Reflecting upon the courage and bravery of an Italian immigrant who became a respected police officer and fought against the scourge of organized crime, a plaque dedication ceremony was held at Our Lady of Guadalupe RC Church in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn in honor of the 100th anniversary of the death of Lt. Joseph Petrosino.
A personal friend of then−Police Commissioner Theodore Roosevelt, who promoted him to the rank Detective Sergeant in charge of the NYPD’s Homicide Division, Petrosino waged war against the “Black Hand” in both the United States and Italy before being assassinated in the line of duty in 1909. More than 250,000 people attended his funeral in Manhattan.
Dignitaries, including the Honorable Charles J Hynes, district attorney of Kings County; First Deputy Police Commissioner George A. Grasso; NYPD Police Chief Joseph Esposito; Susan Burke, granddaughter of the slain officer, and Dr. Arnaldo A. Ferraro, founder and chairman of the National Federation of Italian−American Societies attended the ceremony at the house of worship, 7201 15th Avenue.
