MILL BASIN — The Ben-Bay Kiwanis Club and the Saint Athanasius Boy Scout Troop 99 recently co-hosted their annual NYPD Chief Joseph Esposito Appreciation Day Celebration before a crowd of approximately 200 at the El Caribe Country Club on the evening of Friday, March 28 on what would have been Esposito’s 75th birthday.

The gala, which has been going on for decades — acknowledging both St. Patrick’s Day and Saint Joseph’s Day, in addition to the NYPD — in the past couple of years has been honoring Esposito — the longest serving chief of the department in New York City history — who died in 2024. 

This year’s recipient of the “Chief Joseph Esposito Leadership By Example” award was Peter DeBlasio (retired NYPD), who worked with Esposito and was one of his closer friends.

“I am so grateful to receive this award,” DeBlasio said. “From the moment I met [Esposito], I could tell that he was special — a genuine human being and an exceptional leader. It was an honor to call him a friend, and I am truly blessed to have had him in my life.”  

Brian Long, the event’s organizer, referred to Esposito as “the most consequential civil servant New York has ever had. He worked practically his whole life until the day he died. But someone never really dies as long as you remember him.”  

Kiwanian Frank Naccarato said the day meant a lot “not only because of Joseph Esposito’s legacy, but also because it’s a great opportunity, on a community level, to show our support for the NYPD.”  

Lt. Gov. Mark Pohl, the highest ranking Kiwanian in Brooklyn who oversees all of the borough’s clubs and is also a member of the Kings Plaza/Canarsie club, explained that “[Esposito] was very involved with Kiwanis — especially Ben-Bay — and was a very good man.”

Former State Sen. Marty Golden, also in attendance, called Esposito “unique.”

“He would address a cop, a mayor, a president, an average person on the street and know just how to talk to them, not talk down to them. He was a great conversationalist,” Golden noted, adding that Esposito really motivated his force and was a very well-loved individual.

“Losing Joseph Esposito was indeed a great loss,” Golden said.