Murdered NYPD Detective Rafael Ramos Inspires Next Generation of Queens Police Recruits

QUEENS (WABC) — This December marks 10 years since Detective Rafael Ramos was shot and killed in the line of duty.

All these years later, his legacy continues to inspire new recruits to join the ranks of the NYPD.

One aspiring officer said Ramos had an impact on his life from a young age.

Officer Mohamad Ghafari, 25, received his NYPD shield from his hero’s widow on Tuesday.

Ghafari said that as a young boy, he spent every afternoon with Ramos, who was then his school’s security guard.

“We would spend hours together talking while waiting for my mother to pick me up,” Ghafari says. “We became good friends.”

Maritza Ramos wished her husband could have been there himself, but she said she was very proud to represent his memory and his impact.

“Her story is so inspiring, as soon as they showed it to me I cried, I showed it to my boys, they loved it,” Ramos said.

The recruits were young, perhaps 14, when Ramos and his partner, Detective Wenjian Liu, were ambushed in their patrol car in 2014.

“It’s heartbreaking to see because a lot of them were so young, but I pray that they all stay safe,” Ramos said.

It was a tender and important moment on behalf of a police officer who was like a family member to the young man, a mentor.

Ramos was committed to making a difference – and he did.

“Having Ms. Ramos here to pin my shield on is truly a blessing,” Ghafari said.

ALSO READ | Brooklyn school renamed in honor of slain NYPD detective Wenjian Liu

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