San Diego’s law enforcement community is grieving the loss of Lieutenant Brian Avera, a 43-year-old veteran of the San Diego Police Department who died Wednesday after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Avera spent nearly two decades with the department, became a key figure in homelessness outreach and union leadership, and leaves behind his wife, Hillary, and their two children, Ava, 8, and Brian Jr., 4.
According to FOX 5 San Diego, Avera had been fighting pancreatic cancer since 2024, and the department asked the community to keep his family in their thoughts. The outlet also reported that a fundraiser was set up for the family through PORAC's Fund a Hero program. Officials have not yet released details about memorial services.
Two decades on the beat and union leadership
San Diego State University notes that Avera joined the San Diego Police Department in 2006 after serving in the U.S. Marine Corps in Iraq, and later lectured in criminal justice while overseeing SDPD’s Homeless Outreach Team. He is also listed among department leaders in the city’s organizational chart, according to the City of San Diego. Union publications highlight his years of service on the San Diego Police Officers Association’s board and other leadership roles, as documented in the SDPOA Informant.
Advocacy and community work
Avera took on practical issues that hit close to home for officers, from child-care access to recruitment challenges that drew attention in local coverage. Reporting by 10News details how those efforts included work on a child-care center for SDPD officers’ children, part of a broader push to keep experienced officers on the job while strengthening ties with the community.
The San Diego Police Department has not announced memorial arrangements, and colleagues and community partners have urged privacy for the family as they grieve. For those who want to help, the PORAC Fund a Hero page lists donation options and campaign information. The department has asked residents to keep Avera’s family in their thoughts while leaders and union representatives coordinate next steps.
