Petrosino Square, located at the intersection of Little Italy, the Bowery, Chinatown, and SoHo, honors NYPD Lieutenant Joseph Petrosino (1860–1909). Known for combating organized crime, Petrosino formed the Italian Squad, targeting the Black Hand organization. Killed while on duty in Sicily, he remains the only NYPD officer to die outside the U.S. In 1987, Kenmare Square was renamed for him. Renovated in 2009, the square features commemorative markers, including a relief of Petrosino and NYPD insignias, by sculptor Carter Jones.
The old New York City Police Headquarters-The Italian Squad, led initially by Lt. Joseph Petrosino and later by Michel Fiaschetti, was a specialized NYPD unit based at 240 Centre Street. Tasked with combating organized crime, particularly the Mafia and the Black Hand extortion rings, the squad was instrumental in addressing crime in New York's Italian-American communities. Under Fiaschetti, it continued operations well into Prohibition and pioneered the nation’s first bomb squad to protect shopkeepers targeted by extortionists. Their legacy marked a critical phase in early law enforcement innovation.