NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch joined the USMC celebration at One Police Plaza in Manhattan on Friday, where the NYPD Marine Corps Association honored the Marine Corps’ upcoming 251st birthday. Tisch said 600 Marines are among the city’s Finest, linking the ceremony to the department’s own ranks.
One Police Plaza in Manhattan
The annual fete drew people to police headquarters and kept ties between the Marine Corps and retired and active-duty city cops. Marine veterans from World War II also attended, giving the gathering a span that reached from earlier wars to the officers serving now.
Tisch told those present, “When a New Yorker calls 911 … they’ll be getting help from someone who has already learned how to act when lives depend on it” and added, “By the time you put on an NYPD uniform, this country already owed you a debt of gratitude.” She also said, “And you chose to keep serving. As your commissioner, I’m grateful you chose to do it here.”
Brad Kasal at the NYPD
Retired Sgt. Major Brad Kasal was the keynote speaker and guest of honor. He received the Naval Cross in 2004 for bravery during the second battle of Fallujiah in Iraq, after being struck by a grenade and repeatedly shot while helping save several Marines.
Kasal used his remarks to connect battlefield service with police work and to address the strain that comes with both. “They put themselves in harm’s way because that’s their job: to serve and protect, for something greater than ourselves,” he said, and later added, “If there’s ever anyone here who has a bad day, who is struggling, it’s OK to ask for help,” a line that pushed the event beyond ceremony alone.
Nov. 10 and the NYPD
He also referred to the 2021 US evacuation from Kabul, Afghanistan, and the bombing at Abbey Gate, where 13 US service members were killed. The association said it was marking the coming Nov. 10 anniversary of the Corps’ founding while recognizing current members of the NYPD with awards dedicated to fallen brethren, leaving the specific awards as the one part of the ceremony it did not spell out.
