NYPD Det. Joseph Picciano, who was killed in the line of duty 45 years ago, was honored in his neighborhood with a street renaming ceremony. Current and retired officers, family, friends, community members, and elected officials gathered on 62nd Street in Maspeth, Queens to commemorate the fallen officer.
On February 15th, 1971 Det. Picciano and other officers from the 41 Precinct apprehended a suspect for the abduction of a 13-year-old boy. As the suspect was being fingerprinted in the precinct, he began to struggle with Det. Picciano. During the confrontation, Det. Picciano’s service handgun fell to the ground. The suspect was able to gain control of the weapon and fire two shots, killing the detective. The remaining officers returned fire, killing the suspect.
Det. Picciano honorably served the NYPD for 10 years and was survived by his wife and three children. The ceremony was one of a series of renamings sponsored by Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley of Queens’ 30th District.
Although the incident occurred almost five decades ago, the NYPD and the City of New York never forget the valiant men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting this great city.
