Joseph Conte
Agency patch
Detention Officer

Joseph Conte

Broward County Sheriff's Office — Fort Lauderdale, FL
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch July 11, 1979
Age 47
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
The Vigil Panel 121 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Detention Officer Joseph Conte was shot and killed during an escape attempt while picking up four inmates from a dentist office at 20 NE 8th Avenue in Fort Lauderdale. Officer Conte and another officer were loading the four inmates into the van when a man in a nearby car shot him in the face with a shotgun without warning. The man fled but was apprehended by Fort Lauderdale police officers several blocks away. None of the inmates escaped during the incident. The man was convicted of second-degree murder and aiding an escape. He was sentenced to 75 years in prison but was released on January 30th, 2011. Officer Conte had served with the Broward County Sheriff's Office for three years.

Survivors

He was survived by his fiancee and brother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-FL-81E7BFDD
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Joseph. Claim this record.

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

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detention Officer Conte gave the Broward County Sheriff's Office 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Fort Lauderdale community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detention Officer Conte.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, FL
Platform Identity browso.broward.fl.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 11, 1979
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
Age 47
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Shotgun

Military Service

Joseph Conte served in the U.S. Navy (1951–1953) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Detention Officer Joseph Conte is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In FL, 539 of 1,008 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.5% of this state's fallen. That is 53.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Broward County Sheriff's Office, 13 of 24 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 54.2% of this agency's fallen.

Broward County Sheriff's Office
13
of 24 officers
54.2% Felonious
FL — Statewide
539
of 1,008 officers
53.5% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Joseph Conte's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Joseph Conte Compares

Age at Death
47
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
3
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph Conte is highlighted in Jul.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Joseph Conte was killed by shotgun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location

Military Service

Joseph Conte served in the U.S. Navy (1951–1953) before joining law enforcement.

Visit Joseph Conte’s page on salute.nw →

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