Roll of Honor
Incident
Chief Gerald Nelson 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.
Chief Nelson had served with the New York City Police Department for over 20 years and was the Commanding Officer of Patrol Borough Brooklyn North before his retirement. He previously served with the New York City Housing Authority Police Department for 22 years and was instrumental in the agency's merger with the New York City Police Department in 1995.
September 11, 2001 - The Years After
Chief Gerald Nelson was assigned to the search and recovery at the World Trade Center site after September 11, 2001. He was 50 years old that fall.
He died on May 10, 2024 - 22 years and 7 months later - of an illness contracted there. He was 72.
He is one of 599 officers honored here, and one of 450 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 was survived by his wife, two sons, a stepdaughter, a sister, a brother, an aunt, and two grandchildren.
Biography
Gerald Nelson was born to the late Frazier Nelson and Queen Ella Nelson on February 14(tm), 1952 in Bennettsville, South Carolina. He departed this life May 10TH, 2024 in Queens, New York.
He grew up in Marlboro County, SC and later moved to Crown Heights in Brooklyn, NY where he attended Grover Cleveland High School. He graduated from John Jay College of Criminal Justice where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice and from Marist College where he received a Master's Degree in Public Administration.
He was united in matrimony to Aida Torres, to this union was born their son Gerald Nelson, Jr. and he gained a stepdaughter, Annette Navaro. In April 2017, he married Gloria Pagan, and to this union their son Greyson Julian Nelson was born.
Gerald always wanted to be a police officer and joined the New York City Housing Authority Police Department in 1973. He served in numerous housing developments throughout New York City and he quickly rose through the ranks from Sergeant, to Lieutenant, Lieutenant Special Assignment, Captain and Deputy Inspector. He held many distinguished positions including Commanding Officer of the Housing Services Personnel Bureau from 1990 until 1995 when the Housing Police merged with the New York City Police Department. He was extremely instrumental in the "full merger" process and transition with the NYPD. He was always proud to be "Original Housing." He then served as Commanding Officer at Strategic and Tactical Brooklyn North Housing Operation.
Executive Officer of the Detective Borough Queens. Adjutant Patrol Borough Manhattan North. Commanding Officer of Transit Borough Bronx and Housing Borough Bronx/Queens. He continued his steadfast career with the NYPD being promoted to Inspector (in 1994), Deputy Chief (2000), and Assistant Chief (2002) and served as the Commanding Officer of the School Safety Division.
In 2006, he became the 22^d Commanding Officer of Patrol Borough Brooklyn North. In 2014, he was promoted to the distinguished rank of 3-star Chief. In 2015, Chief Nelson retired from the NYPD after 41 years of service. He continued his career in civil service when He was then appointed as the Vice President of New York City Housing Authority Public Safety and retired from that position in 2021. His career had come full circle and ended where he began in Housing.
He dedicated his life to public service and was an advocate for the communities he served; he believed in positive change, justice and reform. His leadership skills, management style and fair practices made him an exemplary role model for the NYPD!! He mentored many past, present and future leaders in the department. He was known for his pristine uniform appearance and demanded the same of others. To mention a few of his iconic mantras; "if you are not early, you are late;" and "when speaking, know your audience." He will always be a historic figure in with the Housing Police and in the NYPD.
Chief Gerald Nelson was a lifetime member of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), where he played a very active role serving as New York Chapter President for several years. He also served for several terms as the Region I Vice President, overseeing all of the Chapters in the Northeast Region. He was also a member of the Guardians Association, having joined the organization under the Housing Police Department before the merger. In 1993, he graduated the FBI National Academy 172d session.
Throughout his career, he received numerous awards and citations and was also a member of the American Academy for Professional Law Enforcement (APPLE), CUNY Baccalaureate Alumni Association and a lifetime member of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #997.
Chief Nelson had many hobbies and an exquisite taste for the finest luxuries.
Whether it was his collection of Porsche sports cars, motorcycles, a distinguished watch collection, fedora hats, alligator shoes, or bowties, it was a signature statement of the man he was. His love for food, dogs, eclectic music taste, passion for car racing, and of course his joy of guitar playing made him a "renaissance man" with a unique character. The legend 'Chief Gerry Nelson' we will always love and remember.
Chief Gerald Nelson leaves to cherish his memory his devoted wife Gloria, his children Gerald Nelson, Jr. (Cudlie) of Middletown, NY and Greyson Julian Nelson, of Queens, NY, his stepdaughter Annette Navaro, two grandchildren Terrell and Alyssa Lin Nelson, two siblings, Marie Nelson and David Nelson of Queens, NY and Aunt Nora of Bennettsville, SC. A host of cousins, relatives, friends and his extended police family. And let's not forget his dogs Foxey and Rock.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-7F0E7EE8- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- September 27, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
You walked into it and it took years to finish the job.
Chief Nelson gave 42 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief Nelson.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Chief Gerald Nelson is one of 1 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,787 officers honored here.
In NY, 629 of 2,147 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 29.3% of this state's fallen. That is 29.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At New York City Police Department, 521 of 1237 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 42.1% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Gerald Nelson's cause is highlighted.
How Gerald Nelson Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Gerald Nelson is highlighted in May.
Incident Location
Where the Name Is Cut
Also Remembered
Others Who Wore This Badge
1,236 officers from New York City Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
