Family, Friends & Fellow Officers Remember...

No cops murder is any less significant then any others. However, Robert Bilodeau death effected me the greatest.

As a teenager growing up in Queens, Robert’s home borough. I was inspired to become a NYPD Police Officer and wear his police shield in tribute. I was initially a member of NY Transit PD before the agency’s merged.

I would go makes hundreds of felony arrests and effect dozens of rescues of both citizens and fellow officers. During the era of crime management, crimefighting cops punished for increasing the felony stats in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s.

In the face of danger, your response determines your fate.

Robert’s was as many other dedicated cops was to go balls to the wall and capture the maximum amount of felons, while saving the maximum amount of lives. We need strong leadership that continues to foster Robert’s efforts. Both my sons are in law enforcement and embrace his essence.

My sincerest condolences to his family, fellow officers and friends, hoping someday his story will be told for the whole world to see.

Police Officer Marc Manfro
N.Y.P.D.

February 23, 2022

Bilodeau remains as the only officer in NYPD history to have received the Medal of Honor twice.

Posted Saturday, 20 June 2020
By Detective Richard"Bo" Dietl

On February 12, 1980, I responded to a 10-13, officer needing assistance, and found Officer Bobby Bilodeau, a Street Crime Unit cop, dying of a gunshot wound after a running gun battle with drug dealers in upper Manhattan. His family was awarded the NYPD Medal of Honor, posthumously; it was his second.

Bilodeau remains as the only officer in NYPD history to have received the medal twice.

Less than a year earlier, on April 5, 1979, Bobby had had his throat slashed by a passerby while acting as a decoy a few blocks south of the New York Port Authority Bus Terminal.

He survived, but it took 63 stitches to close his throat; he nearly died.

It took him just three weeks to come back on the job after his throat was slashed.

He told me that he had needed to come back because he needed to protect people who weren’t able to protect themselves. For him, being a cop, and being part of the all-volunteer Street Crime Unit wasn’t just his job; it was his calling.

I thought of Bobby, now dead over 40 years, the other day as I heard New York City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea speak of disbanding the 600 officer Anti-Crime Unit, the successor to the Street Crime Unit where Bobby had served.

Reportedly, Commissioner Shea decided to disband the Anti-Crime Unit because it was disproportionately involved with so many shootings and civilian complaints. (One review of shooting statistics claimed 31% of all NYPD killings came from the roughly 6% of the force on the Anti-Crime Unit. ACU also reportedly had a disproportionately high percentage of civilian complaints.)

But Shea’s dodgy, top-side, assumption about that data set is that a uniformed officer responding to crimes in a radio mobile patrol (RMP) car will have the same policing experience as a plainclothes ACU cop actively seeking out crimes in progress.

The disproportionate stats NYPD critics cite to eliminate the ACU result from the unit’s aggressive, proactive, peripatetic, daily policing in some of the city’s highest crime neighborhoods, "looking for the worst people in the worst neighborhoods during the worst hours," as one John Jay instructor put it. Anti-crime cops might have 10, 20 or even 30 encounters with suspects or victims to each uniformed officer’s single encounter.

Nearly 50 years ago my old boss, David Durk, the crusading, media-savvy, politically-connected, NYPD commander whose disclosures, along with those of the famous Frank Serpico, led to the creation of the Knapp Commission, acknowledged to me that it was about 10% of cops — aggressive, risk-taking, go-getters like Bobby Bilodeau and I were —who made about 90% of the arrests.

That realization ultimately led to the creation of the Street Crime Unit in 1971.

Street Crimes’ unofficial slogan, adopted after I left, was "We Own the Night."

Commissioner Shea’s radical and misguided move to eliminate the Anti-Crime Unit will diminish the extraordinary performance of a few cops to align it with those of the many; to make great, heroic, risk-taking, go-getter, cops just "so-so," mail-it-in civil-service drones who seek to fall into the middle of the bell curve of performance rather than to be among the best.

The result will be that crime — especially violent crimes in high-crime neighborhoods —will spike and people, overwhelmingly people of color, will die.

The NYPD won’t "Own the Night," the criminals and gang-bangers will.

And the people in the high crime neighborhoods where ACU operated most will suffer most as their sons, daughters, husbands and wives suffer the criminal pathology of the few that only policing can stop.

