05/22/2026
It has been a decade since Officer Ronald Tarentino Jr., a son, a brother, a husband, a father, and our friend, was killed in the line of duty on May 22, 2016.
Ron’s dream was to be a police officer, and he fulfilled that dream, first with the Leicester Police Department and then with the Auburn Police Department, serving proudly for a combined nine years. He loved what he did, and we loved working alongside him. Ron had an incredible work ethic, integrity, compassion, and a presence that made even the hardest days seem okay.
The pain of losing Ron will never fully go away. There is no anniversary that makes it easier and no amount of time that makes it make sense. Ten years later, we still talk about him daily, sharing his stories because he truly was larger than life. Those of us who served alongside him still proudly wear his badge number on our uniforms, and we will keep his memory alive for generations to come. The Auburn Police Department has now reached the point where there are more officers who never had the chance to hear him sing “Workin’ on the night brew” (to the tune of Night Moves) while making the shift a pot of coffee, than those who did.
So today, ten years later, we remember the night Auburn changed forever, but we also remember what came after it, Ron’s larger-than-life legacy. We remember the officer who loved his job, the father whose heart lives on in his sons, the friend who made people laugh, and the man whose name now lives on through a bridge, a road race, scholarships, acts of kindness, and every person helped in his memory.
Today, we remember his sacrifice and celebrate his life, because let’s be honest, he was kind of a big deal.
