For Immediate Release: 5/7/2019
State of New York | Executive Chamber
Andrew M. Cuomo | Governor

Governor Cuomo recognizes 63 fallen police officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their communities

Officers' names added to New York State's Police Officers' Memorial

Today's remembrance ceremony honors the largest number of officers in a single year

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today honored 63 police officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to communities across New York State. The officers from eight local and state law enforcement agencies were recognized at the annual Police Officers' Memorial Remembrance Ceremony in Albany this afternoon. With the addition of the names of the 54 men and nine women — the most ever honored in one year — the memorial now includes the names of 1,567 police officers.

"Today we honor 63 brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving and protecting the people of New York State," Governor Cuomo said. "Their names will be forever etched in this memorial to not only honor their legacy, but to remind us all that New York's law enforcement officers put their own lives on the line every day to keep us safe. We cannot possibly thank them enough for that service."

"The names on the Police Officers' Memorial wall stand testament to the brave and selfless commitment these officers made to keep our communities and residents safe," said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, who spoke at the ceremony. "We will never forget the legacy of these men and women who died honorably serving our state, or the peril countless other law enforcement officers face every day they wear their badge. Our hearts go out to the officers' loved ones - we owe a great debt of gratitude to their families."

The ceremony recognized three officers who died in the line of duty in 2018, an officer who died in 1904 not previously recognized, and 59 officers who died from illnesses resulting from their work at Ground Zero in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack at the World Trade Center in New York City. The names of officers who died of Ground Zero-related illnesses were first added to the memorial in 2008 and now total 227. Sixty men and women who served with the NYPD and Port Authority Police Department died the day of the attack.

Governor Cuomo also directed that the Gov. Alfred E. Smith State Office Building in Albany be illuminated in blue this evening in memory of the fallen officers. The state Division of Criminal Justice Services, located at the Smith building, coordinates the annual ceremony, which is attended by local, state and federal law enforcement professionals; elected officials; and family members of the deceased officers, in addition to other friends and colleagues of the fallen.

The following officers were recognized at today's ceremony:

2018 Line of Duty Deaths

• Trooper Nicholas F. Clark of the New York State Police was responding to a report of a suicidal male at the home of his estranged wife in the Town of Erwin. The subject exited the home and fired one round from a shotgun, mortally wounding Trooper Clark. (July 2, 2018)
• Patrolman Kevin F. Crossley of the Whitesboro Village Police Department was driving his marked patrol car when a Chevy Avalanche attempted to make a left turn in front of his vehicle, causing a head-on collision. He was pronounced deceased at the hospital. (April 11, 2018)
• Sgt. Jeremy J. VanNostrand of the New York State Police was reporting for an authorized vehicle escort detail and was stopped in front of SP Fonda when his vehicle was struck from behind by a box truck. The impact sent his vehicle into the oncoming lane where it collided with a pickup truck. He died from his injuries at the hospital. (Nov. 27, 2018)