Great cops like Bobby Bilodeau would have had no part of it.

Neither should Commissioner Shea.

Let’s hope he sees the folly of his mistake before too many people have to die.

Richard"Bo" Dietl, the founder and CEO of Beau Dietl & Associates was an NYPD police officer and detective from 1970 to 1985. As a member of the Street Crime Unit and the Anti-Crime Unit, he was mugged over 500 times as a decoy, hospitalized over 30 times, and effected over 1,600 felony arrests. He never resorted to deadly force

Retired Police Officer
NYPD

February 13, 2022

42 years in Heaven. Your plaque on the wall at Randall’s Island served as a constant reminder of your ultimate sacrifice and the inherent dangers of being a Street Crime Cop doing God’s Work. Continue to Rest In Peace Nighthawk.

Kenneth J Dombrowski
NYPD SCU 1986-1989

February 12, 2022

RIP Officer Bilodeau.

SFC William Farrell
US Army MP, Ret

February 22, 2020

Rest easy

Mark Mottola

February 12, 2020

To the family, friends and colleagues of Officer Bilodeau: I proudly mailed my NO PAROLE letter today. I am sorry for your loss. It’s so unfair that you have to keep reliving your pain, with each new parole board hearing! To Officer Bilodeau: Thank You for your service to our country; your sacrifice for your community. You are not forgotten!
God Bless You All

Allie Wroten
Proudly Supporting All L.E.O.’s
Wife of a Corrections Deputy

October 19, 2018

I was a State Court Officer working AR 3 when I first met him.
He was a great guy a cops, cop. Him and Mario took me under their wing.
He is truly missed.
Harry Dobson Ret ADW NYCDOC
February 21, 2018

Warden Level One
NYS Court Officer/ Ret NYCDOC

February 21, 2018

After your neck was slashed there came a day that we were sitting at my kitchen table. My wife looked at your neck and didn't say anything. When I got home later she asked why you didn't retire on 3/4 s. I told her that you were a cop. She then tried to convince me to change careers also. I gave her the same answer. A year later you were still doing your job as a "Cop". It's what we do. RIP Bob, you are missed.

Roy Zinkiewicz Ret NYPD
Former sqd member with Bob Bilodeau in SCU

February 13, 2018

Thirty-eight years-never forgotten!
R.I.P.- Bobby.

TPF/SCU
NYPD

February 13, 2018

I would see your Memorial plaque hanging in the Street Crime Unit. Heard great things about you. A True Warrior. Proud to say I worked in SCU with Warriors like you..Rest in Peace

Det. Ray Winz
NYPD

February 13, 2018

HI ROBERT I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE A SPEECH THIS YEAR, JUST WANT TO SAY I STILL MISS YOU AND LOVE YOU.

POLICE OFFICER JOSEPH BALLE
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, RETIRED

January 12, 2018

RIP Officer and thank you for your service. You are not forgotten. God. bless you and your family

Police Officer (retired)
New York Police Department

February 12, 2017

Thank you for your service my brother. Heros are few, cowards are many. Continue to rest in peace and know that your actions are for ever appreciated by your brothers and sisters in the N.Y.P.D. God bless you and your family. ALL BLUE LIVES MATTER.

Lt. Ray Flores
N.Y.P.D. (ret.)

February 12, 2017

HI Robert!
It's now 35 yrs. since that punk took your life.
Wish I could say things are getting better but their not. We're still being executed while trying to protect the hopeless.
Take care. talk to you next year.


Joseph Balle

P/O JOSEPH BALLE
NEWARK N.J. PD. RET.

January 13, 2015

i REMEMBER THIS TRAGEDY WHILE i WAS IN THE POLICE ACADEMY. I ALWAYS REMEMBERED HIS NAME AND LOOKED IT UP THIS DAY.
REST IN PEACE

Retired P.O. Al Carrature
N.Y.P.D Retired

December 22, 2014

Miss you Robert. you will never be forgotten.

