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Detective

Salvatore J. Cafiso III

New York City Police Department — New York, NY
Cardiac
United States flag New York flag
End of Watch October 24, 2002
Age 33
Badge 7302
The Vigil Panel 334 · Column 4 · Line 7 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 1,221

Incident

Salvatore J. Cafiso III joined the New York City Police Department on 28 February 1994 and began his career in the 77th Precinct in Brooklyn. He was promoted to detective on 22 November 1999, first with the Staten Island Initiative and then with Staten Island Narcotics, carrying shield 7302.

On 24 October 2002 he was working undercover in a buy-and-bust operation in the Meiers Corners section of Staten Island. At about five in the afternoon he became faint and collapsed. His partner and the rest of the team gave him CPR, and he was taken to St. Vincent's Medical Center in West Brighton, where he went into cardiac arrest and could not be revived. He was 33 and had served eight years. His death was declared in the line of duty and he was given a full Inspector's funeral.

He was married to his high school sweetheart, Kathleen, who had given birth to their first child, a daughter, a few weeks before he died. He loved fixing cars, showed his 1968 Corvette at classic car shows, and was renovating their home. Colleagues called him a great partner and an even greater friend. His death led to heart screening being offered to detectives, and on 30 April 2006 the corner of Queensdale Avenue and Albourne Avenue on Staten Island was renamed Det. Salvatore J. Cafiso III Avenue.

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October 17, 2026

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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 24, 2002
Age 33
Badge Number 7302
Gender Male
Assignment Staten Island Narcotics

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

The Sacrifice · Cardiac

Salvatore is one of 1,307 officers lost to cardiac events in the United States, 4.7% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 2002, 13 officers in the United States were lost to cardiac events, the 43rd heaviest of 139 years on record. The heaviest was 2014, with 24.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Salvatore was 33. Of the 1,249 lost to cardiac events in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 43 and 55; the middle age was 48.

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

When

October holds 9.3% of these deaths in the United States; January holds the most, 9.6%. Thursdays: 14.5%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Cardiac deaths account for 4.7% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 4th most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Detective Salvatore J. Cafiso III

New York City Police Department · End of Watch October 24, 2002

Where the Name Is Cut

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