EL PASO COUNTY, COLO. (KERO) — The Bakersfield Police Department is processing the death of one of their own after a former officer was killed in the line of duty in Colorado. Andrew Peery was a veteran of BPD and leaves a lasting legacy within not only the police department but Kern County.
Peery worked with the BPD from 2014 to 2016. During that time police say he made a major impact on the community.
The 39-year-old Peery was killed during a SWAT incident in El Paso County in Colorado. He, along with two other officers who arrived at the scene, were immediately met with gunfire from the suspect. The officers returned fire and that’s when Deputy Peery was shot. He later died due to his injuries.
“Andrew was a highly dedicated, highly decorated SWAT operator for the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office. He’s been with my office since 2016," said El Paso County Sheriff Bill Elder.
Sgt. Robert Pair with BPD says local law enforcement is still processing what happened.
“His loss is very much felt by our organization. I think it speaks to his character that he was a U.S. Army veteran, got out, and got a job in law enforcement and it speaks to his heart for service. By any meaning of the word 'heroic,' he was absolutely a hero and is greatly missed by our organization.”
Deputy Peery joined the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office in 2016.
There has been an outpouring of support regarding his death, including in a post from the Bakersfield Police Officers Association also paying tribute to the fallen deputy.
Peery is survived by his wife Megan and two children.
