Robert A. Montanez
Agency patch
Detective

Robert A. Montanez

End of Watch March 16, 2014
Age 51
Tour of Duty 19 yrs
Badge 5360
Gender Male

Incident

Detective Robert Montanez died from illnesses he contracted while inhaling toxic materials as he participated in the rescue and recovery efforts at the World Trade Center site following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

Detective Montanez had served with the New York City Police Department for 19 years and was assigned to the Narcotics Division Bronx Central Initiative.

Detective Montanez had served with the New York City Police Department for 19 years and was assigned to the Narcotics Division Bronx Central Initiative.

September 11, 2001 - The Years After

Detective Robert A. Montanez 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 March 16, 2014 - 12 years and 6 months later - of an illness contracted there. He was 51.

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 and four children.

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.

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

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Tributes

You walked into it and it took years to finish the job.
Detective Montanez gave the New York City Police Department 19 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Montanez.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location New York, NY
Platform Identity nypd.newyork.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 16, 2014
Tour of Duty 19 yrs
Age 51
Badge Number 5360
Gender Male
Assignment Narcotics Division, Bronx Central Initiative

Incident Details

Cause Illness
Cause Detail 9/11 related illness
Weapon Aircraft; Passenger jet

The Sacrifice · Illness

Robert 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.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 2014, 30 officers in the United States were lost to illness, the 13th heaviest of 108 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 564.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Robert was 51. 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. Robert had served 19 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

March holds 5.9% of these deaths in the United States; October holds the most, 14.9%. Sundays: 14.2%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

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
V

His people

New York City Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Robert among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Detective Robert A. Montanez

New York City Police Department · End of Watch March 16, 2014

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 17-W

Also Remembered

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial — requiem.nw →

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