Also Worked at Ground Zero As a Recovery Worker
Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine — along with Nassau and Suffolk police officials — joined with hundreds of officers in blue to ceremonially rename a Massapequa street in honor of fallen Police Detective Stephen Mullen, who died while in the line of duty as a result of cancer he developed after being exposed to toxins while working at Ground Zero in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks on America.
“The Town of Oyster Bay and Nassau County never forget their hometown heroes, especially the brave men and women of law enforcement, who rush into danger when answering the call for help from fellow citizens,” Saladino said. “We are proud to honor the life and service of Detective Stephen Mullen, who exemplified what it means to sacrifice while helping others.”
Mullen, a Massapequa resident who worked for two-and-a-half decades with the Suffolk County Police Department, volunteered in lower Manhattan for the two days immediately following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. He was diagnosed with cancer during the summer of 2018. As a Suffolk County police officer, Mullen was honored 25 times, the highest of which was the Meritorious Police Service Award.
Mullen’s career began when he entered the police academy in September 1992 and spent his entire career in Suffolk’s First Precinct. He served in Community Oriented Police Enforcement and the Crime Section before earning his detective designation in May 2006, for assignment in the First Squad. As he battled cancer, his wife and sons stood by him throughout his long and arduous road, as so many who experience similar circumstances following their heroic actions taken on 9/11.
“Stephen was taken from us too soon, but his amazing legacy, as a Top Cop in the bravest sense, will forever endure,” Saladino said. “Stephen loved his community and will always be remembered for his bravery. This street, in the neighborhood where he lived for many years, will forever serve as a reminder of his sacrifice and his extraordinary life. When people pass by this block, they will forever remember Detective Stephen Mullen as an exemplary first responder.”