THE FALLEN
Here we honor the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice. These brave souls are truly heroes.
Hector Nunez
Rank: Police Officer
Date of Appointment: Tuesday, November 1, 2005
Date of Death: Wednesday, December 8, 2021
Fallen #44
Nassau County Police Officer Hector Nunez passed after Contracting Covid-19 due to the performance of his police duties.
Charles Vroom
Rank: Police Officer
Date of Appointment: January 16, 2004
Date of Death: September 12, 2021
Fallen #43
Nassau County Police Officer Charles Vroom passed after Contracting Covid-19 due to the performance of his police duties.
Matthew Perlungher
Rank: Police Officer
Date of Appointment: Friday, August 15, 1997
Date of Death: Wednesday, August 4, 2021
Fallen #42
Nassau County Police Officer Matthew Perlungher passed from an illness contracted as the result of his efforts during the 9/11 rescue and recovery mission
Erik Contreras
Rank: Police Officer
Date of Appointment: Friday, October 14, 1994
Date of Death: Friday, January 15, 2021
Fallen #41
James V. Quinn
Rank: Police OfficerDate of Appointment: Friday, January 14, 1972
Date of Death: Monday, September 18, 2017
Fallen #40
Nassau County Police Officer James V. Quinn passed from an illness contracted as the result of his efforts during the 9/11 rescue and recovery mission.
Michael P. Shea
Rank: Lieutenant
Date of Appointment: Friday, October 19, 1990
Date of Death: Saturday, April 1, 2017
Fallen #39
Nassau County Lieutenant Michael P. Shea passed from an illness contracted as the result of his efforts during the 9/11 rescue and recovery mission.
Brian R. Abbondandelo
Rank: Police Officer
Date of Appointment: Friday, July 24, 1992
Date of Death: Thursday, July 28, 2016
Fallen #38
Nassau County Police Officer Brian R. Abbondandelo passed from an illness contracted as the result of his efforts during the 9/11 rescue and recovery mission.
Paul J. McCabe
Rank: Police Officer
Date of Appointment: Friday, August 2, 1968
Date of Death: Friday, September 25, 2015
Fallen #37
Nassau County Police Officer Paul J. McCabe passed from an illness contracted as the result of his efforts during the 9/11 rescue and recovery mission.
Peter Martino
Rank: Police Officer
Date of Appointment: Friday, March 31, 1995
Date of Death: Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Fallen #36
Nassau County Police Officer Peter Martino passed from an illness contracted as the result of his efforts during the 9/11 rescue and recovery mission.
Arthur Lopez
Rank: Police Officer
Date of Appointment: Thursday, July 29, 2004
Date of Death: Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Fallen #35
On October 23, 2012, Police Officer Arthur Lopez, a member of the Department’s Emergency Services Unit (ESU), was shot and killed by a man he and his partner had been pursuing along the Cross Island Parkway near the Queens and Nassau border.
National Law Enforcement Memorial: Honored in May, 2013.
Joseph P. Olivieri
Rank: Police Officer
Date of Appointment: Thursday, December 3, 1998
Date of Death: Thursday, October 18, 2012
Fallen #34
On October 18, 2012, Officer Joseph Olivieri was struck and killed by a sport utility vehicle while assisting a driver in an accident on the Long Island Expressway. He was 43 years old.
National Law Enforcement Memorial: To be honored in May, 2013.
Charles D. Cole Jr.
Rank: Police Officer
Date of Appointment: Friday, July 24, 1987
Date of Death: Sunday, August 14, 2011
Fallen #33
Police Officer Charles Cole died from illnesses he contracted from inhaling toxic materials as he participated in the rescue and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center site following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
Geoffrey J. Breitkopf
Rank: Police Officer
Date of Appointment: Thursday, December 3, 1998
Date of Death: Saturday, March 12, 2011
Fallen #32
On March 12, 2011, Officer Geoffrey J. Breitkopf, a special operations (BSO) officer, was fatally shot while assisting officers on a call for a man with a knife. He was 40 years old.
