Governor Kathy Hochul on Tuesday honored the lives of 55 police officers from eight police departments who were remembered at the New York State Police Officers Memorial Remembrance Ceremony in Albany. The officers’ names have been added to the Memorial’s black granite wall, which now includes the names of 1,772 men and women from 150 police departments and sheriffs’ offices across the state and six federal agencies who sacrificed their lives in service for New Yorkers. Governor Hochul also issued a proclamation declaring May 9 as Police Memorial Day and directed state landmarks to be illuminated blue to recognize the sacrifice of the officers whose names are included on the memorial and to recognize the service of all police officers across the state.
“Every day, the selfless men and women in police departments across the state put their lives on the line to protect us, knowing they may not make it home,” Governor Hochul said. “Today, we honor these 55 police officers, and we join their loved ones in remembering their unwavering commitment and dedication to our safety.”
“Today we honor and remember police officers from across New York State who paid the ultimate price to keep us safe,” said Lieutenant Governor Delgado. “May we never forget their bravery and courage. May we never forget the sacrifice they made to protect us all.”
Tuesday afternoon’s ceremony recognized the sacrifice of 55 police officers who died from injuries they sustained on duty, or as the result of COVID-19 or Ground Zero-related illnesses.
Line of Duty Deaths
NYPD
- Detective Wilbert Mora was shot when he responded to a call reporting a domestic dispute in an apartment at 119 West 135th Street in Harlem. (January 23, 2022)
- Detective Jason Rivera was shot when he responded to a call reporting a domestic dispute in an apartment at 119 West 135th Street in Harlem. (January 21, 2022)
Rochester Police Department
- Police Officer Anthony P. Mazurkiewicz and Officer Sino Seng were conducting surveillance in an unmarked vehicle while in plain clothes when they were ambushed and fired upon by the suspect. Officer Mazurkiewicz who was in the driver‘s seat, sustained a fatal gunshot wound. His partner, Officer Seng, was struck with a non-fatal wound and was able to return fire. The suspect fled the scene and was hiding in a vacant house when he was located by responding officers and taken into custody. (July 21, 2022)
Yonkers Police Department
- Detective Sergeant Frank D. Gualdino was driving his police vehicle while in uniform to supervise officers on traffic detail when he was struck head-on by another vehicle. (December 1, 2022)
The following officers died as a result of exposure to COVID-19. The names of the officers who died due to COVID were first added to the memorial in 2021; the memorial now contains the names of 25 officers whose deaths were COVID-related:
NYPD
- Police Officer David A. Mathura (March 6, 2022)
- Police Officer Daniel J. Sanchez (January 19, 2022)
- Police Officer Leonard Swanson (February 5, 2022)
Nassau County Police Department
- Detective Hector M. Nunez (December 8, 2021)
- Detective Charles C. Vroom IV (September 12, 2021)
Niagara Falls Police Department
- Lieutenant Kristina M. Zell (November 7, 2022)
Ground Zero-Related Illness Deaths
The following officers died from illnesses resulting from their work at Ground Zero in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. The names of officers who died from Ground Zero-related illnesses were first added to the Memorial in 2008 and now total 380.
New York State Police
- Sergeant F. Brent Chomyszak (August 23, 2022)
- Major Roderick C. Covington (March 31, 2022)
- Trooper Scott P. Enser (March 20, 2021)
- Trooper Joseph J. Mecca, Jr. (December 2, 2020)
- Sergeant Ivan M. Morales (October 28, 2022)
- Trooper Michael R. O’Donnell (December 24, 2020)
- Sergeant James G. Sweeney (March 6, 2021)
NYS Environmental Conservation Police
- Lieutenant Paul C. Adam (September 8, 2015)
- Police Officer Lawrence E. Cabana (August 6, 2022)
- Investigator Thomas J. Graham (September 21, 2013)
Port Authority Police of NY & NJ
- Police Officer Frederick G. Maley (July 17, 2022)
NYPD
- Police Officer Chanda D. Barnes (April 25, 2021)
- Sergeant Hugh Bartlett (September 12, 2021)
- Sergeant William P. Brautigam, Jr. (January 31, 2021)
- Detective Barbara A. Burnette (December 30, 2021)
- Sergeant Pedro A. Candia (April 15, 2022)
- Detective Enrico J. Crisafi (November 28, 2021)
- Detective Michael A. DeVecchis (January 16, 2020)
- Sergeant Cornelius J. Douglas (June 24, 2021)
- Detective Pedro A. Foruria, Sr. (August 25, 2021)
- Sergeant Michael S. Fuller (July 26, 2021)
- Police Officer Hector M. Gonzalez Jr. (April 7, 2021)
- Detective Roland A. Gray (June 22, 2021)
- Detective Patrick J. Hogan (December 31, 2021)
- Police Officer John Horan (December 18, 2020)
- Detective Michael A. Houlahan (March 25, 2020)
- Police Officer Dennis J. Howard (August 5, 2020)
- Police Officer Denise A. Jones (September 6, 2021)
- Police Officer William M. Kelly (October 3, 2021)
- Detective Brian J. Maley (February 17, 2021)
- Detective George C. Moreno (July 30, 2021)
- Detective Terence P. Mulvey (December 1, 2021)
- Police Officer Thomas M. O’Reilly, Jr. (June 17, 2021)
- Detective Nicholas F. Ortiz (April 5, 2021)
- Police Officer Neil E. Porter (October 7, 2021)
- Police Officer Laurence J. Prehn (November 10, 2021)
- Police Officer Michael J. Reass (September 21, 2021)
- Police Officer Steven L. Rodriguez (June 9, 2021)
- Police Officer Michael Romano (January 16, 2021)
- Detective Frank Rosado (December 19, 2019)
- Sergeant Christopher M. Tully (August 14, 2021)
- Police Officer Matthew S. Von Seydewitz (January 27, 2020)
- Detective James M. Ward (January 17, 2022)
Nassau County Police Department
- Police Officer Robert D. Negri Jr. (September 28, 2011)
- Detective Matthew A. Perlungher (August 4, 2021)
The State Division of Criminal Justice Services coordinates the ceremony and the work of the Police Officers Memorial Advisory Committee. The state Office of General Services maintains the memorial and its Commissioner also serves on the Committee.
