Roll of Honor
Joseph A. Pocchio
Incident
Police Officer Joseph Pocchio was shot and killed after he stopped a speeding car. He spotted the vehicle inside Branch's Brook Park in Newark and conducted a traffic stop. Unbeknownst to Officer Pocchio, the three occupants had just robbed the participants of a craps game at a nearby candy store. As he was talking to the 16-year-old driver in his patrol car, a 34-year-old passenger walked up to his car and shot him. The three suspects were apprehended in New York City the next day. The gunman was convicted of murder and sentenced to life plus ten years. Officer Pocchio was a United States Maine Corps Vietnam War veteran and served with the Essex County Park Police Department for seven years.
Survivors
He was survived by his mother and fiancee.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NJ-D3F37CF8- 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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Police Officer Pocchio gave the Essex County Park Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Newwark community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Joseph A. Pocchio served in the Marine Corps (1967â1968) before joining law enforcement.
Police Officer Joseph A. Pocchio 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 NJ, 264 of 646 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 40.9% of this state's fallen. That is 13.3 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Joseph A. Pocchio's cause is highlighted.
How Joseph A. Pocchio Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph A. Pocchio is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Joseph A. Pocchio was killed by handgun; .38 caliber.