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Philly cop creates portraits of officers killed on duty

Officer Jonny Castro turned his talent of sketching suspects into a way to honor his fallen brothers and sisters

By Police1 Staff

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia Officer Jonny Castro usually sketches wanted suspects, but is now using his talents to honor his fallen brothers and sisters in blue.

Before joining the military and the police force, Castro developed his talent in art school, WTXF reported.

“There’s an ongoing debate about police relationships’ with communities and how we all interact- but one thing that tends to unite all of us, is when an officer is killed in the line of duty,” Castro said.

He became inspired after a job in the graphic arts department opened up.

Castro spends around eight hours on each portrait and gives them to the fallen officers’ family.

“It’s something the family has to remember them by,” he said. “Not just husbands and wives but maybe brothers and sisters, sons, daughters. They can each have a copy and hang it in their own place.”