Slain MIT Officer’s Brother Starts Petition for National First Responders Day

Photo via Facebook.com

The brother of slain MIT Police Officer Sean Collier is trying to convince the president and members of Congress to create a national holiday to honor America’s first responders.

Following the death of his brother, Sean, who was allegedly shot multiple times by the Boston Marathon suspects on April 18, Andrew Collier felt compelled to rally support for an annual day of recognition for those who put their life on the line for the general public.

“Sean’s involvement in the community, his love for the people he was protecting, and the principles he showed right until the time of his death are a model of exceptional public service and an example of how we all should live every day,” Andrew wrote in the petition posted on Change.org. “I know many families that share this same pride for their loved ones who have dedicated themselves to a life in the emergency response field. It is because of this pride, and the pride for all who serve, that I am writing to ask that a national holiday be designated to honor their service.”

As of Monday, more than 1,300 people had signed the petition, but Andrew was pushing for more people to help out by posting the message to his Facebook page, sharing it with friends and family.

Collier, who was killed in April the night police went on a multi-town chase to capture the bombing suspects, was recently honored by the Cambridge community in the form of a special beer. The Cambridge Brewing Company created the “Collier Stout,” and gave proceeds from its sales to Collier’s favorite charity organization.

Governor Deval Patrick also signed a bill in late May posthumously appointing Collier as a Somerville police officer. Collier was killed one month before finishing training to receive his badge as a Somerville cop.