Beloved Newtown Police Officer Remembered On Anniversary Of Tragic Death

NEWTOWN, PA ? ?There are certain days of tragedy that remain etched in memory,? said Judge Gary Gambardella on Monday, standing among the gravestones at the Newtown Cemetery. ?For me, one of those days was 20 years ago today when I received a call that Officer Brian Gregg was killed in the line of duty."

Gregg, who was just starting his law enforcement career with the Newtown Borough Police Department full of energy and youthful spirit, was fatally shot on Sept. 29, 2005, after a prisoner was able to gain possession of his partner's service weapon in the emergency department at St. Mary Medical Center.

?As a prosecutor, I had witnessed the devastation crime inflicts on families, neighborhoods and communities. But what happened that night was not just another act of violence. It was different. It was not simply the murder of one man. It was an attack on law enforcement itself, it was an attack on the rule of law, on justice, and on the very freedoms that define us. Officer Gregg was targeted and killed for one reason alone - because he wore the badge.?

Gambarella, who prosecuted the case as the county's Deputy District Attorney at the time, secured a death penalty conviction against Gregg's killer, who remains on Death Row in Pennsylvania.

On Monday - the anniversary of Gregg's death - he joined Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn, members of the Newtown Borough Police Department, officers with the Newtown Township Police Department and representatives from neighboring communities to celebrate Gregg's life and his service to the community.

Gambardella said Officer Gregg represented the finest ideals of policing. ?He wore his uniform with humility and honor, not seeking glory recognition, but rather because he believed in service, he believed that citizens deserve safety order, and the assurance that the law would protect them.?

Text Continues Below Photos

(Jeff Werner/Patch)

(Jeff Werner/Patch)

Officer Brian Gregg. (Jeff Werner/Patch)

Judge Gary Gambardella and Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn.

On the night he was killed, Gambardella said Gregg was performing what was seemingly a routine duty, however in a matter of seconds, the defendant turned violent and paid the ultimate price for upholding his oath.

?In those moments, a family lost a husband, a father, a son. A community lost a protector. And our law enforcement brotherhood lost one of its own,? said Gambardella.

?Throughout the trial, I worked closely with Chief Wojo, as many of us called him. Chief Anthony Wojciechowski?s pain was profound, but his resolve was even stronger. We bonded. We both wanted justice, not only for officer Gregg and his family, but for every officer who puts on the uniform, for every department that risks, its sons and daughters, and for every citizen who depends on the promise that law will prevail over lawlessness."

He said the jury?s verdict imposing the death penalty brought accountability. ?Yet no sentence, no punishment, could ever restore what was lost and justice in the courtroom could not erase the sacrifice officer Gregg made in the hospital room,? he said.

?Though Officer Gregg?s watch has ended, his example endures,? said Gambardella. ?It endures in every officer who continues to wear the badge; it endures in every prosecutor and judge committed to upholding the law; and it endures in every citizen who supports and honors those who serve. That is Brian Gregg?s legacy. That is the torch passed onto us. And it is our solemn duty to carry it forward, to safeguard it, and pass it on to future generations.?

Officer Gregg ?represented the best among us,? said Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn. ?He was drawn to law enforcement because he wanted to serve our community. And anyone who knew him, and anyone who worked with him or encountered him, knew how happy he was to be doing the job he loved and the job he was meant to do.

"There are countless stories of Officer Gregg engaging in small acts of kindness during each and everyone of his shifts," said Schorn. "I saw them on his memorial page 20 years ago and I saw them last night in preparing for today and that's just a remarkable legacy. To have a man who took on the responsibility of protecting his community and a job that's inherently dangerous, but being able to have that strength of character, to treat others with respect and dignity is nothing short of remarkable.

"I remember being here 20 years ago watching the procession. The community outpouring. People saluting and standing to honor Officer Gregg, his family and law enforcement," said Schorn. "It was like nothing I had ever seen. And then I remembered watching Gary Gambarella and Diane Gibbons during the trial. I remember sitting in the back of that courtroom as a young prosecutor knowing this is why we do what we do."

Schorn said her thoughts turned to Officer Gregg's family and having to go through a trial and hear the details of their loved one's last final moments.

