Members of the Suffolk County Police Department are mourning the loss of active member Fadi Rafeh who died unexpectedly on January 20.
Rafeh, 38, is survived by his wife, Jennifer, and two sons, Nicholas, 5, and Benjamin, 3.
Officer Rafeh was sworn into the academy in June 2010 and served the residents of the Fifth Precinct his entire career, first in patrol, primarily in Patchogue and Bellport, and then as an investigator in Crime Section as of October 2017.
Rafeh’s partner Dan Hogan added, “We are all shocked and saddened by this loss. He was a great partner and an even better friend. He will be greatly missed.”
According to his colleagues in the Fifth Precinct, Rafeh, a 1999 graduate of Longwood High School, was never without a smile on his face and was always looking for ways to build camaraderie among the officers. Several recounted his efforts organizing group trips to baseball and football games.
Police Officer Patrick Ryan said Rafeh was so well-regarded by his friends and colleagues, that in November, when a group from the precinct planned a football trip to Charlotte, North Carolina and they found out Rafeh could not go, they all instantly changed their trip to another weekend so he could attend.
“We changed our plans because he is the type of guy that can walk into a room and just bring the energy,” Ryan said. “He was a great guy all around. I have only known him here but I already feel like he was a little brother to me—He was just a very intelligent guy.”
“The untimely passing of Police Officer Fadi Rafeh is an unbelievably tragic loss to his young family and an incredible loss to our police family,” Suffolk County Police Chief of Department Stuart Cameron said. “Fadi Rafeh exemplified the diversity that makes our department great, having been born of Lebanese immigrants and serving as an Arabic translator for our department. I ask the public to join the members of our department in keeping his family in their thoughts and prayers.”