Local author honors fallen police officer with children’s book

It’s been over a decade since Calexico police officer Adrian Cordova lost his life in a tragic car accident while coming home from a training exercise.

Even though he is gone, the city he loved so much dedicated a park in his name and now he’s featured as a hero in a children’s book.

Shaun Sundahl , a current officer for the Calexico Police Department and author of the ” Police officers on patrol series ” book said, ” I wanted a way to remember the things he did for the community. I wanted a way to memorialize what he did for all of us. The children and for the community, his commitment. And I think writing a book and having him as the main character is one way of accomplishing that. ”

The book shows young readers, Cordova’s core values of helping others and never giving up no matter the cost.

” Heroes are local. They’re here in the community. They don’t have to wear a cape or wear a mask. But they’re really people . What I’m trying to do is humanize the badge. ”

Sundahl recalled what made Cordova so beloved in the community.

” If you talk to anybody that knows Adrian Cordova that knew him, they’re going to remember his contagious laugh. They’re going to remember that he was the most bravest officer that we ever had. I’ve never seen him back down from any dangerous circumstance. ”

For Cordova’s niece, Adrienne Taylor, the loss is still difficult to overcome.

” It’s still really hard to talk about him or to think about him. It’s been 12 years but it still feels like it was just yesterday. So it is still hard. ”

But to know that children in the community will know of her uncle’s legacy is priceless.

Taylor added, ” But the fact that you know it’s been so long that people are still trying to do stuff to keep him alive, it’s special. It makes all of us really happy. ”

Proceeds from the book go towards families who lost a loved one in the line of duty.

To purchase a copy of the book you can click here.