Duty Death: Jennifer Czarnecki - [ERIE COUNTY]
End of Service: 05/12/2020
By Mike Goodwin
Times Union, Albany, N.Y.
ERIE COUNTY, N.Y. — A state trooper who was part of the search-and-recovery effort after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks has died from an illness that stemmed from her time working at ground zero, acting Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen said Monday.
Trooper Jennifer M. Czarnecki died on Saturday.
Czarnecki joined the State Police in October 2000. The progress of her illness forced her to retire on Nov. 3, State Police said.
She is among a number of police officers and troopers from around New York who have died from illnesses connected to exposure to the smoldering wreckage at ground zero.
State Police members from the Capital Region, including Trooper Michael J. Anson of Colonie, Sgt. Charles R. Salaway of Saratoga County and former State Police Superintendent Wayne Bennett, died from cancer related to their work at ground zero.
During her career, Czarnecki was assigned to Troop D in central New York and Troop A in western New York. She’d worked in Troop A since 2003.
She is survived by her husband, mother and brother.
Funeral arrangements were not yet announced.
(c)2020 the Times Union (Albany, N.Y.)