Roll of Honor
Incident
Detective Wasyl Potienko was killed in an automobile accident on Broadway near Lackawanna Street.
Detective Potienko was en route to lunch when his unmarked patrol car was struck by a recycling truck and then pushed into the path of an oncoming pickup truck. Detective Potienko was thrown from his car and received fatal injuries. He was transferred to Erie County Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries a short time later.
Detective Potienko had served with the Cheektowaga Police Department for 15 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-CF5D74F7- 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.
Detective Potienko gave the Cheektowaga Police Department 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Cheektowaga community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Potienko.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Detective Wasyl Potienko 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 NY, 645 of 2,147 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Cheektowaga Police Department, 1 of 4 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 25% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Wasyl Potienko's cause is highlighted.
How Wasyl Potienko Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Wasyl Potienko is highlighted in Oct.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
3 officers from Cheektowaga Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
