Good morning.

I'm Captain Collins Coyne, Commander of the Criminal Investigations Division, and I welcome you all to our memorial monument rededication.

I'd just like to ask everyone to please rise and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Please, hunt.

Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

And to the Republic for which it stands.

One nation under God, indivisible with liberty, justice.

Thank you.

Please be seated.

I'd like to thank everyone for coming out today, families of the fallen, the Funagello, Mr.

Funogello, the O'Connors, and Ms.

Gaddo.

I'd like to thank the organizations that came today, that have come today, the retired association of PANR, retired Sergeant Calvin McGee and retired Detective Aaron Goldstein and the organization.

Thank you for coming.

In the audience, we have the city manager.

We have the Deputy City Manager Todd Costaldo.

You'll hear from the City Manager Will Melendez shortly.

John Jones from our public information, as well as a whole host of other dignitaries.

I appreciate all you all coming.

I'd like to call up now the city manager, Wilfredo Melendez for some remarks.

Thank you.

First, I want to thank everybody for coming out today.

It's a very special occasion.

Thank you for being here, and on behalf of City Hall, I want to especially thank Commissioner Reynolds, his leadership staff, the retirees, families, for putting this event together.

It's so important, so vital that we never forget to honor our fallen that ultimately paid the ultimate sacrifice for serving this city.

And especially on the anniversary of 9-11 25th anniversary this year, we have two members who actually passed away because of 9-11 related illnesses.

So it's very fitting.

But it's so important that we do things like this and that we never really forget those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

So thank you on behalf of the city.

Thank you for putting this together.

Really honored to be here.

Thank you, Mr.

Melendez.

I'd like to call up PBA President, Detective Gregory Herring, for some remarks.

Good afternoon, family and friends.

Acting retired members of Law Enformer Law Enforcement, distinguished guests, and honored members of our community.

My name is Detective Gregory Herring, President of the New Rochelle Police Benevolent Association.

I am joined by Lieutenant Edward Hayes, President of the Superior Officer Association.

We gather here today with gratitude, reverence, and remembrance, as we add two names to this memorial wall.

A wall dedicated to the brave men and women of the Neurochell Police Department who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

This memorial stands as more than a stone and inscription.

It is a solemn promise that we that the courage, dedication, and sacrifice of our fallen heroes will never fade from memory.

It serves as a lasting tribute to those who answered the call to protect and serve, placing the safety of others above their own.

Today we honor Patrolman Maurice Ahern, Lieutenant Thomas J.

Payne, Patrolman Daniel F.

Murphy, Patrolman Timothy Mahoney, Detective William E.

McCousi, Police Officer Alan B.

McLeod, Detective John C.

Phillips, Police Officer Gary D.

Pagano, Police Officer O'Connor Fangello, Detective Mark Gaddo.

Their service to the city, their commitment to the department, and their sacrifice for this community will never be forgotten.

Their legacy will continue to live in the hearts of the families, their fellow officers, and the citizens they so faithfully served.

To their loved ones, we stand with you.

We remember with you, we honor them with you.

May God bless the souls of these heroes.

May he watch over their families and friends.

May God bless the active and retired members of the New Rochelle Police Department.

God bless the city of New York and God bless America.

Thank you.

Thank you, Detective Herring.

I'd like to now call up police commissioner Neil K.

Reynolds for some remarks.

Thank you, everyone.

Thank you, everyone.

Don't get uh scared when I pulled out a folder to speak.

It's just that I forget things.

The other thing is, as everybody might know, occasionally when I'm giving a speech, things get in my eye and have to wipe them away.

And with all this wind outside, I'm sure that may happen, but I'm just gonna try and keep it very short and sweet.

I'd like to welcome you to the Neuroshell Police Department and thank you for being with us today as we correct an oversight and add the names of two of our fallen officers.

Police officer Kathleen O'Connor, Funagiello, and Detective Mark Gaddo.

They were timely added to our interior memorial wall, but not to this exterior monument.

And I also welcome you to rededicate this monument to all of the members, the members that Greg mentioned of the NeuroShell Police Department who died in the line of duty, in the line of duty, and to their memories.

