Vice President Joseph R. Biden called the New York Police Department the finest in the world during his eulogy at the funeral for slain Officer Rafael Ramos on Saturday, one of two cops gunned down last weekend as they sat in their car.
“They were part of New York’s finest, and that’s not an idle phrase,” Mr. Biden said, ABC News reported Saturday. “This is probably the finest police department in the world, the finest police department in the world. They earn that praise.”
Mr. Biden said that the “assassination” of the officers laid heavy on hearts and minds across the country.
“When an assassin’s bullet targeted two officers, it targeted this city and it touched the soul of an entire nation,” he said.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo touted Mr. Ramos’ bravery and dedication as a police officer.
“For Officer Rafael Ramos, being a police officer was more than just a job; it has to be. It was a calling,” he said, ABC News reported.
SEE ALSO: De Blasio receives NYPD’s turned backs at Rafael Ramos’ funeral
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio echoed Mr. Biden’s words, calling the NYPD the finest police force in the country during his emotional eulogy. he offered condolences to Mr. Ramos’ family and the police force.
“I extend my condolences to another family, the family of the NYPD, which is hurting so deeply these days,” Mr. de Blaso said, the New York Daily News reported.
“All of this city is grieving and grieving for so many reasons, but the most personal is we’ve lost such a good man and a family is in such pain,” Mr. de Blasio said.
Thousands of officers lined the road to the Christ Tabernacle Church where Mr. Ramos had served as an usher.
Mr. de Blasio extended an olive branch to officers in an attempt to make amends for seemingly turning against the police force after the controversial police killing of Eric Garner in Staten Island.
But as Mr. de Blasio spoke, hundreds of officers turned their backs to the mayor, on the street one man held a sign, “God Bless the NYPD, Dump DeBlasio,” ABC reported.
NYPD commissioner Bill Bratton offered condolences to Mr. Ramos’ children, praising their father for his service.
“We are here because your dad was assassinated,” he said. “That’s a different word from murdered, which is awful enough. It speaks of prominence of the person killed,” Mr. Bratton said, according to ABC.
“Your dad was assassinated because he represented something, and that’s true, he did,” he said. “He represented the men and women of the New York City Police Department. He was the embodiment of our model, Fidelis ad mortem, faithful unto death.”
Mr. Bratton promoted both Ramos and his partner, Officer Wenjian Liu to detective first grade and appointed Mr. Ramos the posthumous chaplain of the 84th Precinct.
Mr. Ramos, 40, and Mr. Liu, 32, were ambushed by Ismaaiyl Brinsley while there were at the Tompkins Houses. After killing the officers, the 28-year-old gunman fled to a nearby subway and killed himself.
• Kellan Howell can be reached at khowell@washingtontimes.com.
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