Manhattan street named after NYPD officer killed in Iraq war in 2005
TRIBECA, Manhattan (WABC) -- A street in TriBeCa was co-named after an NYPD officer who worked in the neighborhood before he was killed in Iraq.
Staff Sergeant James McNaughton was 27 years old when he was killed in action in the Iraq war in 2005. He was the first NYPD officer to die in the conflict.
"This city has been absolutely transformed by people like Jimmy," NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill said.
The street - a section of West Broadway between Lispenard and Canal streets - was co-named James McNaughton Way at a ceremony with the officer's family on Thursday.
The street is part of the area McNaughton used to serve as an NYPD officer in the Transit Bureau.
"That sign is right above that staircase," commanding officer Antonio Fidarco said. "Every single day, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, forever, cops are going to be coming to work, coming home from work, they're going to be seeing that sign. They're going to be remembering your son. They're going to remember what he sacrificed. They're going to remember his legacy."
McNaughton's family -- including his parents, who are both retired members of the NYPD -- lobbied for 14 years to have a street in Tribeca dedicated to him.
"He took care of his men, that's the biggest part of this," dad Bill McNaughton said. "There's his generals here, if you could talk to them, how he took care of his men. As a parent, you can't ask for any more than that."
His parents hope the sign will be a beacon for the neighborhood and the officers who protect it.
"He was the most humorous kid that you ever wanted to meet," mom Michele McNaughton said. "He would come out with things that you'd have to go, 'Wait, what?' So I called them 'Jimmy-isms.'"
And now Jimmy-isms are more profound. The K-9 named for him 10 years ago was at the ceremony, and a new plaque will soon hang by McNaughton's locker at the transit unit.
It is all for the 27-year-old from Centereach who gave so much in such a short amount of time.
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