First, I want to talk about how we got here today.

So back in 1931, on Saturday, January 3rd, 1931, to be exact, the Neurochell paper of record, the Standard Star reported that this tablet was first dedicated in a simple ceremony as it was gifted from the police association by then President William Highland.

On that day, a host of city officials and other dignitaries were there as it was unveiled after being affixed to the wall of police headquarters, which was then located on Lawton Street.

From there, it stayed stayed there for 31 years, and then it was brought to our second home back behind me on 90 Beaufort Street, where it was put on the wall there.

And then it was eventually brought here through the efforts of many.

So the history of the department, and just gave me some history of this wall that stands here next to us.

We're gonna get something going with that.

But uh one day I was I was just walking down the street, and and I just happened to glance over and I said, Oh my gosh, it was one of those things, like Mark and Kathy.

So I called Mark, uh, I called Mike and I asked him about it.

Give me some information.

If you know Mike, they'll fled you with emails on all the information that you wanted, and maybe some you didn't want.

He'll give you everything you got.

And um, that's a great thing because I learned a lot about it, and I said, Well, where does it come from?

And he says, I think it was Denegris, Denegris.

And I said, Denegris, I remember Denegris.

There used to be a Denegris on on Huguenot Street and Center Avenue there, 54 Center, if I believe is the is the right address there.

And uh they used to have this monument store.

My aunt and my grandmother used to live over there, and we used to be scared to look in there because they had these funeral monuments, and we were kids, we didn't know what was going on.

So I said, All right, so I I had no real pathway.

Um, and I didn't want to just go out and get a cheap looking imitation.

I I believe in high standards, and I believe that you should do everything the right way, especially something like this.

And I wanted it to be in the same fashion as this.

So I wanted the original.

So I didn't have any money, and money doesn't matter, especially in this kind of a situation.

Um, but I figured, you know, just keep on moving forward, find a way, let's just get it done.

So I started telling people, I'm a big believer in telling people what you're thinking of, because they can always help you somewhere.

Somebody heard something, somebody knows something, and somebody can give you some information.

So sure enough, somebody gives me information.

They said, Hey, police foundation president Greg Gonzalez knows a guy named Denegris.

Why don't you see if he can help you?

So, sure enough, I give Greg a call.

Greg goes, yeah, I know somebody.

I know Denegris.

Short time later, I get a call, and I meet uh Dominic Denegris, and I met Nick.

Nick Fasiglioni, hope I said it right.

And uh we we met, we talked, I told them my idea, and Dominic jumped in right in and donated it.

Donated.

These two right here.

So I have to thank Dominic because you know, saying somebody donated something, it sounds like it's a simple thing, but when I tell you the care and the compassion that he had, and that um Nick had for the job, I I was really touched by it.

And and you don't you don't get that through a donation.

That's something that really comes from it within.

And that told me we're moving on the right track.

So for those of you who don't know, 1962, President Kennedy proclaimed March May 15th as National Police Officers Memorial Day.

Now I know we're a couple of days shy of the 15th, but that's coming up on Friday.

But this is just the way things fell, and we're in the week, and that's really important to us.

And National Police Week is to remember and honor all federal, state, county, and local officers who were killed or disabled in the line of duty.

It's been reported that there are fewer names being etched onto the police memorial year, more a wall this year than last year, and that's a good start.

Despite that, we've had 10 officers die in the line of duty, and they're represented here.

And you'll you'll learn more about them.

Um Captain Coyne.

Some of them died in a motor vehicle accident related to investigations or pursuit, some by gunfire, and some from a disease received in the search for survivals, survivors in the days following a terrorist attack almost 25 years ago.

But this woman, Kathy, and these men, they're the real elite members of service.

These are the people.

These are the people who gave everything.

And we have to make a commitment to do everything we can to remember them.

They're people who have taught us, they taught us in different ways.

They taught us, not only in the way they died, but in the way they lived.

I knew Kathy and Mark, and they were really good people.

And I'm sure all the other men were really good people too.

And we have to remember them, and we have to honor them, and we have to honor their families.