Michael J. Califano
Rank: Police Officer
Date of Appointment: Thursday, December 3, 1998
Date of Death: Saturday, February 5, 2011
Fallen #31
On February 5, 2011, Officer Michael J. Califano, a highway patrol officer, was conducting a traffic stop on the Long Island Expressway. During the stop, a trucker who dozed off, slammed into the officer’s stopped patrol car, sending him crashing into the rear of the vehicle he had stopped. He was 44 years old.
Peter F. Curran
Rank: Police Officer
Date of Appointment: Friday, April 26, 1968
Date of Death: Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Fallen #30
Gary Farley
Rank: Police Officer
Date of Appointment: Friday, July 18, 1986
Date of Death: Sunday, March 7, 1993
Killed In The Line of Duty #29
On Friday March 5, 1993 at 8:30 p.m., Officer Farley was present at 150 Division Avenue, Massapequa, New York in response to a complaint of a violent mental aided case. While attempting to subdue the aided person Officer Farley was struck in the chest by the subject. Following the altercation, Officer Farley complained to the other officers that he had pains in his hand, arm, and shoulder and did not feel well. At 8:30 a.m. Saturday, March 6, 1993 Officer Farley collapsed. He was transported to N.C.M.C., where he was placed on a respirator. Officer Farley succumbed to his injuries on Sunday, March 7, 1993. He was 36 years old.
Daniel Greer
Rank: Police Officer
Date of Appointment: Friday, April 29, 1966
Date of Death: Sunday, December 16, 1979
Killed In The Line of Duty #28
Police Officer Greer while on patrol in a Highway Patrol car stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation on the Long Island Expressway. Officer Greer was walking back to his patrol car when he was struck by a pick-up truck which left the scene of the accident. Police Officer Greer died from injuries due to the accident. He was 44 years old. Police Officer Greer was awarded the Purple Heart Medal posthumously.
Robert J. Harris
Rank: Sergeant
Date of Appointment: Thursday, December 1, 1949
Date of Death: Wednesday, May 17, 1978
Killed In The Line of Duty #27
Sergeant Harris, while operating a Nassau County Police Department helicopter on May 17, 1978, at about 1800 hours in the vicinity of Southern State Parkway and Wantagh Avenue, was killed when the aircraft developed engine trouble and crashed. He was 53 years old. Sergeant Harris given Excellent Police Service Award on November 3, 1977, for work performed in the year 1976.
Michael J. Kavanagh
Rank: Patrolman
Date of Appointment: Friday, April 14, 1967
Date of Death: Sunday, May 29, 1977
Killed In The Line of Duty #26
Patrolman Kavanagh, was operating a department radio car assisting Fifth Precinct cars in a pursuit of an automobile on the Southern State Parkway. He had stopped his auto an the Parkway east of Newbridge Road, North Bellmore, and exited patrol car to divert traffic when he was struck by auto originally pursued. Officer Kavanagh died in the hospital. He was 37 years old. Patrolman Kavanagh was presented the Medal of Valor and Purple Heart posthumously on November 3, 1977.
George Kempen
Rank: Police Officer
Date of Appointment: Tuesday, September 26, 1961
Date of Death: Sunday, November 14, 1976
Killed In The Line of Duty #25
Police Officer Kempen, while operating Radio Motor Patrol car # 101 was in pursuit of a suspect in a stolen automobile on Meadowbrook Road 200 feet north of Jerusalem Avenue, North Merrick. One of the assisting officer’s weapon accidently discharged striking Officer Kempen in the chest, causing his death. He was 38 years old.
Matthew F. Giglio
Rank: Police Officer
Date of Appointment: Friday, January 24, 1964
Date of Death: Tuesday, December 16, 1975
Killed In The Line of Duty #24
Police Officer Giglio, an Emergency Medical Technician, operating a Departmental Ambulance in the Fifth Precinct on Hempstead Avenue, West Hempstead, went to the aid of fellow officers investigating a burglary on October 7, 1975. He was shot upon his arrival at the scene by the burglar who later was apprehended. Officer Giglio died of his wounds seventy days later on December 16, 1975. He was 35 years old.
