Frederick Cione
In the history of the Philadelphia Police Department, there has been only one unsolved cop killing.
It happened more than four decades ago on Jan. 30, 2014, when Ofc. Frederick Cione of the 23rd district was fatally shot while patrolling the 1700 block of W. Oxford St. in North Philly.
In conjunction with the upcoming 44th anniversary of the slaying, the police department last week announced a renewed effort to identify the killer, including a $40,000 reward for information leading to the gunman’s arrest and conviction.
The City of Philadelphia has chipped in $20,000, while the National Police Defense Foundation and the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 have each pledged $10,000. The NPDF established the Safe Cop Program in 1995 to offer reward money in unsolved police murders throughout the United States.
Cione, 25, had been on the police force for one year. After his murder, three relatives became police officers. One is retired and two are active sergeants with the PPD. A city playground is named in Cione’s memory at 2600 Aramingo Ave. in Port Richmond. ••
