45°
This is how hundreds of people describe Silvio Valdes, who retired last month from the Roxbury Township Police Department after 27 years of service.
His absence was felt almost immediately at police headquarters, according to a touching tribute on Facebook.
"It wasn’t uncommon to ask him a question about a project and the next day have him show up at your house to help," the police department's post says. "Or for him to walk into headquarters and tell you that your tire was low, so he put air in it for you.
"Or for the ladies who work the front desk to walk out of headquarters, to find he cleaned the snow off their windshields."
Valdes was the guy who would buy the person behind him in line a cup of coffee. He was the one who would cover dinner for a struggling family at a restaurant -- and never for anything in return.
The officer was the one who stepped up to ride for Joey Franklin in the Police Unity Tour, days after he passed away.
"That's just Silvio."
Valdes began his career in 1992 as a U.S. Border Patrol agent. Two years later, he was hired as a police officer in Roxbury. He worked the road for several years before assisting in the detective bureau with undercover operations. Eventually, he was transferred to the community service unit.
Dozens of comments from community members, friends and loved ones poured in.
Township police say Valdes was the officer everyone turned to for advice.
"He has the answers to all our questions," police said in the tribute. "Every department has a guy like this, but no department has a Silvio."
Click here to follow Daily Voice South Passaic and receive free news updates.
