Long Beach police Officer Brian Collette died Thursday after a months-long battle with cancer.

Collette, 42, was in the peak of health when he suddenly became ill, said Steve James, Long Beach Police Officers Association president.

“It’s very difficult,” James said. “There’s a lot of people having a difficult time with this. He was so healthy.”

James described Collette as a true gentleman whom fellow officers loved.

Collette joined the Long Beach Police Department in December 1995, police spokeswoman Marlene Arrona said in an email. Collette worked in all patrol divisions: field support, as a DARE instructor, Emergency Operations Homeland Security Detail, administrative officer and SWAT technician, Explorer Program adviser and also served in the Support Bureau Training Division.

Collette was most recently assigned to the East Patrol Division, Arrona said.

Above the call of duty

He received numerous commendations and was awarded Meritorious Class B after he and another officer rushed into smoke-filled school classrooms to help rescue children.

Collette and the other officer were on parol near an elementary school Feb. 1, 2000, when they heard a popping sound and saw smoke, according to Arrona. They found a roofing truck fully engulfed in flames parked between two school buildings. The classrooms were filled with smoke and the officers heard an explosion.

They helped evacuate the students, but one was missing. Collette and the other officer went back inside.

During their search, they heard three more explosions, Arrona said. After exiting the building, the child was found safe on the playground with the other evacuated students. Collette and the other officer were treated for minor smoke inhalation.

Family

Collette is survived by his 17-year-old son Kyle, 9-year-old daughter Madison, mother Connie and father William — a retired Long Beach Police officer.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his honor to any cancer society of one’s choice.

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Contact Greg Yee at 562-499-1476.

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