Salvatore J. Cafiso III was appointed to the force on February 28, 1994, and began his career in the 77th Precinct. He was promoted to Detective on November 22, 1999, and first assigned to the Staten Island Initiative.
On October 24, 2002, while working as an Undercover with the Staten Island Narcotics Unit during a buy-and-bust operation in the Meiers Corners section of Staten Island, Sal became faint and passed out around 5:00 p.m. His partner and other members of the Unit tried CPR and chest compressions, but to no avail. He was rushed to St. Vincent’s Medical Center in West Brighton, but he went into cardiac arrest and efforts to revive him were unsuccessful. He was 33 years old at the time and an eight-year veteran of the Police Department.
Det. Cafiso was awarded a full Inspector’s funeral and his death was declared “in the line of duty.” A family man, Det. Cafiso was married to his high school sweetheart Kathleen, who a few weeks prior had given birth to their first child, a daughter. In addition to his wife and baby, Det. Cafiso was survived by many other family members and friends. He was well-loved and respected by his colleagues who said they could always count on him in any difficult assignment. His fellow Detectives said he was, “a great partner, but an even greater friend.”
In his spare time, Det. Cafiso enjoyed fixing cars and had a prized 1968 Corvette that he exhibited at classic car shows. He was a skilled handyman who was in the process of renovating his home at the time of his death.
On April 30, 2006, a street was renamed “Det. Salvatore J. Cafiso III Avenue” at the northwest corner of Queensdale Avenue and Albourne Avenue in Staten Island.
Det. Cafiso’s premature death inspired the union to offer its members various screening programs to check for heart disease and artery blockage for which there is often no early warning signs.
