Police Officer Bryan Dennis Tuvera

I can’t believe it has been 13 years. It still hurts. I worked on the same watch as Bryan at Taraval Station and we were one watch off of each other. It was Bryan’s Monday and my partner, RM’s, and my last day off when this tragedy occurred. My partner and I used to always tell Bryan and his partner Joe “Don’t get into anything big until we get back.” They aIways got into clusters on their Monday. Oh how I wish this had just been a cluster. I was at the Oakland Airport when a fellow officer called me with the terrible news.

That last few days we all worked together I will always remember. We had some big accidents, a shooting , and the more routine calls. It was so busy due to the holidays. I remember at the shooting Bryan put on his hat and the rest of us didn’t like wearing the hat much. Our tense Lt., who really liked Bryan a lot, arrived on scene and I could tell he was pleased. The Lt liked us wearing our hat at crime scenes. I remember jokingly calling Bryan the “teacher’s pet”. Bryan was always so professional. Our whole watch went from call to call together that week in particular, on Bryan’s Friday, and we were a real team. I remember feeling lucky to be on such a great watch and to have such great co-workers.

As I left work that night Bryan was staying late, still working on the shooting report I think. It was his Friday and I said “See you later Bryan, have a good weekend” and I waved and he did the same. That was the last time I saw him.

Within the last year or so, I’ve come to realize how significant this event was in my life and career. Not getting to say goodbye bothers me. Pieces of me are left in Dec 2006. I think that is true for all of us who knew Bryan. I think of my co-workers who were there and saw it and held Bryan until the ambulance arrived. I think of his classmates riding with him and following the ambulance and then, once at the hospital, having to tell his lovely wife how bad it was. I think of his wife and her partner who were waiting at the hospital parking lot as the ambulance arrived. They worked the midnight shift at Park Station and had heard the 406 on the radio as they were getting ready for work. His wife told me the next day that when she heard the 406 and the location she “just knew.” I think of RE and RC who had to write the report, both who had been some of the first Officers onscene at Officer Birco’s murder in the Bayview District just that summer. And of course I think about Bryan’s family, especially his Mom.

I ended up on this page and read your posts from all of these years. It brought me to tears. Mrs. Tuvera you did such a great job raising your son. Everything that has been said about him is true. He was so nice, so smart, so funny, just such a pleasure to be around. He was happy and made this world a better place. I remember thinking on so many occasions, “ I need to be more like Bryan.” He was so professional. He was always polished and on time. He would’ve been the best field training officer. He would’ve been a great Sgt and Lt. I feel so fortunate to have known him. Thank you for sharing him with all of us in the SFPD.

I wish I could take away your pain. I hope it will help you to know a lot of us are still grieving with you. You are not alone. I know Bryan is with you. God bless you and your family.

God bless all of you who have lost your loved ones in this way.

Officer Christa Festa
San Francisco PD

December 18, 2019