By Frank Eltman, The Associated Press
EAST ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) - After hearing tributes Wednesday from New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly and others, 9-year-old Kevin Rafferty wanted mourners in St. Mary’s Church and out on the street to know one more thing.
Detective Patrick Rafferty, who was fatally shot along with his partner last week in Brooklyn, “was the most caring, kind, loving and brave father anyone could have.”
“I felt safe and secure knowing that nothing bad would happen because my dad was there to protect us.”
Applause erupted among the estimated 15,000 police officers - from the metropolitan area and beyond - who listened via loudspeakers outside the tiny church. Some wiped away tears.
Rafferty, 39, of Bay Shore, and Detective Robert Parker, 43, died last Friday when a suspect allegedly grabbed Parker’s gun in East Flatbush.
Following the same route used for East Islip’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade, a procession of motorcycle officers, followed by the NYPD Emerald Society Pipe and Drums, led a march down Montauk Highway from the funeral home where the Irish-Catholic Rafferty’s wake was held to the church where his life was celebrated in a funeral Mass.
After the service, two trumpeters played taps, followed by a flyover of seven police helicopters. A lone trumpeter played “America the Beautiful” as Rafferty’s casket was placed in a hearse for the trip to nearby St. Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale.
“I learned a great deal with them,” said 67th Precinct Detective Nelson Figueroa, choking with emotion before the service. “They made my time in the 6-7 that much easier. It was a pleasure working with them, knowing them, on the job and off.”
Rafferty, one of the veterans in the squad, was known as a mentor to his follow officers, Kelly said during his eulogy.
“Any question I had, the two people I would go to were Bobby Parker and Pat Rafferty,” said Detective Eric Torres. “They were my mentors and I hope for the rest of my career I could follow their steps.”
The suspect, Marlon Legere, 28, who was shot by Rafferty in both feet during the scuffle with the two detectives, pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder charges Monday, and was ordered held without bail.
The two were posthumously promoted Tuesday to first-grade detective, the New York Police Department’s highest detective rank. The promotion will increase the benefits their families will receive by thousands of dollars a year.
“Patrick Rafferty was truly one of the best there ever was,” Bloomberg said during the service. He called the detective “a man who proudly chose a life of duty, courage and danger for our sake. Today we hope he can hear us as we say, ‘thank you.”’
At the time of the shooting, Legere was wanted for questioning about a relatively minor May incident in which his mother said he broke a window in her house.
Police and prosecutors said Parker and Rafferty were trying to stop Legere from stealing his mother’s car Friday night when he allegedly wrested away Parker’s gun and opened fire.
The two detectives were the first to be killed in the line of duty since March 2003, when two undercover detectives from the police department’s organized crime control bureau were shot on Staten Island during a sting operation against gun dealers.
Another officer died on duty of a heart attack in January while running to the scene of an arrest.
In addition to his son, Rafferty is survived by his wife, Eileen, and two daughters, Karen 12, and Emma, 5.
Parker’s funeral is scheduled for Friday.