Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer Bob Kirwan 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.
Officer Kirwan was a United States Army veteran and had served with the Suffolk County Police Department.
Officer Kirwan, On today, the 1st anniversary of your death I would just like to say thank you for service and sacrifice for the citizens of Suffolk County and our Country as well-not just at the World Trade Center site but also when you served with the U.S. Army as well. And to your Family and loved ones, I wish to extend my deepest sympathy.
September 11, 2001 - The Years After
Police Officer Robert John Kirwan was assigned to the search and recovery at the World Trade Center site after September 11, 2001. He was 57 years old that fall.
He died on September 23, 2023 - 22 years later - of an illness contracted there. He was 79.
He is one of 599 officers honored here, and one of 6 at Suffolk County 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 two sons, companion, mother of his children, and four grandchildren.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-94A44AE7- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
You walked into it and it took years to finish the job.
Police Officer Kirwan gave the Suffolk County Police Department 33 years.
Thank you for your service to the Yaphank community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Kirwan.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Robert John Kirwan served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Police Officer Robert John Kirwan is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 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 20.2 percentage points above the national rate of 9.1%.
At Suffolk County Police Department, 7 of 27 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 25.9% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Robert John Kirwan's cause is highlighted.
How Robert John Kirwan Compares
Offender Outcome
19 suicide attackers
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Robert John Kirwan is highlighted in Sep.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
26 officers from Suffolk County Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
