Charles Gilbert Gittens Jr.
Agency patch
Detective

Charles Gilbert Gittens Jr.

End of Watch November 28, 2014
Age 59
Tour of Duty 20 yrs
Badge 2035
Gender Male

Incident

Charles G. Gittens, Jr. joined the New York City Police Department on 3 January 1983. Over a career of 20 years he served in several commands, among them the Police Academy, the Medical and Extended Leave Desk, the Drivers Education and Training Section, and the Executive Protection Unit of the Intelligence Division. He made 31 arrests and was twice recognized for Excellent Police Duty.

Detective Gittens retired from the Executive Protection Unit on 1 April 2003. He died on 28 November 2014 as a result of his work on the rescue and recovery after the attacks of 11 September 2001.

September 11, 2001 - The Years After

Detective Charles Gilbert Gittens Jr. was assigned to the search and recovery at the World Trade Center site after September 11, 2001. He was 46 years old that fall.

He died on November 28, 2014 - 13 years and 2 months later - of an illness contracted there. He was 59.

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.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
September 22, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Also honored at requiem.nw, salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 3 gates. Charles is one person.

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Tributes

You walked into it and it took years to finish the job.
Detective Gittens gave the New York City Police Department 20 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Gittens.

— 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 November 28, 2014
Tour of Duty 20 yrs
Age 59
Badge Number 2035
Gender Male
Assignment Executive Protection Unit, Intelligence Division

Incident Details

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

Military Service

Charles Gilbert Gittens Jr. served in the U.S. Army (1973–1973) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Illness

Charles 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

Charles was 59. 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. Charles had served 20 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.

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

When

November holds 7.8% of these deaths in the United States; October holds the most, 14.9%. Fridays: 14.8%.

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, Charles among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Detective Charles Gilbert Gittens Jr.

New York City Police Department · End of Watch November 28, 2014

Military Service

Charles Gilbert Gittens Jr. served in the U.S. Army (1973–1973) before joining law enforcement.

Visit Charles Gilbert Gittens Jr.’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.

Where the Name Is Cut

Also Remembered

requiem.nw →

salute.nw →

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