Long Beach Township Police Department, New Jersey
End of Watch: Tuesday, March 6, 1962
Age: 45
Tour of Duty: 14 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Hypothermia
Date of Incident: March 6, 1962
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Chief of Police Angelo Leonetti succumbed to exposure while conducting rescue efforts during a severe flood. Because of the high water, they were unaware that a portion of road had been washed out.
The military truck they were riding in sank when they encountered the washed out roadway. Chief Leonetti was rescued from the chest-deep water and sand mixture, but succumbed to hypothermia a short time later.
The town's civilian police commissioner also died as a result of the incident.
Chief Leonetti was a POW in WWII and had served with the Long Beach Township Police Department for 14 years. He was survived by his wife and four children.