Their families are important to us.

Their families are our family.

This is our family, one family.

The Nurshell Police Department family.

And so we're gonna be there whenever you need us.

Want to be there?

We don't want you to have to ask.

We want you to just know that we are there.

Whatever you need, we will get it done for you.

And uh DPW, um, communications, and and I would be remiss if I did not thank Barbara Cabrera, and she gets it done every single day.

Thank you, Barbara.

So, Captain Coyne, turn it to you.

Thank you, Commissioner.

This part of the ceremony is the remembrance of the fallen.

We were going back and reading over records of the fallen officers.

Some do their records, dating, and policies back in the early history of our department.

Some have more records than others regarding awards or citations.

So at the very beginning, this first line of duty death was special patrolman, Maurice Ahern.

He's appointed by Nourishell on May 12, 1899.

On June 20th, 1903, at approximately 1.15 a.m., he observed an individual stubling stumbling over railroad tracks.

As he approached to investigate and render assistance, a struggle ensued.

The special patrolman Ahern was shot several times.

He died as a result of his wounds.

Today remember his service, courage, and sacrifice.

Lieutenant Thomas J.

Payne was appointed as special patrolman by Nurishell on September 12th, 1910.

On June 1st, 1929, while investigating an automobile accident, Lieutenant Pay was struck by a truck.

He succumbed to his injuries on September 23rd, 1929.

We honor his many years of service and the sacrifice he made in the performance of his duty.

Patrolman Daniel F.

Murphy was appointed to the department on May 12, 1924.

He died on April 25th, 1930, five days after being severely injured while on motorcycle patrol on Easter Sunday.

Patrolman Murphy is remembered for his dedication to duty and for his willingness to place himself in harm's way for others.

He's received one citation of merit in his career.

Patrolman Timothy Mahoney was appointed to the department on April 3rd, 1922.

He died on May 5th, 1930, shortly after his patrol wagon overturned during a collision.

His service included acts of compassion and life-saving assistance.

Today we honor his memory and his sacrifice.

He has received one letter of commendation during his career.

Detective William E.

Mancusi was appointed to the department on October 12, 1922.

On July 20th, 1934, he was returning from Milford, Connecticut, after questioning a suspect connected to recent jewelry thefts.

While traveling through Stanford, Connecticut, the unmarked vehicle in which he was a passenger was involved in an accident.

Detective Mancusi died as a result of that crash.

We remember his commitment, investigative skill, and distinguished service.

He is the recipient of four Class A citations, one Class C citation, one Class D citation, eight commendation awards, and the Davis Medal for Efficiency and Progress.

Police Officer Alan B.

McLeod was appointed to the department on October 5th, 1970.

On February 14, 1977, he responded to a report of a gunman holding hostages at the Neptune World Moving Company on Weyman Avenue.

Officer McLeod drove directly to the scene without regard for his own safety and was slain while attempting to protect the community from an armed adversary.

His courage, heroism, and sacrifice remain part of the department's proud history.

He received in his career the Medal of Valor, two Class B citations, three Class C citations, and one special incident citation.

Detective John C.

Phillips was appointed to the department on October 9th, 1963.

On October 1st, 1981, at approximately 2.30 a.m., he was returning from a police investigation in the Bronx when the vehicle he was in which he was a passenger overturned on Shore Road after swerving to avoid an oncoming vehicle.

Detective Phillips died as a result of this accident.

We honor his dedication to investigative service and his sacrifice to the department and the community.

In his career, he received a police commissioner's award, two Class C citations, one special incident citation, and one Class B citation.

Police Officer Gary D.

Pagano was appointed to the department on March 10th, 1969.

On September 14, 1982, during a high-speed chase of robbery suspects, his patrol car skidded off the New England throughway into an abandoned truck on the shoulder and caught fire.

Officer Pagano was killed in the crash.

Today we remember his courage, his devotion to duty, and his sacrifice and service to the people of Nourishell.

He was the recipient of one Class A citation and three Class C citations.

And my friend, police officer Kathleen O'Connor Funigello, was appointed to the department on January 25th, 1998, following the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center.

