Detective with a family history of four generations in the NYPD retires

NYPD Detective Walter Harkins Retires After Over Three Decades of Service

Walter Harkins, a fourth-generation NYPD detective, officially retired on Friday, reflecting on a career he adored from “day one.”

After 33 years in the department, Harkins’ family has collectively served nearly 150 years in law enforcement. Colleagues and loved ones gathered to honor him with a walkout ceremony at the Ted Weiss Federal Building in lower Manhattan.

“It felt like it was in my blood,” said Harkins, who is 62 and has been on the FBI and NYPD’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

Though he joined in 1993, his family’s association with law enforcement traces back to a time when Grover Cleveland became president.

Harkins’ great-grandfather, Patrick, joined the police force in 1884, long before the city was divided into five boroughs, retiring as an inspector in 1916. His grandfather, Walter E. B. Harkins, started with the NYPD in 1922, eventually retiring as a deputy chief inspector in 1964. Additionally, his father, Walter E. Harkins Sr., was a homicide detective who served from 1959 until 1998.

“I was raised in a police family. My dad was often working weekends, and I’d wake up to find him still at work,” Harkins said. “It was just our way of life. My kids also understand that it’s a different culture, though it definitely isn’t regular work, and I’m not dismissing anyone else’s job.” He added, “Police officers are different… not necessarily better, but just different.”

Initially a truck driver, Harkins decided to change careers at 27 when former Mayor David Dinkins urged for more officers on the force. He took the exam and joined the department three years later.

“From the start, it was enjoyable, and being older at the time made a difference since I had experience in adult responsibilities,” he shared. “I loved it, genuinely loved it.”

Since 2017, he has been part of the task force, starting his days early, often collaborating with local police and FBI agents to find fugitives and investigate human trafficking issues.

His sons, Christopher, 28, and Thomas, 22, along with his girlfriend, Toni Ventrello, were present for the farewell, which drew a crowd of over 50 people giving him a hero’s send-off.

While neither son chose to follow directly in his father’s footsteps as a police officer, Christopher works as a security supervisor at Madison Square Garden, and Thomas is employed by the city’s parks department. “I’ve always looked up to my dad. He was a truck driver before becoming a cop, and I’ve always had a passion for public service,” Thomas mentioned, referring to his role in the parks department as a stepping stone.

“I got my commercial driver’s license because of him. I feel like I’m following his path,” he added.

As he bid farewell to colleagues, Harkins received a heartfelt send-off while departing in a vintage baby blue Chrysler Plymouth Gran Fury, made possible by the Edward Byrne Foundation. He described the moment as “bittersweet.”