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State Sen. Teresa Ruiz

A Slain Police Officer Gets A Memorial On 280 In East Orange A Slain Police Officer Gets A Memorial On 280 In East Orange
A Slain Police Officer Gets A Memorial On 280 In East Orange On Sept. 17, 1984, a young patrolman with the Essex County Police Department, Daniel Smith,  pulled a driver over near the Oakwood Avenue overpass along I-280 in East Orange. What happened next was a tragic reminder that even routine police work is often dangerous: the driver pulled a gun, shooting and killing the third-generation law enforcement officer, who had joined the force just the year before.  The perpetrator was later caught and is serving a life sentence.  Now, decades later, officials gathered to unveil a memorial to Patrolman Daniel "Danny" J. Smith's sacrifice.&…