Bill Krolak
Cousin

February 11, 2014

HI ROBERT
I'M DOING MY BEST TO CONTROL MY TEMPER THIS YEAR AND NOT COMPLAIN BUT I CAN'T. THEY STILL TREAT POLICE OFFICERS LIKE CRIMINALS, ESPECIALLY WHEN A SHOOTING IS INVOLVED. THE THOUGHT OF THAT PUNK THAT KILLED YOU REALLY DRIVES ME CRAZY.
KEEP ASKING THE HEAD RABBI UP THERE TO CUT THE MEN IN BLUE SOME SLACK.
YAKE CARE BUDDY, STILL MISS YOU AND LOVE YOU A LOT..

P.O. JOSEPH BALLE
NEWARK,NJ RET.

January 12, 2014

He was in my classes at JJC and he was a fellow Episcopalian.

Keith C. Edwards

June 13, 2013

Bobby

33 years-not forgotten!

RIP

TPF/SCU
NYPD

February 25, 2013

Hi Robert,
It will be 33 years to the day tomorrow that the punk took your life! I got tired of seeing, as I'm sure others have a shadow box of you being portrayed on The Officer Down Memorial Board. I dropped a little note to the current PC (Kelly) who through his staff (Lt. Peter McCaffrey) was able to get your picture posted. Still miss you very much and keep an eye out for the thin blue line!

PO Joseph Balle'
NEWARK,NJ RET.

February 11, 2013

Your heroism and service is honored today, the 32nd anniversary of your death. Your memory lives and you continue to inspire. Thank you for your service. My cherished son Larry Lasater was a fellow police officer murdered in the line of duty on April 24, 2005 while serving as a Pittsburg, CA police officer.

Time never dimishes respect and your memory will always be honored and revered. I pray for solace for all those who love and remember you for I know both the pain and pride are forever. Your family is in my heart's embrace. Joseph, thanks for shariing a brother/friend's devotion through your reflections

Rest In Peace

Phyllis Loya
Mom of fallen California Officer Larry Lasater, Pittsburg PD, eow 4/24/05

February 13, 2012

HI ROBERT!
I'LL TRY NOT TO COMPLAIN TO MUCH BUT HERE GOES. NOW INSTED OF GIVING MEDALS TO OUR MARINES FOR LEAKING ON THE ENEMY THEY COURT-MARTIAL THEM.
POLICE IN- VOLVED IN SHOOTINGS ARE GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT. ALL THE PUNKS LIKE THE ONE WHO KILLED YOU ARE NOW PORTRAYED AS UPSTANDING PEOPLE
WITH THE POTENTIAL OF BECOMING EVERYTHING FROM ASTRONAUTS TO BRAIN SURGEONS, THEY SHOW ALL THESE PUNKS WITH GRADUATE CAPS AND GOWNS OR IN BOYSCOUT UNIFORMS.
THE THIN BLUE LINE IS GETTING THINER BECAUSE ALL THE
GOOD MEN CAN NOT TAKE ALL THE B/S ANYMORE.
KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR ALL OUR BROTHERS.


MISS YOU AS ALWAYS,
BROTHER JOE BALLE

P.O. JOSEPH R. BALLE
NEWARK,NJ RET.

February 11, 2012

HI ROBERT!
SORRY I'M A WEEK LATE BUT YOU KNOW HOW THAT GOES.
AS YOU CAN SEE OUR BROTHER ANS SISTER'S ARE BEING SHOT LIKE IT'S THE OPENING DAY OF DEER SEASON. NOT COMPLAINING BUT ASK YOUR CO IF HE COULD LIGHTEN UP JUST A LITTLE.
IT'S BEEN 31 YEARS SINCE YOU MADE THE ALTIMATE SACRIFICE AND YOUR STILL MY HERO AND THE ONLY BROTHER I KNOW WHO RECEIVED TWO MEDALS OF HONOR AND TOUCHED SO MANY LIVES.
KEEP AN EYE ON THE THIN BLUE LINE THEY NEED ALL THE HELP THEY CAN MUSTER.


MISS YOU
BROTHER JOE BALLE

JOSEPH BALLE NEWARK RET.

February 19, 2011

Bobby-
Thirty one years ago you gave your life for the citizens of New York. You are not forgotten!
RIP Brother

TPF/SCU

February 13, 2011

30 years-gone but not forgotten

Brother LEO
NYPD

February 20, 2010