Business
Pete Tanzilli, JT Thomas his wife and their son currently live in the Denver, Colorado area. Pete was prematurely separated from law enforcement due to medical reasons and currently works part time in the civil engineering industry as a CAD Technician. His wife, Amanda, is a Senior Business Manager for a large multi-family residential and real estate company. They have been married for more than 3 years. Pete is a United States Air Force Veteran who served for 5 years during Operation Enduring Freedom and Noble Eagle, before and after 9/11. He was a member of the 377th Security Forces Squadron at Kirtland AFB and has two separate honorable discharges. After Pete’s military time he became a police officer. He served with the United States Federal Government then transferred over to a civilian role with the Laguna, New Mexico Police Department near Albuquerque, NM. Pete worked as a special agent and a traffic officer and was also a general police instructor who specialized in teaching officers from around New Mexico standardized field sobriety testing. On the night of March 24, 2016 Pete was shot at close range during a physical altercation while attempting to arrest an auto theft suspect. The bullet went through his left pelvis, fracturing it and lodging in between the L5 and S1 of his spine. More than 3 years later, Pete still struggles with physical disabilities due to that gunshot wound. His struggles include foot drop in his left foot and complex regional Pain Syndrome. Pete is now a Colorado POST certified peer support counselor who helps other catastrophically injured and disabled law enforcement officers as well as speaking to agencies about his survival and recovery.