Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Charles Cozzens was killed in an automobile crash when his patrol car struck a utility pole on Main Street north of Ocean Park Avenue in Bradley. He had left the police headquarters and swerved to avoid another vehicle at 3:30 a.m. He was transported to Fitkin Hospital in Neptune, where he died that evening. Sergeant Cozzens was a United States Army WWII veteran and had served with the Bradley Beach Police Department for 17 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, two daughters, mother, sister, and brother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NJ-F69927C6- 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.
Sergeant Cozzens gave the Bradley Beach Police Department 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the Bradley Beach 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
Charles M. Cozzens served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Sergeant Charles M. Cozzens is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In NJ, 258 of 646 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 39.9% of this state's fallen. That is 8.9 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Bradley Beach Police Department, 1 of 2 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Charles M. Cozzens's cause is highlighted.
How Charles M. Cozzens Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Charles M. Cozzens is highlighted in Aug.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Bradley Beach Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
