Longtime NYPD police officer, union official Lou Matarazzo dead at 84
A longtime NYPD officer and union leader who was the former president of the city’s Police Benevolent Association and an official with the Detectives’ Endowment Association has died, officials said Monday.
Lou Matarazzo, 84, died of natural causes surrounded by his family at home in Rockville Centre, Long Island, on Sunday, officials said
“Our prayers are with the Matarazzo family and Lou’s friends and former colleagues from the PBA and beyond,” Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Lynch said in a statement. “On behalf of our entire union, we extend them our deepest condolences.”
Matarazzo started his career as a New York City police officer walking the beat in the NYPD’s 108 Precinct in Queens in the 1960s.
He went on to become a delegate with the PBA and became the union’s president in 1995.
He later served as the legislative director of the Detectives’ Endowment Association.
National Police Defense Foundation President Mike Palladino, who previously served as DEA president, said Matarazzo was “a giant who had his finger on the pulse when it came to promoting and defending officers’ rights.”
“I’m truly saddened by Lou’s passing,” Palladino said.
“When I took over as DEA president, Lou was already in place as our legislative director,” Palladino said. “I asked him to expand his role into other areas which he gladly did.”
He said Matarazzo was the true “driving force” behind the “original 9-11 Zadroga bill” in Albany, which amended New York state pension law to allow those who suffered and retired with 9-11 disabilities to receive line-of-duty death pensions.
Current DEA President Paul DiGiacomo sent a letter to union members about his retired colleague’s passing.
“Lou’s more than three decade career with the NYPD fighting for the rights of our family in blue continued when he became part of our team at the DEA,” the letter states. “His love and support of detectives and all cops will always remain his legacy.”
Information on funeral arrangements was not immediately available.