Slain MIT Officer To Be Appointed To Somerville Police

BOSTON (CBS) – Sean Collier, an MIT Police officer who was allegedly shot and killed by the Boston Marathon bombing suspects, was honored Tuesday.

Governor Patrick signed an executive order authorizing the Mayor of Somerville to posthumously appoint Collier as a city police officer.

Photos: MIT Service For Sean Collier

"Officer Collier was a true hero and this deserving designation is a small token to honor his memory and his sacrifices," said Governor Patrick.

Collier, 27, was shot multiple times on April 18 as he sat in his cruiser near Kendall Square in Cambridge.

He had been offered a job with the Somerville Police Department before he was killed.

"Sean Collier was a dedicated civilian employee in the Somerville Police Department, an honorable member of the MIT Police Department and a tremendous Somerville resident, and yet he never had the opportunity to see his ultimate dream realized of officially becoming a member of the Somerville Police Department," said Mayor Joseph Curtatone.

Authorities say Collier was shot by brothers Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Tamerlan was killed in a gunfight with police hours after Collier was shot and Dzhokhar was arrested the next day.