who killed him. He granted a criminal entrance into his kingdom. He told John to care for his mother and told his mother John was now here son. As he gave up this spirit as he cried out in agony. He experienced separation from God. Yes, it was a sacrifice much bigger than just death.
Because of Jesus’ sacrifice we have the opportunity for eternal life and to become part of the biggest family on earth, the Church or the body of Christ. It has been offered. We must accept it though. Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in NO ONE else. It is the only name, under heaven, given to men whereby we MUST be saved.” Rejecting this great of salvation is as foolish as rejecting the protection of a Mexican hero, Jose Luis Torrijos.
A
Last week I went to Tijuana, Mexico in uniform, minus the gun. It was a little unnerving. D the Criminal Intelligence Detective Sergeant assigned to Mexico, his detectives and I went to the police HQ of TJ PD. The HQ building smells of death. Not from the 31 cops killed in TJ this year alone, but from the beef processing plant it was for decades prior to becoming a fortified police building. When we arrived at the building it looked like we were in the middle of Kabul, Afghanistan. Sandbags surrounded the entrance manned by cops with 60 caliber machine guns. A caravan of police vehicles were inside. Two pickup trucks filled with armed officers in heavy body armor, ballistic helmets and automatic rifles. They were ready for a full assault. In between the trucks was a bullet proof and bomb plated SUV. It was non-descript in color and markings, smoked windows and every seat had a rack with an M-4 sub-machine gun. We climbed in for a ride to the Army compound near the big Mexican flag in TJ. We were with the Chief of Police for TJ. There is a contract on his life. We are told it’s around $500,000. The cartels want him dead.
As we bombed through the streets of TJ, I looked at the masses of people in the routine of daily life in one of the most violent cities in the world. They had no idea of the events unfolding around them. They seemed to have little concern about the chaos of life and the sacrifices being made for them and the cost of their freedom. I think mostly because of the rampant corruption they experience with the justice system in Mexico. The visual representation of justice is the uniformed men and women of law enforcement. But the problems in Mexico are systemic and pervasive. It runs deep into the fabric of society.
We turned the corner to the military base and a dark colored van moved to block our path. The lead vehicle had gone around it leaving the protection package (us) venerable. Was this going to be an assault on the Chief’s car, with unarmed US law enforcement inside, or a simple delivery truck with a poor driver? The police radio clamored with excitement and the driver gunned it past the truck. We’ll never know. We sped on. It did cause a rise in blood pressure and a racking of rounds into the chambers of several M-4’s.
We arrived at the impenetrable military base and walked to a large open courtyard. There were police officers from the Federal Police (AFI), State Judicial Police, State Preventative Police and Tijuana Municipal Police. There were maybe 200 of them, small numbers by our standards for a funeral of a slain cop. Maybe they were tired of attending funerals for cops. Dave told me this was one of the bigger funerals. The family came in last. The wife of the officer was a poor woman (cops make about $1,700 a month). The cost of living is not that much different than SD other than housing. She has 7 kids and now no husband.
Two days earlier José Luis Torrijos was at work protecting his captain as they drove through the Colonia Libertad area of the city. Would be murders assaulted their vehicles with military precision. Torrijos, excited the car while taking automatic weapons fire and engaged the cartel in a gunfight. Jose Luis Torrijos knew he was likely to sacrifice his life for a cause greater than himself. Because of his actions on October 18, 2009, others were able to live. I wonder what his thoughts were as Jose laid on the pavement dying of mortal wounds. Did he just feel alone as Jesus did? Forsaken? I don’t think there was a bright light other than muzzle flash.
D, F, J and I stood at attention in the warm Mexico sun, saluting a casket of a Mexican hero. My throat was choked with emotion as the Director of Public safety read the description of how Jose fought to save the lives of others and how he died. I noticed a little boy running in and out of the hedges behind the casket and no one stopped him.
It is Mexican tradition that each Law Enforcement agency stand watch over the fallen officer for one minute during the ceremony. We stood next to Jose Luis Torrijos and I prayed for his family. The little boy running about went to the fallen officer’s wife and said, “Papa. Papa. Where are you?” She could not look at him.
Javier, Papa sacrificed his life so others could live.
Jesus sacrificed his life (as God) so that others might live. He did it willingly and with the power to stop his torture and death. I wonder what Jesus’ thoughts were in the last few hours of his life, as he hung on the cross. We know some of them.: He felt abandoned. He forgave those who killed him. He granted a criminal entrance into his kingdom. He told John to care for his mother and told his mother John was now here son. As he gave up this spirit as he cried out in agony. He experienced separation from God. Yes, it was a sacrifice much bigger than just death.
Because of Jesus’ sacrifice we have the opportunity for eternal life and to become part of the biggest family on earth, the Church or the body of Christ. It has been offered. We must accept it though. Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in NO ONE else. It is the only name, under heaven, given to men whereby we MUST be saved.” Rejecting this great of salvation is as foolish as rejecting the protection of a Mexican hero, Jose Luis Torrijos.
A
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