"I thought, we're in the presence of pure evil in watching that killer who was not apologetic for what he did and quite frankly at times even celebrated his actions. But then I looked around and saw my coworkers and what they were doing to get justice," said Schorn. "And today I look around and see all of you and I know his legacy does prevail in his family and in all of you. He remains in my thoughts and prayers every day and I pray that Bucks County never again suffers a loss like it did with Brian Gregg."

Former Newtown Borough Police Officer Colleen Rosenthal, who often partnered with Gregg while on duty, said Gregg enjoyed being out in the community and interacting with the public. And he loved being a police officer, a job he dreamed about.

"On Sept. 8, 2003, Brian achieved his happiness by becoming a Newtown Borough Police Officer. Brian had no intentions of it just being a job. He wanted it as a career. He proved that by his style of policing. And he was loved by this community for the style of policing he adopted," said Rosenthal.

"Brian's personality was joyful and happy-go-lucky. He was always up for a laugh and he enjoyed telling jokes," said Rosenthal.

"Brian enjoyed coming back to the office after working day work, opening the door, jingling his keys and yelling, 'Honey. I'm home.' At first I was taken aback by it, but eventually learned to crack up laughing because it was a riot. And he did it on a regular basis," she said.

"Brian enjoyed raiding the candy jar on the front desk. Chief Wojo and his wife would always keep it filled just for that reason," she said. "Brian was heard many times saying, 'I refuse to grow up.' He also would say that he's too devilish to be an angel.

"One of Brian's sisters is here with us today. His other sister couldn't make it," Rosenthal said. "They wanted everyone to know how kind, generous and loving he was and how much they miss their brother. Mom and Pop Gregg have both passed on. We kept in touch regularly and they always told me that Brian was the best son they could have ever asked for.

"In keeping with those ideals and concepts that Brian held so closely to his heart and to his badge, kindness is a recurring theme," Rosenthal continued. "And on behalf of Brian's family and friends, today I ask you to go forward and honor Brian's memory by being kind. By doing something kind. And do that in honor of him."

Gregg was born in Bristol and grew up in Levittown. He was a graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School (Harry S Truman High School), the Bucks County Community College, Ferris State University and the Middlesex Fire Academy.

For 15 years, Gregg worked as a contractor and owned his own business in the area. He then pursued his ambition to become a police officer graduating from the Temple University Police Academy in 2002. Gregg was hired as a part-time officer with Newtown Borough in 2003. He was later hired as a full time officer in October 2004.

Newtown Borough Police Chief James Sabath said he never knew Brian. "I didn't have the pleasure of working with him, but I've learned so much about him over the years. He epitomized what is meant by community policing. He was constantly in the borough going to the various businesses. Everyone loved Brian," the chief said.

According to Chief Sabath, Brian's death lead to the creation of the Law Enforcement Justice Information System (LEJIS), a Pennsylvania-based technology platform that connects over 380 law enforcement agencies throughout the state, including the police departments of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

Newtown Borough Police Chief James Sabath.

(Jeff Werner/Patch)

"There were many instances, even the day that Brian was killed, that involved his killer being involved in situations in another part of the county or the state. However, the officers were not made aware due to the fact that there were disparate systems," said the chief. "The LEJIS system allows officers to know immediately if other police departments had come in contact with an individual, which might have averted the tragedy that particular night."

Officer Gregg's legacy is also evident throughout Newtown Borough and Township.

A portion of the Newtown Bypass between South State Street and Durham Road bears his name - the Officer Gregg Memorial Bypass. A borough park on North Congress Street also bears his name. The Zebra-Striped Whale wrote and illustrated a book in memory of Brian. And a decal of his badge is affixed to every police car in the borough, carrying his spirit along to every call.

And in November, the police department will host its first-ever Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day to benefit the Bucks County Heroes Scholarship Fund. The race will be held in Gregg's memory. Click here for more information.

"He will always be our brother," Chief Sabath said. "We will never forget him."

Newtown Borough Police Corporal James Warunek lays a wreath at the gravesite of Brian Gregg.

Fading bagpipes. (Jeff Werner/Patch)

(Jeff Werner/Patch)