This morning, Somerville Police Department Detective Mario Oliveira (Ret.) shared his poignant story with the 5th Fitchburg State University Police Program's Recruit Officer Course (ROC). On November 2, 2010, while assigned to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives Boston Field office as a Task Force Agent, Detective, Detective Oliveira was shot six times at point blank range while serving a Federal arrest warrant.
Detective Oliveira told of his time in the Mass General Hospital Emergency Trauma Bay, where he had an amazing experience with the afterlife. He shared that he was visited by his late Grandmother in the form of a nurse. Detective Oliveira’s grandmother provided him with Hope & Faith that he would pull through despite dying three times that evening.
The cadets were captivated by the presentation and eagerly asked Det. Oliveira questions at the end. An appropriate presentation as the 5th Fitchburg State University Police Program will have their graduation program this Friday, September 9. Det. Oliveira has shared his story in a book, Gunrunner: The Mario Oliveira Story, and is currently employed with New England State Police Information Network (NESPIN) as the Eastern Massachusetts Metro/Boston area Law Enforcement Coordinator. He also the Co-Founder of Violently Injured Police Officers (V.I.P.O.).
