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Irma Lozada (April 26, 1959 – September 21, 1984), a.k.a. "Fran", was a member of the
New York City Transit Police The New York City Transit Police Department was a law enforcement agency in New York City that existed from 1953 (with the creation of the New York City Transit Authority) to 1995, and is currently part of the NYPD. The roots of this organizat ...
who was killed in 1984, becoming the first female police officer to die while at work in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
.


Early years

In the 1950s, Lozada's parents had moved from
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
to
Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
where she and her brother were born. There, she received her primary and secondary education. As a child, Lozada spent her summers with her family in the City of Mayaguez in Puerto Rico. In 1980, Lozada applied for, and was accepted into, the New York Transit Police Academy in October, 1981. She graduated in the first academy class of transit officers that had a significant number of women and was assigned to District 33 at 2399 Fulton Street,
Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
, N.Y., as a plainclothes transit officer. At the time, the NYPD and the New York Transit Police were separate entities. The New York City Transit Police Department was a law enforcement agency that existed from 1953 (with the creation of the
New York City Transit Authority The New York City Transit Authority (also known as NYCTA, the TA, or simply Transit, and branded as MTA New York City Transit) is a New York state public-benefit corporations, public-benefit corporation in the U.S. state of New York (state), New ...
) until 1995. In the early 1980s, many male transit police officers still viewed women as undesirable partners. Nevertheless, Lozada's work was noticed by her superiors and she was promoted to the Transit Police District #33 and assigned to the Plainclothes Anti-Crime Unit, a street crime unit. This brought her closer to her goal of becoming a detective.


Death

On September 21, 1984, Lozada, then having less than 3 years on the force, and her partner were assigned to patrol the
BMT Canarsie Line The BMT Canarsie Line (sometimes referred to as the 14th Street–Eastern Line) is a rapid transit line of the B Division of the New York City Subway system, named after its terminus in the Canarsie neighborhood of Brooklyn. It is served by the ...
(then the train) in plainclothes. During her patrol at
Wilson Avenue Wilson may refer to: People *Wilson (name) ** List of people with given name Wilson ** List of people with surname Wilson * Wilson (footballer, 1927–1998), Brazilian manager and defender *Wilson (footballer, born 1984), full name Wilson Rodr ...
station in Bushwick, Brooklyn, she witnessed a suspect, Darryl Jeter, snatch a jewelry necklace from an unsuspecting train rider. Lozada and her partner split up while chasing the suspect. She chased him to a nearby abandoned lot located at the intersection of Central Avenue and Chauncey Street and waited at the lot, which was heavily weeded and was loaded with junk. When confronted by the suspect she pretended to be looking for a lost dog with the intention that the suspect would not suspect her real motives. The suspect then turned around to look for the dog and Lozada pulled out her service gun. As Lozada attempted to handcuff the suspect, he turned and took her gun. According to Jeter, Lozada pleaded for her life to no avail. The suspect then shot her twice in the face. The first time Jeter fired, the bullet passed through her cheek. He then walked a short distance only to return after a few moments to shoot her in the face, killing her. Lozada's body was found three hours later in the lot; she was the first female officer to be killed in the line of duty in New York City. Jeter was later apprehended and charged with second degree murder, possession of a weapon, possession of stolen property and grand larceny. He was found guilty of second degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon and convicted. Jeter was sentenced to serve 32.5 years to life in prison and was released on parole December 7, 2021.


Legacy

Briton Film Works LLC produced a documentary film about Lozada. Lozada was buried in Calvary Cemetery in
Woodside, Queens Woodside is a residential and commercial neighborhood in the western portion of the borough of Queens in New York City. It is bordered on the south by Maspeth, on the north by Astoria, on the west by Sunnyside, and on the east by Elmhurst, ...
. She is survived by her mother and brother. In the memorial ceremony at Calvary Cemetery in 2004, NYPD Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly stated: On October 2, 2012, a bill, whose provisions include renaming a street in Brooklyn in honor of Lozada, was signed into law by Mayor
Mike Bloomberg Michael Rubens Bloomberg (born February 14, 1942) is an American businessman, politician, philanthropist, and author. He is the majority owner, co-founder and CEO of Bloomberg L.P. He was Mayor of New York City from 2002 to 2013, and was a ca ...
. The street dedication occurred on November 10, 2012. "Irma Lozada Way" is located at the intersection of Fulton Street and Van Sinderen Avenue in East New York, Brooklyn.Rename street in honor of slain female transit cop
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See also

* List of Puerto Ricans


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lozada, Irma 1959 births 1984 deaths New York City Police Department officers Puerto Rican law enforcement personnel American police officers killed in the line of duty Deaths by firearm in Brooklyn