Joseph A. Miccio

Joseph A. Miccio served in the First World War with the 106th Infantry and fought in seven battles. He was taken prisoner at one point.

He joined the New York City Police Department on 28 February 1928 and built an excellent record over fourteen years, with four citations for bravery and a part in the capture of the gangster Vincent Coll. He was a detective second grade at the Bergen Street station house in Brooklyn, carrying shield 681.

At about five minutes to two on the afternoon of 7 December 1942, he was questioning two men, both on parole, at Nevins Street near Dean Street in Brooklyn. When another officer approached, they seized him as a shield and opened fire. He was shot in the chest and lung and stayed on his feet as the gunmen fled by car and on foot in a running gun battle through the streets, until he collapsed. He died the next morning, 8 December 1942, at Holy Family Hospital. He was the only New York City police officer killed in the line of duty that year. His killers, Joseph Palmer and Vincent Sollami, were sentenced to death in June 1943.

Mayor La Guardia presented the Police Department's Medal of Honor to his family, and a Police Athletic League youth centre at 183 Union Street in Red Hook was named for him. He was survived by his wife, Barbara, their children Barbara, Joseph and Kenneth, and four brothers and five sisters. He was buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Brooklyn.

Detective Joseph Miccio was shot and killed after he stopped two suspicious men. Detective Miccio observed two suspicious men exiting a vehicle at the corner of Nevins and Bergen Streets in Brooklyn. Detective Miccio approached the men and asked the driver for the vehicle's papers. While the driver was going through his pockets, the passenger drew a handgun. As they struggled, a patrolman came around the corner and drew his weapon. Detective Miccio was killed in the ensuing gun battle. The suspects were later apprehended and convicted of first-degree murder. They were sentenced to death and executed on March 2, 1944. Detective Miccio was a United States WWI veteran who was wounded in battle and captured by the enemy. He served with the New York City Police Department for 14 years, assigned to the 78th Detective Squad.