CPD officer left his mark on the town

This coming Saturday, March 9, a group of firefighters and police officers from Canton and surrounding towns will take to the ice with heavy hearts as they skate in memory of a fallen brother, CPD Officer Ralph Centeno, in the fifth annual Canton Fire/Police Charity Hockey Benefit at Metropolis Rink.

Officer Ralph Centeno

This year’s event will feature two hockey games — Stoughton Fire/Police vs. Randolph Fire/Police at 8 p.m. and Canton Fire/Police vs. Boston Police at 9 p.m. — along with a chuck-a-puck contest, raffles and auction items, and a live DJ. All of the money raised will go directly to the Centeno family in honor of their beloved “Ralphie,” who died last month at the age of 48 following a five-month battle with pancreatic cancer.

“He was a great person,” said his older sister Gladys Centeno, who plans to be in attendance at Saturday night’s event. “For me, he was a hero. He taught me how to succeed in life and how to move forward.”

Gladys, who fought back tears as she reminisced about her only sibling, recalled how Centeno had always played the “good cop” to her “bad cop” and had always tried to help people out whenever he could. She described him as a dedicated father, grandfather and uncle, and a “good mentor” who was great with kids.

He also was an excellent police officer and a real “cop’s cop,” according to Canton Police Chief Ken Berkowitz, a close personal friend of Centeno’s going back to their days at the Police Academy more than 20 years ago.

“On the first day of the academy we had to line up in alphabetical order,” recalled Berkowitz, “and I was one in front of Ralph and we became fast friends.”

Berkowitz would later make his way to Canton while Centeno would settle into a long and productive career with the Boston Municipal Police. But the two remained in touch, and after the controversial merger of the “Munis” with the Boston PD in mid 2006, Berkowitz reached out to his old friend and asked if he was interested in transferring to Canton.

At the time, the chief had been in search of a Spanish-speaking officer to help diversify the department and respond to the changing demographics in the town — and Centeno proved up to the task, becoming the first Latino officer in CPD history when he joined the department in 2007.

In his eulogy of Centeno in front of a packed crowd at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Berkowitz described the partnership as a “match made in heaven,” recalling how the South End native arrived in Canton “like a hurricane” and somehow managed to meet “half the town” in his first week on the job.

He quickly became a fixture at local sporting events, where he offered up tidbits of advice and words of encouragement to kids on both teams, according to Berkowitz.

“For someone who didn’t grow up in the town and was here for only a short period, he really made a big impact on our department and the community,” said the chief.

He was also “incredibly generous” to his fellow officers, Berkowitz said, and he regularly took on holiday shifts so the younger officers could be with their families.

And even when he did get sick, Centeno continued to work and never complained — this despite enduring grueling chemotherapy treatments and a host of medical setbacks.

“He kept going and going; he was a fighter,” said his sister. “He would always tell me, ‘We’re going to beat this. Nothing’s going to get to me.’”

Gladys said his positive attitude helped keep the rest of the family strong as they struggled to make sense of the frightening diagnosis, which came as a complete shock when it was revealed by doctors last September.

“He had gone to Pennsylvania for a softball tournament and came down with an upset stomach,” recalled Gladys. “He thought he had a stomach virus. He was taking Pepto-Bismol and was trying to take care of himself.”

When he did finally learn that he had cancer, Centeno focused his attention on beating the disease, bolstered by the support of his family and his Canton and Boston police brethren.

Gladys said the initial prognosis was favorable; doctors had labeled it early stage and the tumor at the time was roughly the size of a pea. Centeno underwent six weeks of chemo and was considered a likely candidate for surgery, until doctors discovered lesions on his liver during a checkup in early January.

It was a devastating blow for Centeno and his family, and yet as Berkowitz noted in his eulogy, “there was not one minute of self-pity” as Centeno vowed to keep fighting at all costs.

“His conviction to beat the disease and his commitment to this place and his desire to be around the department and this community, it was unbelievable,” remarked Berkowitz.

Eventually Centeno’s body began to shut down and he was placed into home hospice care at his niece’s house in Hyde Park — the same house where they had gathered for countless Sunday dinners over the years.

He arrived there on a Thursday, transported by ambulance behind a motorcade of police vehicles, and he died the following evening surrounded by loved ones.

“He was a soldier,” said Gladys of her little brother. “He fought all the way to the end. I’m so proud of him.”

Gladys expressed similar feelings of pride for the members of the Canton and Boston police departments, two organizations that meant the world to her brother and rallied to his aid when he needed them most.

“They’re like my family now,” she said, “because they were with me from the beginning to the end. They were amazing and I’m so happy to have them.”

Berkowitz, meanwhile, feels the same way about the Centenos — a family of “incredible” people full of “love and compassion.”

Both will be forever bound by their love for Ralph and their commitment to preserving his legacy.

“We will carry him with us always,” Berkowitz said in his eulogy. “He made us better police officers and people for having known and loved him.”

“We’re going to continue his legacy and his memory,” said Gladys. “We’ve got to keep it alive.”

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Admission to the fifth annual charity hockey benefit is free, and donations will be accepted at the door. Those who would like to make a donation prior to the event can drop it off at Canton Fire headquarters, located at 99 Revere Street.

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Posted by Jay Turner on Mar 7 2013. Filed under Features. Both comments and pings are currently closed.