Community mourns fallen NYPD officers at Memorial Mass

With solemn eyes and bowed heads, cops and their supporters mourned the lives lost in the line of duty at the Patrol Borough Brooklyn South Memorial Mass on Tuesday, May 24 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Bensonhurst.

The mass, which Our Lady of Guadalupe parish holds annually, commemorates those who have perished protecting their community. Assistant Chief Steven Powers, the commanding officer of Patrol Borough Brooklyn South, is grateful for the time and effort Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish puts into the memorial, a time for prayer and reflection for all those who attended to mourn their fallen comrades.

“You go into that day ready to pay your respects, and you’re sad to see that they had to give up their life to protect the community,” said Powers.

While this is only Powers’ second year with Patrol Borough Brooklyn South, seeing other members of the NYPD, families and other people from the community gather together to honor those who gave up their lives protecting them is a special event, he said.

“It’s heartwarming to see a packed church like that,” said Powers.

Among those in attendance was Police Commissioner Bill Bratton.