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Detective

Dennis Murphy

New York City Police Department — New York, NY

September 11, 2001 → Illness

End of Watch October 25, 2019

Age 57

Tour of Duty 22 yrs

Badge 4578

The Vigil Panel 378 · Column 3 · Line 8 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Also Remembered Department 1,221

Incident

Detective Dennis Murphy died as the result of cancer that he developed following his assignment to the search and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center site following the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks.

Detective Murphy advocated for the 9/11 Victim's Compensation Fund and volunteered his time ensuring that 9/11 responders received treatment under the federal government's World Trade Center Health Program.

Detective Murphy had served with the New York City Police Department for over 22 years, assigned to the 67 Precinct.

September 11, 2001 - The Years After

Detective Dennis Murphy was assigned to the search and recovery at the World Trade Center site after September 11, 2001. He was 39 years old that fall.

He died on October 25, 2019 - 18 years and 1 month later - of an illness contracted there. He was 57.

He is one of 600 officers honored here, and one of 451 at New York City Police Department.

The most recent of these deaths was October 24, 2025.

Officers who worked the search, rescue, and recovery at the World Trade Center site breathed contaminated air for weeks and months afterward. Many developed cancers and respiratory disease, and they have gone on dying of it ever since.

Seventy-two officers were killed on the morning itself. Hundreds more have died in the years that followed. They are honored here together, because the same attack killed them all. With some it simply took longer.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, two sons, brother, and sister.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Dennis. Claim this record.

Also honored at requiem.nw. One record, 2 gates. Dennis is one person.

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Tributes

You walked into it and it took years to finish the job.
Detective Murphy gave the New York City Police Department 22 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Murphy.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department New York City Police Department

Type Police Department

Location New York, NY

Platform Identity nypd.newyork.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 25, 2019

Tour of Duty 22 yrs

Age 57

Badge Number 4578

Gender Male

Assignment 67 Squad

Incident Details

Cause Illness

Cause Detail 9/11 related illness

Weapon Aircraft; Passenger jet

The Sacrifice · Illness

Dennis is one of 2,028 officers lost to illness in the United States, 7.4% of the 27,552 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

Compare against

Time

In 2019, 45 officers in the United States were lost to illness, the 9th heaviest of 108 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 564.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Dennis was 57. Of the 1,996 lost to illness in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 42 and 58; the middle age was 51. Dennis had served 22 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

October holds 14.9% of these deaths in the United States, more than any other month. Fridays: 14.8%.

By month

By day of the week

How

Illness deaths account for 7.4% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the 3rd most common cause. The weapon recorded was aircraft; passenger jet, in 29.5% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded