Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

I was very saddened today to hear this devastating tragedy about a real hero. I know this is a very difficult time for his family but God will help guide you in this time of grief. He will be missed by all. God bless.

S.O. O. Vega
BOP FCC Coleman USP 2

June 23, 2008

May you rest in peace my brother.

Ron SooHoo Retired Sergeant
Sacramento Police Department

June 23, 2008

Ofc. Rivera,

You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.

Felix Garcia
San Joaquin County Correctional Officers Association

June 23, 2008

Rest in peace Brother. You did your duty well

d/o nick
sheriff;s office

June 23, 2008

Godspeed brother Pepe. We will never forget your sacrifice. Your brothers and sisters bureau-wide stand arm in arm together in reflection of your brave service. Rest now dear brother. We will take it from here.

S. Justesen, Lieutenant
federal Bureau of Prisons

June 23, 2008

Rivera family, my prayers are with you tonight.

S.O.S E. DES
BOP/FCC VICTORVILLE

June 23, 2008

You are in heaven watching down on us all, Thank You and may GOD bless your familiy.

S.Gomez S.O.S
FCC Victorville/FCI-1

June 23, 2008

His Journey's Just Begun

Don't think of him as gone away-
his journey has just begun
life holds many facets
the Earth is only one

Just think of him as resting
from the sorrows and the tears
in a place of warmth and comfort
where there are no days and years

Think how he must be wishing
that we could know today
how nothing but our sadness
can really pass away

And think of him as living
In the hearts of those he touched
For nothing loved is ever lost-
And he was loved so much.

To the family of Officer Rivera, I hope this poem will bring you comfort in the difficult days ahead. Thank you for his service to our Country. You can be proud you raised such a fine son who will forever live in the hearts of BOP staff.

FCC Victorville

June 23, 2008

USP Atwater, family, and friends you have a guardian angel now in Officer Jose Rivera. His spirit will always be among you as you continue to remember and honor him. I, as well as all of your colleagues, grieve your loss and know that we, too, are with you in spirit. God Speed Officer Riveria, rest in peace Brother.

FCI Pekin Brothers and Sisters
FBOP - FCI Pekin

June 23, 2008

To the family and friends of Jose Rivera, I would like to say that it gets easier with time, but it doesn't. I do feel your sorrow during this time. Having never met him in person but having walked his beat with him.. We the staff of the BOP are better for having worked, and played along side him...

Let us never forget the sacrifice that Jose and the other 23 have made for us.....Rest in Peace my heros....

EOW 6-20-08......

Lt Jeff Cox
BOP

June 23, 2008

Everyday Officer Rivera made the choice to defend America. Now it is our duty to defend/protect and uphold his family. He paid the ultimate price for our freedom and was sworn to uphold peace and safety for the community. A very brave and valiant man. Rest in peace, my friend and may your bravery and boldness be feared and respected by all the officers who will band together on your behalf. Men and women alike will step up all around to not let your life go unoticed. You are a hero and will be remembered forever.

BOP
Yankton

June 23, 2008

It's always sad to see one of our brothers fall. You will not be forgotten and the rest of us will continue to fight the good fight and do what most others can not. God Bless you and your family.

Lieutenant Joe Charvat
North Dakota State Penitentiary

June 23, 2008

We as Line Staff, Lost a Great young Officer, On behalf
Of FCC VictorVille Line Staff, My God be with you all.
Are Hearts & Prayers go out to the Family and Co-Workers Of Officer J. Rivera...

Control to officer Rivera!!!!
Control to officer Rivera!!!!
No contact with officer Rivera.......May God Bless.....

A. Hurtado
FCC VictorVille

June 23, 2008

this is the exact reason we should not waste tax payer money on housing murderers. an innocent man doing his job and he is stabbed to death. Justice needs to be served swift and precise in our country. kill someone, be put to death if it is proven beyond a reason of doubt the person did it instead of letting these people live for years in prison while families mourn their victims. SENSELESS. Rest in Peace sir and god bless YOUR family.

June 23, 2008

In eleven years of service, I have witnessed selfless devotion and valor. Two Officers have died in my tenure, let there not be more. This has been a tough year and the thugs coming in are trying to alot of harm. I was an Officer at Atwater in 2000 through 2003. I have had a run in with one of the murderers at another USP. The current inmates in BOP custody have a serious disregrd for staff authority and must be dealt a heavy hand on all responses. Staff ask what do we do? I say have a plan to survive know you will survive. The staff at Atwater have displayed the upmost bravery in attempting to save Riveras life. At MDC Los Angeles we mourn for him, we respect all of our brothers and pray this sensless violence will stop.

