Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Brooke Walker ReportingToday, friends and family honored a former police officer who died following a brave battle with cancer. Hundreds of police officers gathered to honor one of their own.
Funeral services were held today for Jose Argueta. He died last week of esophageal cancer. Argueta was a former narcotics officer for Midvale Police Department. Before he died, he told KSL he believed his job caused his cancer.
Back in March, we spoke with Jose from his hospital bed. He told KSL he was upset about his cancer and upset at how he got it. During his career as a narcotics officer for Midvale police, Argueta investigated hundreds of meth labs, dealing with dangerous, toxic chemicals used to make the drug. He was given little training and issued only a paper jump suit as protection.
Jose Argueta, March 2006: "I couldn't figure it out until I started mentioning to doctors that I'd worked as a narcotics officer doing meth labs. That's when all the doctors started saying, 'There you go. There's your answer.'"
Argueta leaves behind a wife. He will be buried in the Murray City Cemetery.
An Eyewitness News Investigation discovered more than 80 other meth lab officers who also suffer with diseases, such as cancer, or who have died.
