Dominican Independence Day Comes With Memories Of Fallen Officers

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — With Dominican Independence Day on Sunday, the New York Dominican Officers Organization met this week to celebrate the holiday and also pay respect to the families of fallen officers.

Detectives Jason Rivera and Wilbert Mora, who were gunned down on Jan. 21 responding to a domestic violence call, both were Dominican.

Edward Caban, the First Deputy Commissioner of the New York Police Department, gave a moving tribute to the two fallen officers and their heritage during the organization's ceremony.

"Wilbur was born in the Dominican Republic, Jason a first-generation son, both were proud of their heritage, and just as their roots ran through the Heights, the culture, the music and even the dance, it ran through them," Caban said.

Here is a longer clip of his remarks.

.@NYDO_1993’s beautiful celebration of Dominican Independence also honored the families of our fallen heroes — @NYPD32Pct Detectives Jason Rivera & Wilbert Mora. Their roots ran through #TheHeights just as the culture, music and even the dance ran through them. #NeverForget 🇩🇴 pic.twitter.com/XzuEStycBa
— Edward A. Caban (@NYPDFIRSTDEP) February 24, 2022

Rivera was an Inwood native who attended high school at the Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School.

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New York City has the largest population of Dominicans outside of the Dominican Republic in the world.

Additionally, the Dominican Day Parade takes place in New York City every year on the second Sunday of August, not on Independence Day.

The Dominican Republic declared itself as an independent country from neighboring Haiti in 1844. In 1861, the Dominican Republic was taken back under Spanish rule, before winning its independence in 1865.