Richard B. Rose
Rank: Patrolman
Date of Appointment: Friday, August 14, 1970
Date of Death: Wednesday, December 29, 1971
Killed In The Line of Duty #23
Patrolman Rose, while on patrol in a department patrol car, answered a radio call for a stick-up. He was shot at 8:16 p.m. by Edward T. Gladman, who was in flight from the commission of an armed robbery at the County Line Delicatessen on South Main Street, South Farmingdale. He was 22 years old.
Kathleen M. Reilly
Rank: Detective
Date of Appointment: Friday, February 18, 1966
Date of Death: Monday, December 25, 1967
Killed In The Line of Duty #22
Detective Reilly, while assisting a disabled motorist, was struck by a vehicle on the Meadowbrook Parkway resulting in her death. She was 28 years old. Detective Reilly was the first woman appointed to the Nassau County Police Department and also the first woman Detective. Detective Reilly was awarded a certificate for Excellent Police Work posthumously, for work performed in the year 1967.
William Trofemuk
Rank: Patrolman
Date of Appointment: Monday, February 9, 1948
Date of Death: Sunday, May 14, 1961
Killed In The Line of Duty #21
Patrolman Trofemuk while operating a vehicle at the intersection of Hempstead Turnpike and Daffodil Avenue, Franklin Square, at 0545 hours on May 8, 1961, was in an accident with a truck. Patrolman Trofemuk died in Meadowbrook Hospital May 14, 1961 of internal injuries as a result of the accident. He was 37 years old.
Joseph L. Coote
Rank: Patrolman
Date of Appointment: Monday, April 16, 1956
Date of Death: Wednesday, March 22, 1961
Killed In The Line of Duty #20
On March 22, 1961, at about six-thirty in the evening, Patrolman Coote, attached to the Sixth Precinct was shot and killed while affecting the arrest of three perpetrators of an armed robbery. The subjects fled the scene and were later apprehended tried and convicted. The scene of the shooting was at Beinkerhoff Lane & Third Street, Manhasset. Patrolman Coote was 31 years old.
Robert H. Pickwick
Rank: Patrolman
Date of Appointment: Monday, May 16, 1955
Date of Death: Saturday, August 6, 1960
Killed In The Line of Duty #19
Patrolman Pickwick while operating a Departmental Radio Patrol car was involved in an automobile accident at Hillside Avenue and North Third Street, New Hyde Park, New York, resulting in his death. He was 37 years old.
Louis A. DeFrancesco
Rank: Patrolman
Date of Appointment: Monday, May 16, 1949
Date of Death: Thursday, November 28, 1957
Killed In The Line of Duty #18
Patrolman DeFrancesco, while operating a Department motorcycle eastbound on Sunrise Highway at Green Acres Road, Valley Stream, Long Island, collided with an automobile and died as a result of the accident. He was 34 years old.
John F. Daly
Rank: Detective
Date of Appointment: Monday, May 16, 1949
Date of Death: Monday, October 28, 1957
Killed In The Line of Duty #17
Detective Daly while operating a departmental vehicle southbound on Franklin Street at Alabama Avenue, Hempstead, New York, struck a telephone pole and died as a result of the accident. He was 41 years old.
Alfred J. Delgiorno
Rank: Patrolman
Date of Appointment: Thursday, December 16, 1954
Date of Death: Friday, December 7, 1956
Killed In The Line of Duty #16
Patrolman Delgiorno while operating Radio Motor Patrol car #106 on Atlantic Avenue, Oceanside, was involved in an auto accident at Lincoln Avenue with a dump truck at about four-thirty in the afternoon. Patrolman Delgiorno died as a result of the accident. He was 31 years old.
