MILWAUKEE — Justin Sithivong was one of Officer Peter Jerving’s best friends. Sithivong has played in sports leagues with Jerving and his younger brother for years.
“I will miss staying at his house and having cookouts and bonfires,” Sithivong said. “Playing sports and video games with him.”
Sithivong has other friends who are also Milwaukee police officers and says he checks in with them every day because he knows how dangerous their job is. Early Tuesday morning, his worst fear came true.
“I always text him, even if he’s on shift, just so I know he’s alright,” Sithivong said.
Around 3 a.m. Tuesday, Sithivong got a call from another close friend who’s also a Milwaukee police officer, telling him that Jerving had been killed on the job.
“I just kept saying 'no,'” Sithivong said. “I went into complete shock. I was frozen. I couldn’t stay at my house. I had to be with his family. I went to find his brother. I started at the Medical Examiner’s Office, then went to Peter’s house, then his brother’s house. His brother was home. I just hugged him. He said it was the first time since finding out he was able to actually shed a tear because he’s been in shock. He doesn’t believe his brother is gone. I don’t either. It just doesn’t seem real.”
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Officer Peter Jerving, 37, leaves behind a long-time girlfriend, six siblings, and a mother and father who’ve been married for more than 44 years. They are requesting privacy as they mourn together. They were all so proud of him.
Sithivong also dropped off flowers at Milwaukee Police District 4, where Jerving worked. He spoke with some of the officers who lined up outside the station to place flowers on a squad car draped in black in honor of Jerving.
Jerving became an MPD officer later in life. He was in his 30s when he started at the police academy.
“He had helped get me a job... where he worked for a long time and everyone loved him,” Sithivong said. “Then one day he told me he was leaving to become a cop. I couldn’t believe it. I had no idea he wanted that. We all supported him. He worked really hard, he got in, and was a Milwaukee police officer for more than four years. He worked more overtime than anyone I know. It gave him such hope and purpose to put on that vest and wear the blue, supporting the city. He loved his job.”
Jerving won a Milwaukee Police Department Merit Ward last year for helping save someone’s life.
Sithivong said Jerving was the type of friend who was always only one call away when you needed anything. He’s described as a jokester, a character, and the life of the party.
“He loved to dance and make people laugh,” Sithivong said. “He woke up with energy and went to bed with energy. He was really fun and just a great person.”
