What happened to Roy T. Richter? The former president of the Captains Endowment Association and longtime NYPD officer has died. How he died and his fortune explored.
Roy T. Richter, former NYPD Union head, has been confirmed dead on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, aged 56.
Mulitple sources reports the former police officer was found dead by suicide in his Westchester home.
Following his tragic death, many want to know more about what actually happened to him, how he died, his net worth, and career. Here’s what we know about him.
What was Roy T. Richter’s cause of death?
Former NYPD union boss Roy T. Richter was found dead by suicide at his Westchester home Wednesday, October 4, 2023.
According to the Westchester County Medical Examiner, Richter died from a gunshot. At the time of his passing, he was 56 years old.
He had given a final nod to the force prior to his death.
He appears to have died on his wife’s birthday.
“Roy Richter was a consummate professional, highly respected across every rank in the NYPD and beyond,” a law enforcement official told the Daily Mail.
“His positive impact on the lives of thousands of cops over the course of his union leadership will always be his legacy. He will be dearly missed.”
Days before his death, Richter posted a photo of himself on Facebook wearing, a hat that featured the name of the association on it.
The NYPD has a long history of mental health issues among its officers.
In 2019, ten NYPD officers died by suicide, reported NBC News.
This prompted the department to order its officers to complete mandatory suicide prevention training, according to Staten Island Live.
The training also launched several peer-to-peer outreach groups, however, four officers died by suicide in 2020 and three in 2021, reported the New York Post.
In 2022, four NYPD officers died by suicide, according to the Daily Mail.
What was Roy T. Richter’s net worth?
Roy T. Richter’s exact fortune was never reported by any media when he was alive, however, he was estimated to be worth around $500,000 and $1 million.
He accrued his fortune from his work as police officer who was later promoted to NYPD Union head leader as well as from being a respected attorney.
Roy T. Richter had an impressive career
Richter worked for the NYPD for 33 years until his retirement in January 2020.
By then, he was serving as the Deputy Inspector of the License Division, which includes authorizing gun permits in the city.
He was the chair of the Captains Endowment Association union for 12 years after being elected for three consecutive terms.
The union represents 780 active and 1,400 retired commanders in the rank of captain through deputy chief.
During his tenure, Richter also negotiated multi-year bargaining agreements, including a new contract on his final days in office.
This added a 10 percent boost in compensation for union members.
“The one thing that this agreement acknowledges is the service and the sacrifice that the members of this coalition give to the city of New York every day. We’re no better than any other city worker – we’re just a little bit different.” Richter said in a 2014 press conference with then-Mayor Bill de Blasio on a contract agreement with NYPD officers.
“And that difference is that when you got to work, you place your body on the line, you place your life on the line, you place your family in jeopardy, and you want to go home at the end of the day.”
Richter also served as the chair for the Welfare Fund which provides medical benefits to more than 5,000 families.
He also served as a trustee to the $32billion Police Pension Fund.
Aside from his work with the police, Richter was also an attorney and partner at Bifuloi & Richter LLP, where he specialized in labor, tax, and estate planning.
He studied at Fordham University School of Law and graduated in 1998.
Richter is survived by his wife, Maryanne Bifulco, with whom he shares three daughters.
Additionally, his daughter Rebecca is currently studying at Georgetown University.
His daughter Rachel graduated from Binghamton University in 2022 while his other daughter Sarah just celebrated her 18th birthday.
In 2003, he took a course at Columbia University Police Management Institute.