Officer Ernesto "Nesty" Valente, Hazleton City Police Department, Pennsylvania

Officer Ernesto "Nesty" Valente

Hazleton City Police Department, Pennsylvania

End of Watch Sunday, May 15, 1938

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Ernesto "Nesty" Valente

Officer Nesty Valente was killed when he was thrown from the running board of a vehicle that was transporting an injured boy to the hospital.

The boy had been struck by a vehicle nearby and suffered severe leg injuries The driver of the vehicle placed the boy in the car and began driving him to the hospital through heavy traffic.

Officer Valente was flagged down and then jumped onto the car's running board and sounded his whistle as they continued to the hospital. As they approached the intersection of Broad Street and Wyoming Street the driver hit his brakes hard, throwing Officer Valente to the ground.

Officer Valente was taken to the hospital in a taxi but succumbed to his injuries.

Officer Valente had served with the Hazleton City Police Department for 17 years.

Bio

Age 44
Tour 17 years
Badge Not available

Incident Details

Cause Automobile crash

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Most Recent Reflection

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Was my honor to follow thru on a story my father told me as a boy, that his mothers sister , Susan Valente (maiden name Danes) husband Ernesto was the the first police officer to die in the line of duty in the city of Hazleton PA.
So I searched the net for any old newspaper articles of his sacrifice and came across The ODMP page. Again no tribute to this man. So I contacted Chief Frank D’Andrea and he put the tribute together. I also was able to bring his grandchildren to Hazleton the second year of the tribute. I am proud to be a father of a Police Officer and all our men and women in blue. And Especially proud to have been a factor in honoring Patrolman Valente after 75 years of his sacrifice.
Bill Juliano

Great Nephew of Officer Ernesto Valente
Hazleton Pa Police Dept
End of watch May 15, 1938

January 31, 2022