An NYPD sergeant who never took a sick day in his 42-year career died of an apparent heart attack at his home over the weekend, weeks short of retiring.



Sgt. Francis "Buddy" Murnane was about to turn 63, the NYPD's mandatory retirement age, when he died Sunday after the apparent heart attack. He was taken to the hospital after complaining of chest pain, according to the New York Post, and pronounced dead.

The NYPD says he was its longest-serving active officer.

"He wasn't just my big brother," said Terence Murnane, a retired NYPD detective. "He was my best friend. He was also the person I went to whenever I was stumped on a case because he had seen and done it all so many times. He always knew the answer."

Murnane worked on nearly every major case in the last 20 years, including the 2011 killing of Brooklyn officer Peter Figoski and the fatal stabbing of a 6-year-old boy in an elevator last summer, according to the Post.

He commanded a New York City Housing Authority homicide unit that covered three boroughs and earned numerous commendations, including the Staten Island Office of the Year, the Medal of Exceptional Merit and the NYPD Combat Cross awards, among others.

"If you are the bad guy, the worst of the worst ... Buddy Murnane has been part of the team looking for you to bring you to justice," then-Councilman James Oddo said at a 2010 City Hall ceremony, according to the Staten Island Advance. "He has truly put community, city and country above all."

Murnane's wake was held Wednesday at the Colonial Funeral Home. His funeral is Thursday.