Fallen NYPD detective was RWU graduate

February 14, 2019 12:28 am

BRISTOL, R.I. (WLNE) — Fallen NYPD detective and Roger Williams University grad Brian Simonsen is being remembered as an outstanding cop with a big heart.

The husband and father of two, who lives on Long Island, was killed by friendly fire in Queens Tuesday night, after several officers fired at a robbery suspect, who had what appeared to be a handgun.

“It’s just something that you’re never ready to hear,” said Eric Bronson, Dean of RWU’s School of Justice Studies.

The 42-year-old detective graduated from the School of Justice Studies in 1999.

“He was a strong student, and he was a student athlete, a member of the baseball team,” said Bronson.

Detective Simonsen joined the NYPD right after college, spending 19 years on the force. Bronson says Simonsen’s career success was no surprise.

“You can kind of tell some students that you have they’re going to make it and they’re going to promote pretty easily, and he’s one of those. NYPD is one of the most coveted jobs in the criminal justice system, and for him to get it and move up through the ranks, become detective, that shows that he was a special person,” said Bronson.

Simonsen’s former partner on the force, Terrence LeGrady, agrees, saying his professionalism was matched only by his generosity.

“He could walk into any situation, as crazy as it could possibly be, and he had the ability to calm everything down, never raising his voice, never raising his hands. He was a complete professional, and I think that because he was such a good person, people that needed help recognized that right away,” said LeGrady.