Surgery is Successful for Marine Police Officer

Photos courtesy of Greenwich Silver Shield Association: Greenwich Police Marine Officer Frank DiPietro gives a thumbs up as his partner Shawn Fox prepares to drive him home from Yale-New Haven Hospital on Sunday afternoon.

It’s thumbs up for Greenwich Police Marine Officer Frank DiPietro who returned home Sunday following surgery that involved the partial amputation of his right leg.

DiPietro, a 13-year- veteran of the department, had surgery Thursday at Yale-Haven Hospital to amputate his foot to resolve complications from a broken leg he suffered more than a year ago. After nearly 13 months of multiple surgeries, rehab and therapy, his leg did not heal and his team of world-renowned doctors recommended that his lower leg be amputated.

There has been an outpouring of community support since the Greenwich Silver Shield Association (SSA) announced that DiPietro, who lives in Stamford, was facing the life-altering surgery.

On Sunday evening, the SSA said, “With many prayers answered and the help of our Marine Section partners, Frank is back home with his family.” The SSA, which represents the department’s rank-and-file, posted a photo of DiPietro being picked up Sunday afternoon from Yale-New Haven Hospital by his partner Shawn Fox.

“While Frank is back home safely with his family he still has a long road ahead of him filled with rehabilitation and physical therapy. We will all be right behind him until he is back on the police boat patrolling the waters of Greenwich,” said Sgt. Timothy Hilderbrand, the SSA president.

Hilderbrand added, “The community support has been almost overwhelming it’s been great.”Given medical technology and DiPietro’s will, once fitted with a prosthetic, he plans to return to duty in the Marine Section.”

The SSA is planning two benefits for DiPietro to offset costs not covered by insurance and income he’s losing because he’s unable to work extra-duty jobs.

DiPietro and Fox were honored as officers of the year by the Greenwich Lions Club in 2014 for their heroics on Long Island Sound that involved lassoe-ing a captain-less cigarette boat whose crew was washed overboard by a rogue wave.

The first will be held Dec. 10 at 5 p.m. at the Silver Shield Holiday Party at Prime 111 in Trumbull, where DiPietro will be the guest of honor. The second event will be a ‘10-13 Officer Needs Assistance’ fundraiser that will be held Jan. 14 at Zody’s 19th Hole in Stamford.

The Silver Shield Association will post details of the events on its Facebook page.

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