A beloved police union official who successfully pushed for more days off for cops and helped NYPD families grieve after the 9/11 terror attack is set to retire Thursday.
Danny Tirelli, 62, first vice president of the Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York, is hanging up his hat after more than 42 years on the job.
He helped lead the way for more time off for officers by lengthening police shifts to 10 and 12 hours and helped lower pension eligibility from 22 years on the job to 20 — resulting in thousands of cops being able to spend more time with their families.
Danny Tirelli joined the NYPD in 1983. Courtesy of Dan Tirelli“One of the things that made the time go so quickly and enjoyable was that I was able to help thousands of cops,” he told The Post.
“I feel that my experience prepared them and represented them for any problems they may have faced.”
The Centereach, Long Island native joined New York’s Finest in 1983, following in the footsteps of his Nassau County Police Department detective dad, Gary.
“When I joined the department, I never imagined I would still be a cop 42 years later,” he said.
“I can’t say it went quick, but I did enjoy every day.”
After working for a dozen years in Astoria’s 114th Precinct, Tirelli was voted to the PBA board and quickly ascended to first vice president.
“Danny has been fighting for cops with his whole heart and soul for decades. There is almost no crisis he hasn’t faced and no challenge he hasn’t overcome. That’s why I knew we needed his wisdom and experience on our team,” PBA President Patrick Hendry said in a statement to The Post.
“His steady leadership has been a major factor in everything we’ve achieved over the past two years, especially our landmark legislative victories. I’m proud to have served alongside him, and even prouder to call him my friend,” said Hendry.
When terrorists attacked the World Trade Center on 9/11, Tirelli rushed to the side of heartbroken cops’ families at Ground Zero.
He said the hardest part of the job was dealing with the families on that day and still seeing fellow officers succumbing from 9/11 related illnesses.
Beloved PBA official Danny Tirelli helped grieving families on 9/11. Courtesy of Dan Tirelli“Dan Tirelli was one of the first police officers that helped my family navigate the pain and grief after the murder of my husband,” said widow Barbara Talty, whose cop husband Paul Talty died in the terror attacks.
Tirelli also inspired his son, Andrew, to join the NYPD, working out of his dad’s old stationhouse before reluctantly fleeing to the Suffolk County Police Department.
“The biggest problem we have is getting good candidates to join the department and keeping them,” he said.
“Too many other agencies pay better and work less shifts.”
Colleagues and family celebrate Danny Tirelli during a walkout ceremony. Courtesy of Dan TirelliTirelli, a father to daughters Bianca and Taylor, and a grandfather of three, said he’s taking his wife, Dawn, on a dream Italian vacation after retirement.
“When a lot of cops retire, they always say, ‘I don’t miss the job, I miss the people,'” he said.
“Well, I will miss the job because my job was helping police officers and this is why I had the best job in the world.”
