Matthew Anthony Dziergowski
Agency patch
Police Officer

Matthew Anthony Dziergowski

Felonious
End of Watch February 14, 1999
Age 39
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
The Vigil Panel 145 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Dziergowski and three other officers had just completed directing traffic away from a tractor trailer accident. While the officers were seated in their patrol cruisers Officer Dziergowski saw an approaching vehicle and warned the other officers. He pulled his patrol cruiser in front of the other officers’ cruisers to shield them. Officer Dziergowski’s cruiser was hit on the driver’s side and pushed into a guard rail. He was flown to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. The other three officers on the scene were seriously injured. The suspect driver was charged with negligent homicide, second-degree assault, and driving while intoxicated.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-A2765379
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.
Police Officer Dziergowski gave the New York City Police Department 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Dziergowski.

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

Agency

Location New York, NY
Platform Identity nypd.newyork.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 14, 1999
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
Age 39
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Police Officer Matthew Anthony Dziergowski 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 NY, 754 of 2,147 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 35.1% of this state's fallen. That is 19.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At New York City Police Department, 382 of 1237 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 30.9% of this agency's fallen.

New York City Police Department
382
of 1,237 officers
30.9% Felonious
NY — Statewide
754
of 2,147 officers
35.1% 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. Matthew Anthony Dziergowski'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 Matthew Anthony Dziergowski Compares

Age at End of Watch
39
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
17
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Matthew Anthony Dziergowski is highlighted in Feb.

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.

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

Incident Location