Local police take oath to protect and serve

Police officers put their lives on the line every single day to protect us and deserve our thanks and respect.

Cops get a bad rap. Are we aware that there are some serious issues surrounding police and how they interact with the community these days?

Yes, we are. We are not ignoring those important issues.

We have seen the ubiquitous videos that seem to pop up all too often depicting police officers using what certainly to the naked eye appears to be excessive force.

Police enforce the law; they are not above it.

But let’s face it, very few of us face the kind of peril every day when we leave the house for the office as these officers of the peace.

Day in and day out, they are out there putting their lives on the line to protect us. Need a reminder? We got another one Monday morning, when word was received of a Philadelphia officer who was shot in the face as he attempted to serve a warrant with a SWAT team.

Luckily, Officer Jason Potts, 49, a married father of three, will survive, no thanks to a bullet that fractured his jaw.

But instead of heading off on vacation as he planned, the 20-year veteran of the force now faces a serious recovery time.

They take that motto, “To Protect and Serve,” pretty seriously.

Now meet Chester Police Officer Jose Alvarez.

He’s a juvenile officer, working what can at times be some very mean streets. He’s assigned as a school resource officer.

More than anything, Alvarez is there to protect his young charges.

He recently had a chance to do just that.

The officer was on the street in the 700 block of Tilghman Street last week talking to a mother about the city’s curfew.

His partner, Officer Joshua Dewees, was handling a call around the corner.

It was just before 10 p.m. The city’s curfew is 9:30 p.m. for those 18 and under.

Alvarez, the mother and several of her young children were about to get a stark reminder of why that curfew is important. Gunshots rang out. Alvarez immediately took action to shield the children and mother, literally wrapping his arms around them in a tight huddle, putting his body between them and the bullets.

At least eight shots were fired. Luckily, no one was hit.

“All I heard was boom, boom,” Alvarez said recounting the event. “When I looked back I could see the muzzle flash go off. I would rather the bullets hit me, my vest, than her.”

The officer was referring to an 11-year-old girl who along with other members of the family found themselves in the line of fire.

“He saved my life,” said the pre-teen known as “little one.”

Alvarez at one point actually “tackled the girl to the ground and shielded her body with his, until the shots stopped,” according to an official press release issued by Chester Police Chief James Nolan IV.

Alvarez fears for the lives of the kids he sees every day on these streets.

He even noted that in this instance, the shooters were not the least bit taken aback by the presence of police on the street.

He believes it was part of the ongoing struggle between rival factions in the area.

Dewees was so impressed by his partner’s actions that he posted about them on Facebook.

The post quickly drew more than 100 likes and comments.

We particularly like this one: “Serve and protect without recognition — that’s what you guys show all the time.”

Nolan said he is proud of the work of Alvarez and other officers are doing every day, and noted that it is indicative of a new philosophy when it comes to policing in Chester.

“This level of self-sacrifice and bravery is commendable,” Nolan said.

“It is our intention to have this attitude permeate the department in such a way that the community will develop such a trust in our officers that they will go to them with everything they need to drastically drop the crime rate to levels not seen in many years.” One thing will not change. That vow to protect and serve.

Just ask the family that was shielded from danger by Officer Jose Alvarez.