Peter Figoski recalled as hero, family man

Thousands of solemn police officers lined the streets of Babylon Village, and the four daughters of slain NYPD Officer Peter Figoski sobbed and clutched at each other yesterday as he received a hero's farewell.

Figoski was remembered during the funeral service at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church by Mayor Michael Bloomberg and New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly as a tough, gritty cop who could show a tender side, especially for his daughters.

The young women wrote a poignant farewell to their father, and thanked the police officers who supported them in their grief.

"We now feel connected to a side of our dad we rarely saw at home. He put us aside from his duties as a police officer and always put us first," said Corinne, 14, Caroline 16, Caitlyn, 18, and Christine, 20, in a message read by a family friend, Juan Mendez.

"When a hero falls, an angel rises," their message said. "Rest in peace, Daddy."

Mendez also read a note from Figoski's ex-wife, Paulette, who said, "May you hold my father's hand in heaven and watch over our children. I promise to do my best to take care of them always."

After the service, as a bugler played taps, Caroline grabbed the hands of her sisters and wept, turning her face away from the hearse that would carry Figoski to burial at North Babylon Cemetery. Six New York police helicopters flew by in formation overhead.

Figoski, 47, of West Babylon, a decorated 22-year NYPD veteran, was shot in the face after responding to a robbery call in Brooklyn Dec. 12. Five men are charged in the slaying.

The funeral service was broadcast on speakers outside the packed church to a crowd that law enforcement organizers estimated at 10,000 to 15,000 mourners, according to Village Mayor Ralph Scordino. Police officers came from around the region, forming a sea of dress blues that stretched for blocks when the hearse arrived, led by more than 50 bagpipers.

Figoski was a distinguished officer who earned a dozen medals, including one of the department's highest honors, the Medal for Exceptional Merit, for his work when police closed in on the "Zodiac killer" in 1996. At the service, Bloomberg announced Figoski's promotion to detective, retroactive to a year ago.

"Other officers just felt safer knowing Pete was around," Kelly said. "To quote one of them, 'This was the guy you wanted to show up if one of your family members ever needed help.' "

Kelly spoke of a time Figoski refused a lucrative overtime assignment. When told later how much money he could have made, Figoski countered, "I got a chance to spend a beautiful day with my girls."

Bloomberg told the mourners about Figoski navigating the tides of female adolescence with his daughters, whom Bloomberg called "His be-all and end-all."

Once, Figoski attempted to help Caitlyn with hairstyling. "All Caitlyn wanted were some highlights. What she got was the crown of her head bleached completely white," the mayor said, drawing chuckles from the crowd.

The two older daughters, Christine and Caitlyn, attend college upstate. Caroline is a junior and Corinne a freshman at Babylon Junior-Senior High School.

The school, across the street from the church, was closed for the day, and many students attended the funeral.

"We saw her at the wake and she just thanked us for coming," said Emily Lydakis, a friend of Corinne's. Her mother, Alice Lydakis, said of Figoski, "He was a lovely man. He truly will be missed." With Gary Dymski