Joseph Conte
Agency patch
Detention Officer

Joseph Conte

Broward County Sheriff's Office — Fort Lauderdale, FL
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
April 2, 2026
Last updated
July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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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

Location Fort Lauderdale, 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
Offender Sentenced to 75 years

Detention Officer Joseph Conte is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 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 0.7 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

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
17,623
of 32,508 officers
54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

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

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Joseph Conte Compares

Age at End of Watch
47
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
3
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Sentenced to 75 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
1,517
May
1,505
Jun
1,443
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,516
Sep
1,553
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.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518

Incident Location