KUSA — He was one of the freshest officers on the force, and he may have been the finest.
Johnstown Police Officer Yuri Thomas, 32, died Monday in an apparent drowning at Horsetooth Reservoir.
“Officer Thomas embodies everything that we are looking for in an officer,” Commander Aaron Sanchez said.
Sanchez said Thomas was with his wife and two dogs playing fetch on Monday. Thomas went to retrieve a ball in the water, went under and never came up.
“His wife and this department is grieving right now,” Sanchez said.
Officer Thomas joined Johnstown police in February 2018. His journey to becoming a police officer began as a child growing up on Saint Vincent in the Caribbean.
“He had a real, real hard childhood,” said Nola, Thomas’ wife of six years.
Thomas’ family was poor, and he lost his mother when he was just eight years-old. On her deathbed, Thomas’ mother urged him to “make something of himself.”
“That was his desire his entire life,” Nola said. “To make something of himself and be somebody.”
Nola said a school resource officer came to visit Thomas’ school one day and inspired him to become a police officer.
“He wanted to be able to be able to give other kids who had a hard childhood like himself hope,” Nola said.
Thomas worked at a resort on Saint Vincent for several years before coming to the United States. Nola said he became an auxiliary police officer in New York before the couple moved to Colorado. Thomas worked as an officer in Northglenn before joining Johnstown PD.
“When he put that uniform on, he’s like a proud peacock,” Nola said. “He always had from a childhood this dream of being a police officer, so when he acquired that, I was so happy for him.”
Officer Thomas worked the nightshift for Johnstown PD. Commander Sanchez said the department often received positive feedback after people interacted with Officer Thomas in the field.
“If he writes you a ticket, you’ll walk away saying thank you,” he smiled. “One of the best hires we’ve ever had.”
On Wednesday, a Johnstown Police patrol car was parked outside the department’s headquarters. Several people dropped off flowers, balloons, stuffed animals and cards for the department.
Services for Officer Yuri Thomas will be held Monday at 10 a.m. at Rez Church in Loveland.
