Cop ‘loved the job’
John Borges died on Christmas Eve from COVID-19
Hundreds of police officers and other first responders filed through a Taunton funeral home Monday night to pay respects to patrolman John Borges, a 20-year veteran of the Taunton Police Department who died from COVID-19 on Christmas Eve.
He was just 48 years old. “Nobody liked being a cop more than John. Nobody loved the job more than John,” said coworker and friend, Lt. Eric Nichols.
Borges was a founding member of the Southeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Councils Search and Rescue Team, and Nichols — who knew him for 30 years — described him as a dedicated and humble public servant.
“He was that behind-thescenes guy. He just didn’t want credit. He was the guy who, at 2 in the morning, bought a homeless guy a meal, but didn’t tell anybody because he didn’t want the credit,” he said through tears.
The first wave of the pandemic hit the Taunton Police Department hard, Chief Edward Walsh said: during one point in the spring, about one quarter of all officers were either infected with COVID-19 or in quarantine. Walsh said cases within the department have surged again, and Borges was one of several officers who became ill in recent weeks.
“His case took a turn for the worse,” Walsh told the Herald. “It’s still so tragic for all of us.”
The caseload isn’t localized to Taunton. Less than an hour north, 195 Boston
Police officers have tested positive for COVID-19 since March, according to recent department data.
Just three months before his death, Borges spoke at a local 9/11 memorial event, sharing his experiences helping survivors and their families in the decades since the attacks.
“He brought everyone at the ceremony to tears with his ability to speak,” said Taunton Mayor Shaunna O’Connell.
“John brought joy and compassion to our community every single day,” she added.
Borges was also a lead trainer for the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.
“He was such a good planner. The only thing that came to mind was that God needed a good planner, and that’s why he called on John,” Nichols said.
Family and friends will hold a funeral Mass for Borges at St. Mary’s Church in Taunton Tuesday morning. He is survived by his parents, a sister, a his goddaughter and many aunts and uncles.