Name : Venable, Robert 

Rank: P.O.
Shield #: 4510 Command: Transit Bureau
Date of Death: 1987-09-22   Cause of Death: Shot Arrest
     
 PO ROBERT VENABLE was in an RMP with other MOS being transported to the command with a prisoner. On Pitkin Avenue, in Brooklyn, they were alerted to "Men with guns" at a house. He and other MOS approached the location and were met with gunfire. Officer Venable was hit and died three hours later. A raid of the building resulted in the arrest of two men, one of whom was charged with murder.

Officer Venable had been with the NYC Transit Police for three years. He was 35 years old.  
 
     
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Comments from Friends    
     
i had the fortune of working with robert venable. he was killed 6 days before my first born. i gave him and and my second son the middle name of robert.
— anthony rivera
While working anti-crime ( District 02), Bobby looking like a skell, was laying down on a platform. He had a empty cup of coffee in his hand. As passengers walked by him they would stop and put in there loose change. (Bobby and the team had a good lunch that day !). Those were the days. Still in my heart Bobby, You to Chris.
— Chris Huwer
I TRAINED ROBERT IN D-11 WHEN HE CAME OUT OF THE ACADEMY. HE LOOKED OLDER THAN MOST OF HIS FELLOW PROBIES THAT WE GAVE HIM THE NAME OF OLD MAN VENABLE.WE HAD A GOOD TIME WORKING TOGETHER AND HE LIKED D-11 BUT AT THE TIME HE DIDNT HAVE A CAR AND IT TOOK HIM AN HOUR AND HALF TO COME TO WORK FROM BROOKLYN. SO HE WAS LOOKING FOR A TRANSFER TO BE CLOSER TO HOME, I TOLD HIM THAT BROOKLYN WASNT THE BRONX AND TO STAY SHARP ALL THE TIME. I ALWAYS TOLD HIM DURING HIS TRAINNING, YOU NEVER RUN INTO ANYTHING UNTIL YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE AND YOU COME FIRST,REMEMBER THAT.I WAS WORKING THE NIGHT HE DIED, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT GOT TO ME AND WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED.OLD MAN VENABLE WAS A GREAT GUY AND A GOOD COP, BUT SOMETIMES FATE GOES AGAINST US AND THERE IS NOTHING YOU COULD DO. REST IN PEACE MY FRIEND.
— FELIX A, PADILLA
Bobby Venable wash a good friend of mine and I loved him dearly. My first year as a mtotrman bobby would ride my train on train patrol out of woodlawn station on the number 4 line and we became good friends.He would never hesitate to help anyone and never was afraid or showed the slighest bit of fearwhen it came to his duty as a police officer and as I said I loved him dearly.Is the fund stii in effect " the friends of Bobby Venable"
— Motorman Carlton F Washington
I was Robert's Squad Sgt in Dist32 and Dist 2. He loved to fish and we had good times on the boat. There will never be another like him. God bless him. We are fortunate to have known him. Russell Wallace
— Russell Wallace
Robert was my cousin. We grew up very close and I was proud of him. In high school he played football for Jefferson high school and they won several championships. Rob had a real good sense of humor and was laid back. After the death of my father, I used to talk to Rob and our other cousin Mickey a lot. They gave me a lot of good advise. It is now 2005 and I still think of him a lot and the good times I had in his company. All of us as memebers of his family thank those that made commments on this web page...we continure to love him dearly
— Purcell Wilson
rest in peace.
— sjs
Posted: November 15, 2006, 12:26 pm
I sat next to Bob Venable in the Police Academy for 5 months. What a great guy! He would call his daughter from the pay phone in the hallway on the 4x12s and wish her sweet dreams. What a tragic loss. I think of him often.
— Raymond Whitton
Posted: September 6, 2007, 1:26 pm
I would just like to say god bless Robert venable and his family I had the fortune of working in district 33 my first few years on this job and although I never met robert I heard many good things about him from other officers in district 33 that were lucky enough to know him. Transit For Life.
— Daniel hernandez
Posted: November 10, 2007, 8:06 pm
Daddy I Love you!!1
— Robin Venable
Posted: December 27, 2008, 1:25 am
I was assigned to District 33 where Bobby worked out of. I met him a few times. We talked when I was a probationary cop assigned to TPF. You couldn't know a nicer guy. The night Bobby died my phone was ringing off the hook. I lived in Woodhaven at the time and all my buddies were calling saying that Bobby had been shot. My heart sunk. I remember attending his funeral. It was one of the worst days of my professional career. It really hit home when I was standing in the ranks, outside of his church in Brooklyn, and saw his young daughter. I felt so bad for her. I was at a loss for words. All I could do was pray for his family and be among the hundreds who supported him. I was class 86-36....a newbie at the time. I left the "job" in Feb 1989 and moved to California. I continued my law enforcement career out here, but NEVER forgot my roots or all the guys I worked with at Transit. I do truly miss those days. The camaraderie is what I miss most. Rest in peace Bobby... John Prink (former TPF33 and 8P Rotating District 33) Shield #6051 Currently a Deputy Sheriff with the Solano County Sheriff's Office, Fairfield, California
— John Prink
Posted: January 12, 2009, 2:07 am
The day Bobby was shot I remember being out back behind the old D/33 which was task force horsing around with Bobby, Billy McGowan and Carl Nunez. Two hours later Bobby was dead, cried like a baby. Will never forget it to this day. You have always been and will always be in my prayers my Transit brother.
— Det. Lou Bartolomeo Ret.
Posted: April 8, 2009, 10:57 pm
I didn't know Robert as well as some of the other posters, but we were contemporaries. He was the type who didn't run from his responsibilities, as a father or a police officer. On duty or off, he was always on point. A man who loved life, he lit up those around him with his vibrant, fun-loving spirit. I had the privilege of seeing his daughter grow into a beautiful young woman of whom he'd be very proud. Rest In Peace, Brother.
— Guy Sanders
Posted: September 2, 2009, 1:16 pm

 

 

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