The New York City Police Department on Tuesday rededicated a memorial wall honoring 45 members of its elite Emergency Service Unit (ESU) killed in the line of duty, including 14 officers who died responding to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The newly refurbished memorial at the ESU training center at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn now includes a service weapon belonging to one of the fallen officers, which was recovered from the rubble of Ground Zero.
The wall features photographs and nameplates of the fallen officers. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated that each name on the wall represents an individual who dedicated their life to the protection of others. Assistant Chief Gerard Dowling, ESU commanding officer, added that the wall serves as a permanent reminder that the ESU's highest traditions are embodied by those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Among the honored officers was John D’Allara, who died while rushing into the World Trade Center to attempt rescues during the 9/11 attacks. His widow, Carol D’Allara, described the ceremony as an honorable tribute to her husband and the other heroes recognized.
The ESU is an elite, highly trained division of the NYPD responsible for high-risk operations such as hostage situations, building collapses, water rescues, and disaster relief. According to Commissioner Tisch, ESU officers comprised the majority of the 23 NYPD officers killed on 9/11, acting as the "tip of the NYPD's spear" by entering the collapsing buildings to save lives.
The rededication ceremony also remembered officers who died from 9/11-related illnesses. The loss of 14 ESU members on Sept. 11, 2001, represented a significant portion of the unit's fatalities, nearly matching the number of ESU officers killed in the 70 years prior to the attacks.