19th anniversary of September 11th

September 11, 2020

To the Members of the New York City Police Department:

As we mark the 19th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks, my sincere hope and prayer is that the memories of that horrific day will spark in all New Yorkers a renewal of the spirit that came after it – not just to treat each other with the respect and kindness we all deserve, but to face the daunting challenges of today with the same resolve we did nearly two decades ago.

We lost 23 members that morning, and hundreds more in the ensuing years due to 9/11-related illnesses. To be sure, it is a tragedy like no other. Still, there is a common denominator between the attacks of 2001 and the compounding challenges of 2020 – and that’s you: the men and women of the NYPD.

We were to hold a large celebration marking the NYPD’s 175th anniversary this year. But the pandemic quickly took hold and the coronavirus claimed 46 of our brothers and sisters. Adding to that, we have now asked you to do more work with fewer resources. These are extremely challenging times but, as in the aftermath of 9/11, I know that the NYPD, and this city, will never give up and will emerge stronger than ever. We may be imperfect, but we’re always striving to do better. And we hope that the people we serve remember that the same imperfect police officers who are so fiercely criticized today, are the same imperfect officers who heroically ran into the Twin Towers on 9/11. Every day, in fact, NYPD cops quietly demonstrate – less famously, but no less dangerously – that same courage and dedication to protect and serve the people of New York City.

This is about rebuilding, as we did in the wake of September 11th. And I’m confident we will do it again – rebuild the economy, rebuild relationships, rebuild civility. That day 19 years ago reminded us that we are all New Yorkers who share the same common goals. And perhaps the 9/11 anniversary can serve as a reminder that, as New Yorkers, we’re all in this together and there is no challenge we cannot, and will not, overcome.

Thank you for what you do every day. God bless you and your families, and stay safe.

Sincerely,

Dermot Shea

Police Commissioner