Late Hudson County Sheriff’s Officer Justin Rivera was one of seven fallen police officers honored at the Archdiocese of Newark’s 32nd Annual Blue Mass last week.
Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, the Archbishop of Newark, presided over the liturgy at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, which began with a procession of police honor guard units presenting national, state and police flags as well as a performance by an accompanying pipe and drum unit.
Numerous high-ranking dignitaries joined hundreds of law enforcement officials and loved ones from throughout the state to pray for seven police officers who died in the line of duty.
The honorees were Rivera, Newark Police Sgt. Koseph Azcona, Major Jeffrey A. Burke of the New Jersey State Police, NJ State Police Sgt. James J. Puhalski, Spring Lake Police Sgt. Steven E. Blecki, SCPO Erick J. Whitaker of the New Jersey Department of Corrections, and Corporal Raymond Kuuchi of the Veterans Affairs Police…