Patrol Officer Sean Allen Collier

Last Sunday, the folks from my shift held a little get together as we sometimes do on holiday weekends after work. It was the 8th anniversary of your murder at the hands of punks who thought they were some kind of heroes. Though we laughed and talked about lots of things, and of course bitched about things at work, we stopped and thought of you and your sacrifice and how close to home it was for us, even those who hadn't started working with us at that time. Not one of us didn't feel a bit emotional at that moment. You ARE a Brother and a neighbor to us and always will be. One of our folks was one of the first on the scene that night. Several of our folks were in Watertown when all Hell broke loose. It was your Brothers and Sisters protecting the future on the Commonwealth's campuses who had to sit behind the State Police at your memorial service to honor you. You got national attention, but not for the right reasons, but even in a nation that now seems so anti-Police it's heart wrenching, cannot find a negative thing to say about you. Thank God you are respected, if only because you were murdered.

Sean, I may never have had the chance to meet you, but I know a number of your co-workers at MIT and some who have moved on for whatever reason, but there is a kinship between our departments that was brought even closer by this horrendous and infuriating tragedy. We will mourn you forever, hero.

In fact it's been eight years, but in all of our hearts, it was last week.

May you continue to forever Rest in Peace, Brother and may God Bless you and all who feel the loss most of all.

Ptl. Jim Leahy, Jr.
Harvard University Police Department

April 23, 2021