Joseph Sternberg
Rank: Patrolman
Date of Appointment: Wednesday, April 19, 1950
Date of Death: Monday, August 16, 1954
Killed In The Line of Duty #15
Patrolman Sternberg operating Radio Motor Patrol car #407 on Woodmere Boulevard, east of Channel Road, Woodsburgh, collided with a tree causing fatal injuries. He was 26 years old.
William R. Sellers
Rank: Patrolman
Date of Appointment: Monday, February 9, 1948
Date of Death: Wednesday, May 19, 1954
Killed In The Line of Duty #14
Patrolman Sellers, while operating a departmental motorcycle westbound on Northern State Parkway at about one-forty in the afternoon, lost the front wheel of his motorcycle which went out of control. Patrolman Sellers died in the hospital as a result of the accident. He was 38 years old.
Adam Yulch
Rank: Lieutenant
Date of Appointment: Thursday, April 16, 1925
Date of Death: Sunday, July 2, 1950
Killed In The Line of Duty #13
Acting Captain Adam Yulch while on duty was crossing Broadway, Hewlett, from the north side to the south side-stepped back to the curb to avoid an on-coming motorcycle. He lost his balance and fell into the roadway on June 17, 1950, causing head injuries. He died in the hospital on July 2, 1950, as the result of this accident. He received the Martin Littleton award for the Laundry Mark Identification System on September I., 1939, and a Meritorious Award for the same Identification System on August 20, 1941. He was 65 years old.
John E. West
Rank: Patrolman
Date of Appointment: Monday, June 10, 1929
Date of Death: Monday, February 4, 1946
Killed In The Line of Duty #12
Patrolman West was assigned to the Highway Patrol Bureau working the 0800 to 1600 tour of duty February 4, 1946, operating Ghost Patrol Car # 81. He was shot twice by a VTL violator, with his own gun, as the subject was being transported in the patrol car to the second precinct house. Denville Edmond Dotson, age twenty-four, an ex-convict was apprehended and convicted of the crime and was sent to Sing Sing for forty-five years to life. Patrolman West was cited for Excellent Police Work on September 8, 1942. He was 48 years old.
David J. Murphy
Rank: Patrolman
Date of Appointment: Monday, July 15, 1929
Date of Death: Wednesday, September 9, 1942
Killed In The Line of Duty #11
Patrolman David J. Murphy, while cleaning his service revolver in the Fourth Precinct Station House accidentally shot himself in the chest. He was 41 years old.Patrolman Murphy was awarded the American Legion Medal for marksmanship on September 13, 1933, and the Shor and Hadfield Medal for revolver shooting on August 8, 1941 and September 8, 1942.
Charles H. Shaw
Rank: Patrolman
Date of Appointment: Monday, March 1, 1937
Date of Death: Friday, September 6, 1940
Killed In The Line of Duty #10
Patrolman Shaw was killed while on patrol in a Radio Patrol Car at about 3:15 a.m. in the vicinity of Railroad Avenue, Woodmere. He was on patrol with Sergeant Robert Kirk and came upon a parked automobile in an isolated area. Both officers left the patrol car and approached the parked auto when a blast of gunfire from the darkness mortally wounded Patrolman Shaw. Sergeant Kirk returned fire but failed to hit the assailant who disappeared in the darkness. The assailant has never been found. The auto had been stolen about a half mile from the spot where the shooting occurred. He was 33 years old.
Alexander N. Benedict
Rank: Patrolman
Date of Appointment: Monday, July 2, 1928
Date of Death: Friday, February 3, 1939
Killed In The Line of Duty #9
Patrolman Benedict working the 0001-8000 tour of duty, was found shot through the head at the rear of Nassau Inn, South Eight Street and Jericho Turnpike, New Hyde Park. Patrolman Benedict apparently fell on the ice with his weapon in his hand while investigating an attempted burglary, causing the weapon to accidentally discharge. He was 53 years old.
