Patrolman Gerald T. DiJoseph

I have read the many reflections in honor of Jerry.He was a great cop,person and friend.He and I were members of BPD Platoon 1,
nicknamed DOLANS BOYS after our captain,I was working the same shift , 3:30 to 11:30PM with Jerry the day he was murderd, It was a rainy damp chilly day.The day before, which was Thanksgiving Day,he along with Off.Straub and myself stopped after work for a beer.Usually the majority of the Platoon would stop, but this day most of the guys went home to their families.In a conversation with Jerry,he stated I'm tired and feel like I could sleep forever.He had plans to do things with his children the next day Friday November 28,1980.I told him just go and have fun with the kids,On the morning of the 28th we,along with others in the platoon were called in for overtime before our regular shift. As i said it was a damp,rainy,chilly day and it was quite busy.Around 3Pm a call was called in by a citizen of an auto racing around Washington Ave and James St,and for the units in the area to be on the lookout for it.Jerry was a late car and I early.When the early shift hit lineup,we were told to hit the streets the calls were backing up. I was a given a call right away. We had back then what was called a "roundup",which was a location call for all cars coming into HQ after their shift,this was done 10Minutes before the end of the shift.It was difficult to get thru on the radio when this was going on,Evidently Jerry saw the vehicle in question and followed it to an apartment building on James St,between Washington and Harral Aves,Knowing Jerry he probably the tell the operator to cool it and go on his way.At approx 3:52PM the radio operator told all cars to stay off the air we have an officer down,It was called in by a taxi cab driver and the location given .All units responded,and officers working inside the department HQ sprinted to the location .When I got there they were putting Jerry on a stretcher and into the ambulance.The ambulance driver just looked at me and shook his head,knowing that his wound was fatal. Every man and woman in the platoon cried,but went back to work.We searched the entire area looking for Jerrys gun,knowing that it was taken from him,at that time we had no description of the perp..I never knew until reading a reflection byNYPD Off.Fandal that his weapon was recovered.We went to the trial every day and were upset when the perp was found not qiulty.Many thanks to the NYPD to the officers who made the arrest.It was 37 years ago,but still seems like it just happened,especially on this day November 28.RIP BROTHER and god bless Jane and the children.

Ret,Det,Frank Pisanelli
Bridgeport Police Department Plt.1

November 28, 2017