8 THE QUEENS COURIER • JUNE 3, 2021 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Fallen detevtive honored with new plaque in Richmond Hill
BY BILL PARRY
bparry@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Th ey called him “Smiles” and formed
a blue line outside the NYPD’s 102nd
Precinct in Richmond Hill on Th ursday,
May 27, to honor their brother, Detective
Brian Simonsen, who died in the line of
duty in February 2019.
Mayor Bill de Blasio, Police
Commissioner Dermot Shea and Leanne
Simonsen, Detective Simonsen’s wife,
joined in the dedication ceremony for
a new plaque at the station house in his
memory.
“We never forget a good man,” de Blasio
said. “We never forget someone who with
every ounce of his being protected other
people. Detective Brian Simonsen did
things right. He lived right. He served
right — a 19-year veteran, devoted in
every way. When you hear stories of people,
sometimes some of us, we only get
to know them when they’re lost, but you
learn what’s the current running through
someone’s life — devotion, commitment,
that’s who he was.”
Simonsen was tragically killed in a
“friendly fi re” incident while responding
to a reported robbery at a nearby T-Mobile
Store in Richmond Hill during a cold and
rainy night on Feb. 12, 2019. A suspect
named Christopher Ranson was packing
a fake weapon and charged at the offi cers.
Seven of the offi cers fi red 42 shots from
both sides of the store. Simonsen was struck
in the chest and died while EMS transported
him to the hospital.
“You can’t forget someone who did this
much and sacrifi ced so much,” de Blasio
said. “His family, his friends will remember
The Simonsen family with the dedicated plaque to Det. Brian Simonsen.
deeply, but his second family, his
NYPD family, his 102 Precinct family, feel
a loss of a comrade in arms. He loved the
people of this community. He loved serving
shoulder-to-shoulder with his brothers
and sisters in this department.”
Simonsen was representing the precinct’s
rank-and-fi le during a union meeting
on the day he was killed. Th e mayor
said he could have “called it a day” and
gone home, but he rushed to the T-Mobile
Store when the call came in.
“He chose to serve and gave his life in
that moment,” de Blasio said. “”He needs
to be a part of the permanent memory of
New York City. He needs to be an example
to all New Yorkers of bravery, courage —
commitment matters. Th at’s how we are
all kept safe, because of people like Brian.”
In the aft ermath of the tragic incident,
the NYPD retrained its offi cers
and distributed more than 500 new
lightweight, bullet-resistant vests
to detectives. Shea addressed
Leanne Simonsen on the importance
of her late husband’s
legacy.
“For years to come, we
will tell Brian’s story,”
Shea said. “We talk
about what he
meant to this
c om mu n i -
ty, but, more
importantly,
what
he meant
to you,
and what
he meant
to his
Photo by Lloyd Mitchell
family, and what he meant to his blue
family, and how he lived life, and how
he impacted people. I think of the tragic
night two years ago in February, when
we lost Brian, working on his own time,
coming into work when he didn’t have to
come to work. I think about if we could all
live our life as Brian led his life, I think the
world would be a better place.”
In his conclusion, the commissioner
addressed the ranks of offi -
cers lined up along
118th Street.
“To all the members
of the 102nd
Precinct and wearing
a blue uniform
today, thank you
for what you do
each and every
day,” Shea said.
“God bless you.
Everything that
you do lives
up to Brian’s
memory and
honors him
in the sacrifi
ce that you
make every
day. God
bless you.”
Detective of the 102nd Precinct Squad hugs widow Leanne Simonsen at
the plaque dedication for their fallen detective.
Mayor Bill De Blasio delivers remarks at the plaque dedication for 102nd Precinct Det. Brain
Simonsen.
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