Ground Zero-Related Deaths

• Chief of Detectives William H. Allee, New York City Police Department (May 24, 2018)
• Detective Sixto Almonte, New York City Police Department (Nov. 20, 2017)
• Trooper Michael J. Anson, New York State Police (Jan. 2, 2018)
• Police Officer Curtis J. Bako, New York City Police Department (Jan. 27, 2016)
• Detective Thomas J. Barnitt, New York City Police Department (June 11, 2018)
• Superintendent Wayne E. Bennett, New York State Police (Aug. 15, 2017)
• Capt. Carmine C. Cantalino, New York City Police Department (Sept. 29, 2017)
• Police Officer Wilfredo Carradero, New York City Police Department (June 13, 2017)
• Detective Megan K. Carr-Wilks, New York City Police Department (Sept. 19, 2017)
• Sgt. Christopher M. Christodoulou, New York City Police Department (Sept. 16, 2017)
• Police Officer Peter F. Curran, Nassau County Police Department (April 12, 2006)
• Police Officer Anthony D'Erasmo, New York City Police Department (Aug. 31, 2017)
• Detective Pedro Esponda Jr., New York City Police Department (March 25, 2018)
• Police Officer William P. Farley, New York City Police Department (May 29, 2018)
• Sgt. James T. Farrell, Suffolk County Police Department (Dec. 1, 2017)
• Lt. Jeffrey W. Francis, New York City Police Department (Jan. 13, 2018)
• Police Officer Scott M. Fusco, New York City Police Department (Aug. 25, 2003)
• Detective Mark S. Gado, New Rochelle Police Department (Sept. 16, 2018)
• Police Officer Scott N. Gaines, New York City Police Department (Sept. 27, 2017)
• Police Officer Anthony C. Giambra, New York City Police Department (May 9, 2017)
• Police Officer Dave E. Guevara, New York City Police Department (April 7, 2017)
• Police Officer Diane F. Halbran, New York City Police Department (Sept. 6, 2017)
• Police Officer Michael J. Hance, New York City Police Department (March 12, 2017)
• Sgt. Michael V. Incontrera, New York City Police Department (Dec. 10, 2017)
• Police Officer Gary L. Koch, New York City Police Department (June 26, 2018)
• Police Officer Kelly C. Korchak, New York City Police Department (June 10, 2017)
• Police Officer Fred J. Krines, New York City Police Department (July 15, 2017)
• Detective Robert F. Larke, New York City Police Department (June 7, 2017)
• Detective Michael L. Ledek, New York City Police Department (Feb. 9, 2018)
• Police Officer Andrew J. Lewis, New York City Police Department (March 5, 2017)
• Police Officer Richard Lopez, New York City Police Department (June 24, 2018)
• Police Officer Eric T. McClain, New York City Police Department (Oct. 30, 2015)
• Sgt. Colleen A. McGowan, New York City Police Department (Nov. 25, 2017)
• Capt. Edward J. McGreal, New York City Police Department (Oct. 13, 2017)
• Detective Mark Mkwanazi, New York City Police Department (Feb. 16, 2017)
• Detective Stephen J. Mullen, Suffolk County Police Department (Dec. 7, 2018)
• Detective John K. Muller, New York City Police Department (Dec. 23, 2017)
• Lt. Paul Murphy, New York City Police Department (Jan. 4, 2018)
• Sgt. Anthony Napolitano, New York City Police Department (April 3, 2016)
• Police Officer Mark J. Natale, New York City Police Department (May 3, 2018
• Police Officer Kathleen M. O'Connor, New Rochelle Police Department (Aug. 15, 2018)
• Police Officer Joseph Cavanaugh Pagnani, New York City Police Department (July 11, 2015)
• Police Officer Marie A. Patterson-Bohanan, New York City Police Department (Aug. 23, 2017)
• Police Officer Frank J. Pizzo, New York City Police Department (July 14, 2017)
• Police Officer James V. Quinn, Nassau County Police Department (Sept. 18, 2017)
• Sgt. Dennis W. Reichardt, Suffolk County Police Department (Oct. 4, 2018)
• Lt. James D. Russell, New York City Police Department (Oct. 16, 2017)
• Sgt. Charles R. Salaway, New York State Police (June 9, 2018)
• Police Officer Cynthia S. Sands, New York City Police Department (Jan. 1, 2018)
• Detective James A. Schiavone, New York City Police Department (Dec. 12, 2017)
• Lt. Michael P. Shea, Nassau County Police Department (April 1, 2017)
• Detective Basilio A. Simons, New York City Police Department (Jan. 10, 2018
• Police Officer Robert S. Summers, New York City Police Department (July 18, 2017)
• Detective Sally A. Thompson, New York City Police Department (May 2, 2018)
• Police Officer Steven J. Tursellino, Port Authority Police of NY & NJ (Sept. 13, 2013)
• Detective Harry Valentin, New York City Police Department (May 18, 2018)
• Detective Dennis J. Vickery, New York City Police Department (Oct. 13, 2016)
• Lt. William H. Wanser III, New York City Police Department (March 25, 2018)
• Detective Jennifer A. Williams, New York City Police Department (Feb. 16, 2017)

Historical Deaths

The memorial also recognizes officers who died in service to their communities in prior years, but the agencies for which they worked had not previously submitted applications for their inclusion.

• Constable William C. Gray of the Niagara County Sheriff's Office was shot and killed while serving a warrant to a man accused of harassment. The female victim, who was present with Constable Gray, was also fatally shot as she attempted to flee the scene. (Dec. 21, 1904)

Division of Criminal Justices Services Executive Deputy Commissioner Michael C. Green said, "This memorial was created to honor and properly reflect the duty, dignity and devotion of the police officers of New York State who have died in the line of duty. Today, we come together to honor 63 officers who gave their lives in service to our great state. Their sacrifices will never be forgotten."

Office of General Services Commissioner RoAnn Destito said, "We are humbled to serve as stewards of this memorial that serves as a solemn reminder of the risks law enforcement officers face as they work to protect us. We have recently completed renovations to the memorial and it is our hope that the families and loved ones of those who were lost will find this a comforting place for quiet reflection."

Officers honored at the memorial represent 146 police agencies statewide and six federal agencies. Dedicated in 1991, the memorial recently underwent significant renovation and expansion, which included the addition of 10 new panels to accommodate an additional 630 names and reconfiguration of the grounds to provide for more seating and improved lighting and handicap accessibility.

The state Office of General Services designed the memorial. Names are placed randomly on the wall and without rank, based on a concept submitted by Colleen Dillon Bergman, daughter of Trooper Emerson J. Dillon Jr., who was killed in the line of duty in 1974 after 16 years of service with the New York State Police. A quote from Mrs. Bergman's letter is engraved on the nameplate wall: "It doesn't matter from which department they came, the feeling of loss is experienced the same." 

The memorial's 2019 Roll of Honor is available here. To locate a fallen officer on the wall, find the officer's name in the Roll of Honor, then see the Panel and Section columns on the far right.   

To be included on the memorial, an individual must have been a police officer as defined in the state's Criminal Procedure Law or employed as a federal law enforcement officer and performed the same or essentially similar duties as defined in that law. Applications for inclusion on the memorial must be made by the agency that employed the fallen officer to the state Division of Criminal Justice Services.

The Police Officers' Memorial Advisory Committee is chaired by Michael C. Green, Executive Deputy Commissioner of the state Division of Criminal Justice Services and composed of the following members: Office of General Services Commissioner RoAnn Destito; Chief John Aresta, President of the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police; Peter R. Kehoe, Executive Director of the New York State Sheriffs' Association; Patrick J. Lynch, President of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association of the City of New York; Thomas H. Mungeer, President of the Police Benevolent Association of the New York State Troopers; Michael J. Palladino, President of the New York State Association of Police Benevolent Associations; Andrew Rakowsky, Chapter President of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association; and Richard Wells, President of the Police Conference of New York. 

Additional news available at www.governor.ny.gov
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