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Detective

Joseph A. Miccio

New York City Police Department — New York, NY

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch December 8, 1942

Age 41

Tour of Duty 14 yrs

Badge 681

The Vigil Panel 177 · Column 1 · Line 17 ›

Gender Male

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

Incident

Joseph A. Miccio served in the First World War with the 106th Infantry and fought in seven battles. He was taken prisoner at one point.

He joined the New York City Police Department on 28 February 1928 and built an excellent record over fourteen years, with four citations for bravery and a part in the capture of the gangster Vincent Coll. He was a detective second grade at the Bergen Street station house in Brooklyn, carrying shield 681.

At about five minutes to two on the afternoon of 7 December 1942, he was questioning two men, both on parole, at Nevins Street near Dean Street in Brooklyn. When another officer approached, they seized him as a shield and opened fire. He was shot in the chest and lung and stayed on his feet as the gunmen fled by car and on foot in a running gun battle through the streets, until he collapsed. He died the next morning, 8 December 1942, at Holy Family Hospital. He was the only New York City police officer killed in the line of duty that year. His killers, Joseph Palmer and Vincent Sollami, were sentenced to death in June 1943.

Mayor La Guardia presented the Police Department's Medal of Honor to his family, and a Police Athletic League youth centre at 183 Union Street in Red Hook was named for him. He was survived by his wife, Barbara, their children Barbara, Joseph and Kenneth, and four brothers and five sisters. He was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Brooklyn.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. Joseph is one person.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Detective Miccio gave the New York City Police Department 14 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— 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 December 8, 1942

Tour of Duty 14 yrs

Age 41

Badge Number 681

Gender Male

Assignment 78 Squad, 18th Division, 11th Detective District

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Joseph A. Miccio served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Joseph is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% 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 1942, 82 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 78th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Joseph was 41. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Joseph had served 14 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

December holds 9.4% of these deaths in the United States, more than any other month. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

By month

By day of the week

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded