Glen Cove Remembers Sal Taranto

Six days after Sal Taranto was allegedly , the longtime Glen Cove Police officer was remembered by his former co-workers as a dedicated cop who was actively involved in the community.

The community support in response to his death is a reflection of the impact Taranto had as a police officer, father and citizen in Glen Cove. The , along with Taranto's family and friends, honored the retired officer's life during the funeral mass at  on Monday morning. The church was filled to capacity.

"He was my friend and a good person," said Chief William Whitton, who worked with Taranto at the GCPD. "We will miss him a great deal. All a person would have to do to gauge what type of person Sal was, would be to look at the outpouring of love and support while he was waked and at his funeral."

Taranto had received three commendations for Excellent Duty during his career as an officer in Glen Cove, said Lt. Ralph Bruschini.

The first commendation came on Aug. 3, 1988: "At the scene of an accident, an 18 month old child stopped breathing," Bruschini said. "Sal gave mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, and the child resumed breathing. He saved the child's life."

Taranto again proved his heroic qualities in December 1997 when he chased down a man at the scene of a violent stabbing. "Sal searched the area and the train stations in Glen Cove and spotted a suspect who fit the description," Bruschini said. "The suspect ran, but Sal chased and caught him. The man was then arrested for attempted murder."

His third, and final commendation was earned in May 2001, two years before his retirement: "Hillary Clinton, while on the campaign trail for the Senate race, spoke at Garvies Point Museum. Sal was assigned as security. While on duty, he noticed a suspicious van in the area," Bruschini said. "He questioned the operator, who identified himself as a retired NYPD Lt. Though Sal's senses persisted, and upon further investigation, it was revealed the suspicious man was not a cop. He was arrested at the scene with possession of a weapon."

Family and friends are still reeling from the loss, allegedly at the hands of  28-year-old son Matthew Taranto, who has reportedly been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, a type of Autism.

"I've worked with Sal most of my career," Whitton said. "I know that he deeply cared for his son Matthew through personal observation. Sal would always be there to help, whether it was finding a more appropriate school environment or arranging work interviews to help Matthew with a job."

Whitton said that Taranto often had to leave work unexpectedly to help his son with personal matters: "He was always there. It was a recurring theme that lasted from early childhood right up until the time of Sal's death."

Aside from his hard-working demeanor as a police officer and loving family man to his wife Camille and his son Matthew, Taranto also became a staple in the community through his love for animals, according to Whitton.

"If Sal encountered a stray dog, he would do his best to relocate the animal with its rightful owner; he quickly made good friends with the members of the Glen Cove Animal Lovers league," Whitton said.

Taranto and his family had decided to move upstate to Trumansburg — a community in central New York — after his retirement in 2003. From time to time, he would visit his hometown, and his close friends in Glen Cove would visit him up in his Finger Lakes village.

"It's a special gift being able to make someone smile or laugh," said Lt. Tom Fitzpatrick of the Glen Cove Police Department. "Sal had it in spades. Best of all is that he shared it with everyone lucky enough to be around him; and we're all the better for it."