Beloved Bloomfield Cop Dies Of COVID Just Months After Retiring

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — A former Bloomfield police officer died after fighting a “tough battle” with the coronavirus, just months after embarking on a well-deserved retirement, his peers reported Tuesday.

Benedetto Christiano, 53, was born in Belleville and was a longtime resident of Bloomfield, according to his obituary.

The Bloomfield Division of Public Safety offered a message of condolence and tribute to Christiano, who served as a local police officer for 26 years, and as former treasurer for the Bloomfield PBA.

“It is with deep regret that we announce the passing of retired Bloomfield police officer Benny Christiano. Ben fought a tough battle with COVID for recent weeks that he ultimately succumbed to today. Ben served this department with ‘Bravery, Pride and Dedication’ for 26 years until making the decision to retire and move on to the next chapter in his life in December 2020. Ben leaves behind a loving wife and daughter. Thank you to everyone that has sent prayers and words of encouragement throughout this difficult time.”

Christiano was an early Harley Davidson enthusiast and a member of the Hire Guns Motorcycle Club, his obituary states.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a funeral service at the O’Boyle Funeral Home, 309 Broad Street in Bloomfield on Saturday, March 6 at 10 a.m. Interment will take place at Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Upper Montclair. Visitation is on Friday, March 5 from 4 to 9 p.m.

The Bloomfield PBA Local #32 announced that Christiano was battling COVID-19 in January, inspiring an outpouring of support for the beloved local cop.

Seen online:

• “An abundance of prayers being sent to Ben. The power of prayer is strong. Let's all continue to pray for Ben. I've known Ben for about 35 years. He truly is a great guy.”
• “Prayers for Ben. One of the good guys. We all need to still take this seriously. Get well Ben.”
• “Great guy I’ve had the pleasure of riding escorts with. Hang in there, brother. Fight.”

The news of Christiano’s death came as a hard blow to many Bloomfield residents and his former colleagues, who offered hundreds of condolences on social media.

As of Wednesday, Bloomfield has seen 4,216 cumulative cases of COVID-19, with 100 deaths linked to the disease, according to statistics from Essex County.

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