Street co-naming for 49th Pct. 9/11 victim
vious commanding officers
of McGovern and community
leaders, for the co-naming,
which supporters hope
will be put before the NYC
City Council in December,
when it votes on street conamings.
CB 11 voted to support the
idea at its full board meeting
on Thursday, June 27, said Al
D’Angelo, CB 11 chairman.
Retired Detective Victor
DiPierro, a longtime
49th Precinct Community
Affairs cop, said that if approved,
McGovern’s street
sign would be placed alongside
that of Police Officer
Manny Vargas, right outside
the precinct.
Vargas also passed away
from a 9/11-related disease.
A rare type of brain cancer
that has been linked
to exposure to toxins from
working near the original
World Trade Center site after
the attacks was the cause
of his death, said DiPierro.
Officer McGovern’s
brother, Jimmy McGovern,
said that his brother developed
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A cop who dedicated his
life to serving his community
and who recently passed
away from 9/11 related ailments
will be remembered
in a special way.
Community Board 11 approved
a street co-naming
on Eastchester Road and
Rhinelander Avenue, in
front of the 49th Precinct, in
honor of Police Officer Pat
‘Paddy’ McGovern, a 19-year
NYPD veteran who passed
away on Thursday, May 2.
McGovern, who spent his
entire NYPD career in 49th
Precinct, and who also patrolled
in a seasonal detail
at the Bronx Zoo, spent between
200 to 300 hours working
‘on the pile’ immediately
following the September 11,
2001 attacks, said retired
49th Precinct cop Mickey
Boyle.
“His attitude was amazing,”
said Boyle. “He had a
lot of faith in God and that
is what he went with. He
was one of a kind. They don’t
make too many Pat McGoverns.”
Boyle collected letters of
support, including from pre-
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A movement is underway to name a street in front of the 49th Precinct
in honor of Police Offi cer Pat “Paddy” McGovern, who spent 19 years at
the precinct before passing in May from cancer related to his exposure
to toxins following 9/11. Phot o courtesy of Mic k ey Boyle
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colon, liver and lymph
node cancers that were determined
to be related to
9/11 chemical exposure.
“We are fine with the
street co-naming,” said
Jimmy McGovern. “The
guys who worked with him
who are retired are really
pushing for it.”
He said his brother was
a fun-loving guy who was a
wonderful uncle, and whose
life was cut short when he
passed at the age of 43.
DiPierro, who worked
on the street co-naming for
Vargas, and helped steer it
through the necessary approvals,
said he was approached
by McGovern’s former
co-workers.
“Pat was a genuine guy
who had a hard time saying
no to people,” said DiPierro.
“He would do the best to help
a person out if he could do
it. He was a ‘cop’s cop’ and
he was out policing on the
streets a lot.”
DiPierro said he recalls
that Paddy McGovern was
well liked in the 49th Precinct,
and was selected to be
a Police Benevolent Association
delegate.
“He is another victim
Pat was a genuine
guy who had a
hard time saying
no to people.
Victor DiPierro
of 9/11 after the fact,” said
DiPierro. “All of the first
responders that are coming
down with illnesses and dying
years later are part of
that unbearable tally.
He added: “I felt he should
be forever recognized and
that having a street co-naming
is good tribute to Pat and
the person he was.”