Arthur J. Klepper
Rank: Patrolman
Date of Appointment: Tuesday, April 1, 1930
Date of Death: Friday, December 3, 1937
Killed In The Line of Duty #8
Patrolman Klepper while operating a motorcycle on patrol was chasing a speeder on Sunrise Highway. He crashed into a truck at Newbridge Road in Bellmore, causing his death. He was 30 years old. Patrolman Arthur Klepper had two brothers whom were also Nassau County Police Officers. Patrolman Klepper was awarded a Commendation on September 10, 1934.
Lawrence E. Duncan
Rank: Patrolman
Date of Appointment: Monday, July 15, 1929
Date of Death: Saturday, October 12, 1935
Killed In The Line of Duty #7
Motorcycle Patrolman Duncan was struck by an automobile from the rear knocking him off his motorcycle at Northern Blvd. in Upper Brookville, N.Y. He died of his injuries. He was 31 years old. The operator of the car was indicted for second degree manslaughter and found guilty of driving while under the influence of alcohol. He was sentenced to two to four years in Sing Sing Prison.
John D. Kennedy
Rank: Patrolman
Date of Appointment: Monday, March 1, 1926
Date of Death: Tuesday, July 12, 1932
Killed In The Line of Duty #6
Patrolman Kennedy was shot on July 27, 1928, while on patrol in Woodmere, N.Y. He lived in constant pain and went through thirteen operations in various hospitals until his death on July 12, 1932. He was 28 years old. His assailant, Al Brengard, was electrocuted in Sing Sing and an accomplice, William French, was sentenced to life in Clinton Prison Dannemora. Patrolman Kennedy awarded the Sykes Medal for Valor posthumously on September 10, 1934.
Alvin J. Borgwardt
Rank: Patrolman
Date of Appointment: Monday, July 15, 1929
Date of Death: Thursday, February 25, 1932
Killed In The Line of Duty #5
Patrolman Borgwardt and Patrolman Verity while on patrol in a departmental vehicle were both killed as a result of an automobile accident at Hempstead Turnpike and Holland Avenue, Elmont, N.Y. He was 28 years old.
Milton E. Verity
Rank: Patrolman
Date of Appointment: Saturday, December 15, 1928
Date of Death: Thursday, February 25, 1932
Killed In The Line of Duty #4
Patrolman Verity and Patrolman Borgwardt while on patrol in a departmental vehicle were both killed as a result of an automobile accident at Hempstead Turnpike and Holland Avenue, Elmont, N.Y. He was 26 years old.
Fred S. Hirsch Jr.
Rank: Patrolman
Date of Appointment: Wednesday, April 4, 1928
Date of Death: Wednesday, May 6, 1931
Killed In The Line of Duty #3
Patrolman Hirsch was the third Nassau County Police Officer killed in the line of duty. He was shot to death by Francis (Two Gun) Crowley in Merrick, N.Y. Hirsch left a family of four small children and a wife. He was 31 years old. Cromley was sent to the electric chair on January 1, 1932. Hirsch’s son Fernand also became an officer of the N.C.P.D. retiring as a Sergeant on March 26,1970. A grandson, Joseph Hirsch, was appointed to the N.C.P.D. on June 25, 1969, and was assigned to the Second Precinct. Patrolman Fred Hirsch was awarded the Calderone Medal posthumously September 10th, 1932.
John P. Dowd
Rank: Lieutenant
Date of Appointment: Wednesday, July 1, 1925
Date of Death: Tuesday, April 30, 1929
Killed In The Line of Duty #2
Lieutenant Dowd was involved in an automobile accident while on Demott Ave. and Grand Ave., Baldwin. Dowd was appointed Sergeant April 3, 1928, and promoted to Lieutenant April 15,1929. He was 37 years old.
John A. Hahn
Rank: Patrolman
Date of Appointment: Thursday, April 16, 1925
Date of Death: Thursday, September 24, 1925
Killed In The Line of Duty #1
Patrolman Hahn was the first Nassau County Police Officer killed in the line of duty after having served five months and one week on the force. He was involved in an auto accident while operating a Department motorcycle. He was 39 years old.