In Memory of Detective Raymond C. Abear

New York Detective Dies from COVID19

On Monday, April 13, 2020, New York officials came forward, sadly, to brief the public of the loss of another NYPD Detective to COVID19. Detective Raymond C. Abear, age 43, died from complications due to the virus. It is presumed that he contracted the virus in the course of his duties. Abear had served the city of New York for more than 20 years as a New York City Police Department member. His most recent assignment was to the Queens Special Victims Squad.

NYPD Captain Johnathon Cermeli spoke of the shock that officers are going through to lose friends and colleagues so suddenly. “When I heard about that, it was just shocking; it hit me hard when I heard that. You hear all these stories of different people and everybody who’s older and as sad as it is, you kind of say, ‘Well, they lived a good life. They were in their 90s.’ But it hits you really hard when someone’s life is taken so prematurely.”

Detective Abear was known to be filled with great kindness and empathy. It was these qualities that made him excellent at working with the Special Victims Squad.

New York City Police Department

Raymond Abear was a Detective with the NYPD. The NYPD began its history in 1845 as the city’s Municipal Police. It replaced the older night watch system. Mayor William Havemeyer called together the best men in the city as a challenge to form the new department. He began the well-known phrase that has lasted more than 150 years, “New York (City)’s Finest.”

Becoming a Detective with the department is not easy. When you begin a career with the NYPD, an officer is considered under probationary status for six months. After graduating from the Police Academy, an officer is then considered a ‘rookie’ for the next 18 months, which is still somewhat a probationary role.

Officers can then choose between three career tracks to follow while with the NYPD. The choices include supervisory, investigative, and specialist. The supervisory track consists of nine titles. Three of these titles or ranks, sergeant, lieutenant, and captain, are awarded based on competitive examinations.

Abear had reached the level of detective in his career. It meant that he was either promoted by the police commissioner from police officer to the rank of detective or completed a minimum of 18 months of investigative duty. There are two types of detectives in the NYPD; there are detective-investigators or detective-specialists. Detective investigators are the type of detectives most known for crime tv shows or the kind of detectives most notably seen in movies. Detective specialists generally are assigned to a specific unit or squad, such as narcotics, organized crime, or kidnappings. Abear worked with the Queens Special Victims Squad.

Remembrances

The pandemic has left a gaping hole in our society and even more so in the hearts of family and friends who have lost a loved one to the virus. Detective Raymond C. Abear leaves behind his wife and two children. Hundreds of law enforcement officers from around the region came to escort Abear to his final resting place. Residents joined officers as they showed respect, honor, and gratitude for his sacrifice.

NYPD In Memoriam posted the loss of Detective Abear on their social media page. “Today, we remember Detective Raymond C. Abear of the Queens Special Victims Squad. Detective Abear died on April 13, 2020, from #COVID19 after a presumed exposure while on duty.”

NYPD’S 112th Precinct tweeted a message to the late Detective. “You are always in our hearts, Ray, and we will never forget the smile you always had.”