She responded to Ground Zero and volunteered in the rescue and recovery efforts, helping fellow first responders sift through the debris.

On August 16th, 2018, after a long and courageous battle, Officer O'Connor Villangello died as a result of a 9-11-related illness.

We honor her service, compassion, and sacrifice.

She was the recipient of one commendation award.

My other friend, Detective Mark S.

Gaddo.

He was appointed to the department on May 2nd, 1977, after serving in combat in Vietnam.

After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center, Detective Gaddo tirelessly volunteered with rescue and recovery efforts on Ground Zero.

He retired on February 7th, 2006.

On September 16th, 2018, Detective Gato died after a long, hard-fought battle with 9-11 related disease.

We remember his extraordinary career, his investigative excellence, and his final sacrifice.

He was a recipient of the police commissioner's award, three commendations, 16 Class C citations, Investigator of the Year Award, and the Arthur Luce Klein Award.

Thank you.

Yes, sir.

I would like to now ask your attention for Bishop Derek Pearson for the blessing of the monument and prayers for the fallen.

Thank you, Captain Coyne, and to our Commissioner and all of the officers and people of this wonderful police department.

Thank God has smiled on us today.

It's supposed to rain, but we did pretty good, right?

So that's good that we're here.

You don't have to stand for you who are sitting seated.

Just bow your heads as we pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for another beautiful and blessed day that you've given to us.

For all the blessings you have bestowed on us.

Today, Lord, we pause to thank you for the sacrifice of the men and women who unselfishly served this community.

We thank you for their lives and the passion in which they served.

We ask your grace be upon their souls and give them rest as we humbly remember them on this day.

Thank you even for their families who unselfishly shared them with this community.

We ask, dear Lord, you would strengthen them.

Even in their times of loneliness, times of grief and remembrance, strengthen them, O God, and let them find joy and pride in knowing that they served this community.

We now ask, dear Lord, your blessings on this memorial.

And for this plaque, dear God, I thank you for placing this vision in the hearts of those who are responsible for this moment.

Father, we ask that this moment be etched in our minds, and that we were always receive the thoughts of good feelings as we remember those who loved you and loved this community.

May we always be reminded of their sacrifice, but also inspired to also make our honest contribution to improve our beloved city, New Rochelle.

We ask your continuous blessings, O God, and protection on those who are working every day.

We ask your protection to be upon the families, upon the staff of this police department.

This is my humble prayer in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Amen.

Thank you, Bishop.

Um, before we go, just one last thing I wanted to do.

As as as many of you know, um, and for those who don't know, I try to every year since 2018 when when Mark and Kathy's names went on the mall wall in Washington.

Uh that year, John Lynch was John.

John Lynch and I drove down to rode down to Washington on bikes.

And uh somebody from Neurochell has done it each of the the last, how many is that eight years, six years?

Since then.

Eight years.

Um and I did it again this year with uh officers Craig Codella, Craig McClintock, Joe Molowski, um, Detective Marissa Byrd, and retired Sergeant uh Myron Joseph did the motorcycle.

And the first year, I think Myron did as well.

Um, I wore these bracelets down.

And Myron did it this year again, and I just want to give them to uh Anthony and to Jill and also these flags that we rode into DC with fixed to our bikes and just give them to them and let them know that again they nor any of the families on the wall are forgotten, and um we treasure you and like I said, we're here for you.

So thank you for your sacrifice to us and to this great city.

And that will conclude our ceremony.

And if you can all join us downstairs for some light refreshments as you walk in, you see our interior police memorial wall.

Um, you can stop and see that.

Tomorrow we have Metal Day at the Green Tree Country Club at 9 o'clock in the morning, and then on Friday, we are dedicating and christening Marine One to Mark Gado.

Last year we dedicated uh our boat to uh Kathy, another boat.

So we have the gatto, the SS Gatto, and the SS O'Connor Funingello floating and keeping the harbor of Nurshell safe, and I'm I'm really happy to see that.

So if you can all join us downstairs, I would appreciate it.

Again, thank you for coming to the Neuroshell Police Department.

Good afternoon.