Lt. Mike Fitzgerald
MDC Los Angeles

June 23, 2008

Rest in peace! My thoughts and prayers are with the Rivera family.

Maia Jefferson, Case Manager
Federal Bureau of Prisons

June 23, 2008

Thank you for your brave service

PO MICHAEL CONNOLLY
BOSTON POLICE DEPT

June 23, 2008

May your rest in peace and God bless you for your service.

RETIRED DETECTIVE FRANK DEMARCO
NEW YORK CITY POLCIE

June 23, 2008

We offer our deepest sympathy to family, friends and fellow Correctional Officers of Jose Rivera.
From all Correctional Staff at the Niagara Detention Centre Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada

Mark Holcombe Correctional Officer 2
Ministry Of Community Safety and Correctional Services Ontario,Canada

June 23, 2008

My sincere condolences to the girlfriend, friends, and family of Jose Rivera. I didn’t know him personally but as most BOP staff could tell you, we feel that we know him by serving as he has in the Bureau of Prisons. In this way, we carry him in our hearts and in our work. It saddens me greatly to learn of this senseless death. Like Jose, at age 23, I was also doing my probationary year as a Correctional Officer at a United States Penitentiary after just having been honorably discharged from the military. I didn’t realize it at the time but when one chooses to walk daily into a United States Penitentiary as a Correctional Officer, each shift, (D/W, E/W, or M/W), one really is an unsung hero. We don’t really know for sure, if we will be coming home to our loved ones each day. Who in their right mind would do this other than a modern day hero? Like a chivalrous knight of the days of old, we choose to enter places where maximum security is needed in order to care for lesser fortunate people than ourselves, often with limited resources, thinking of others safety before our own. One doesn’t do something like this just for a paycheck. Regardless of how bad we are outnumbered, we bravely carry on our work for justice and fairness is in our heart.

Jose Rivera is a hero of this often overlooked war. He boldly went each day, where not many men choose to go. He protected society by keeping the offenders confined in a secure and safe environment. When inmates are down or hurt, we do our best to keep them safe and get medical attention to them. We hear the call for assistance and respond as quick as we can. We run to body alarms to assist other staff without any protection and without knowing what awaits on the other side of the doors or corridors. One time, it could be a riot on the recreation yard. Another time, it could be inmates stabbing each other with knives. Yet another, it could be an ambush awaiting to take our very lives. We just don’t know what is waiting for us but that doesn’t stop America’s unsung heroes or even slow them down. When the police work is done and the attorney & court work has finished, America’s unsung heroes step up to the plate as the last and final protectors of society. This is where Jose’s work began. Sometimes it last for the life of the offender. Other times, it last for our very own lives. Jose Rivera gave the ultimate sacrifice to his country in trying to serve it. He is a brave American hero in the highest sense of the word and should always be remembered as a protector of American society. I say this with confidence after serving my probationary year in the Penitentiary at age 23 and let me tell you, it wasn’t easy. It was in 1986 to 1988 and much more resources were available then. It’s had to be much harder now (twenty years later). Jose Rivera deserves full recognition for being one of America’s heroes of freedom under the most difficult circumstances of this day and age. May he always be remembered as such.

Steven Pirkkala, Case Manager
FCI Miami, Florida

June 23, 2008

You gave the ultimate sacrifice! RIP, God bless your family as we keep them in our prayers. GODSPEED

Correctional Officer PV
California Dept. Of Corrections

June 23, 2008

To the family and friends of Jose ,My husband and I our very sorry for your lose.My husband floyd cowan also works for BOP. Our Prayers Are with you. Floyd and Pam

Floyd Cowan S.O.S

June 23, 2008

We're down here in MDC Guaynabo Puerto Rico. Hundreds of miles away, but we still feel the pain. God bless you my brother and God bless your family. Semper Fi!

Officer P. Fortier
FBOP/ MDC Guaynabo

June 23, 2008

god bless you officer rivera

larry armstrong
father of fallen officer e.o.w 1-12-05

June 23, 2008

Rest in peace....

Patrolman
Pennsylvania

June 23, 2008