As officers at the 46th Precinct lined up ready to go to work on Tuesday, Chief of Patrol Philip Rivera led the roll call.

"I have very fond memories here, but I'll tell you it laid the groundwork for an excellent career so far," Rivera said.

Rivera served as the commanding officer at the precinct from 2014 to 2017.

In 2024, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch named him chief of patrol.

Rivera told News 12 it was not something he expected but knew he could not turn it down.

"When I got to about that time frame, I felt like I had more than time to get back to the community and honor that legacy of my father," he said.

In the sea of officers, retired lieutenant and Rivera's father, Andrew Rivera, looked at his son in admiration. "When he made captain, I went to him and said, ‘now you're twice the man that I was because I only made it to one bar as a lieutenant," Rivera Sr. said.

For the Puerto Rican and Dominican chief, the homecoming was an opportunity to blend his service, culture and to honor his father, who inspired him to become an officer.

"It's very rare that we get to, you know, be together on something related to the NYPD. So, we got to take advantage of these opportunities where we can," he said.

According to a 2024 NYPD report, 33% of officers in service are Hispanic.

Rivera told News 12 he hopes his legacy will inspire more generations of Latino officers.