BRONX W www.BXTimes.com EEKLY July 28 2019 12
Street co-naming for 49th Pct. 9/11 victim
BY PATRICK ROCCHIO
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
previous 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 co-namings.
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
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
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. Photo courtesy of Mickey Boyle
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
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.”
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