After decades without a marking to commemorate his final resting place, Detective Joseph Pucciano, celebrated as the "Italian Sherlock Holmes" for his detective work in early 20th-century New York, was honored with a proper headstone in Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery. According to a report by ABC7NY, the unveiling took place yesterday, alongside his former partner and cousin by marriage, Detective Bernardino Grottano, who also recently received a headstone.
Scott Munro from the Detectives' Endowment Association described Pucciano as a "tough, seasoned, smart, savvy, investigator" who played a pivotal role in taking down the Navy Street Gang and sending over 30 of its members to prison or the electric chair. In statements obtained by ABC7NY, Pucciano's grandson, Ken Gulmi, expressed the family's pride and joy in finally being able to formally honor his legacy. The revelation of Pucciano's unmarked grave next to Grottano came only after the detectives' union provided a headstone for Grottano on an earlier occasion.
Details of Joseph Pucciano's endowment were also covered by the New York Post. His career achievements included the arrest of numerous mobsters and his role in the NYPD's Italian Squad, which targeted Mafia-related crime. His work in law enforcement is encapsulated on the grave marker, which bears the words "Fidelis Ad Mortem, End of Watch July 16, 1928," as well as a portrait and the Detectives Endowment Association shield.
Retired NYPD Detective William Markowski and his fiancée, Phyllis Kropacek, brought to light the lack of recognition for Pucciano and Grottano while researching their own family histories. Kropacek, the great-great niece of Grottano, was joyous to connect with new branches of the family through this historical investigation. "At that time in the Police Department, there weren't a lot of Italian cops," Markowski told the New York Post. The pair's contribution has since been formally acknowledged, with their headstones now serving as permanent tributes to their courage and service.
Family members and NYPD officers gathered to witness the gravestone placement, a gesture by the Detectives' Endowment Association to ensure Pucciano's memory is preserved for future generations. DEA President Scott Munro stated, "It’s all about taking care of our detectives," as quoted in the New York Post. The touching ceremony provided a space for Pucciano’s descendants, and indeed the NYPD community, to remember his impact on New York City's law enforcement history.
