The past week has been a trying and emotional time for the Town of Monroe and surrounding communities. The tragic loss of NYPD Officer Brian Mulkeen on September 29th is a reminder of not only the dangers the men and women of law enforcement bravely face on a daily basis, but also the brevity of life.
In January 2018, the Town of Monroe Town Board began their “Making An Impact” initiative to encourage others to “Make An Impact on Someone’s Life Every Day, Because in Doing So, We all Benefit in a Positive Way!”
In the midst of tragedy, our Town overwhelmingly came together and exemplified what it means to make an impact. It is often in times of crisis that we are awakened to our strength in numbers and what we can accomplish together for the benefit of others.
Our community is a testament to this.
Over the past week we witnessed the complete focus and dedication of multiple agencies at the local, county and state level in planning for the honorable sendoff for Officer Mulkeen. The professionalism, courtesy and teamwork amongst multiple agencies working toward the common goal of recognizing the heroic actions of Brian while honoring a life well lived was inspiring.
It is clear that Brian made an impact on the Monroe community one that will never be forgotten.
We thank the NYPD, FDNY Ceremonial Unit, MTA, Village of Monroe Police, State Police, Orange County Sheriff’s Department, Woodbury Police, Harriman Police, Ramapo Police as well as multiple agencies from across the county, state and country, Monroe Joint Fire District, Monroe Volunteer Ambulance and surrounding EMS agencies for their support.
A special thank you is extended to the Orange County Executive’s Office, Orange County Office of Emergency Management, MonroeWoodbury School District, Town of Monroe DialABus, Sacred Heart Church and Smith Seaman and Quackenbush Funeral Home.
During this difficult time, there have been countless stories of kindness shared. From residents offering their support of law enforcement through the display of the thin blue line on their cars and ribbons on houses and businesses, to expressing thanks to the men and women of law enforcement through simple words or a snack the response from our Town was nothing short of spectacular.
Multiple businesses offered their support through endless donations, discounted services, as well as extended hours to accommodate officers’ needs. There has never been a time where we have been more “Monroe Proud.”
The magnitude of our efforts was evident when the NYPD Ceremonial Unit representative expressed to us, “This is one of the most, if not the most, accommodating and respectful municipalities we have ever worked with ... Monroe is an unbelievable place to reside and a wonderful town that unequivocally bonds together during tragic times.”
On behalf of the Town Board of Monroe, we extend a sincere thank you to all those involved in honoring our fallen hometown hero. Every resident should be proud to live in our community, a community whose support afforded The Mulkeen Family some solace in knowing that our town truly cares about their family and every individual who proudly puts on the uniform to protect us on a daily basis.
May God continue to bless the Mulkeen family, our first responders and the Town of Monroe.
With grateful appreciation,
Tony Cardone
Supervisor, Town of Monroe