Operation Driftwood exists to honor the life and service of Police Officer Joseph B. Stassi by supporting police officers and their families through trauma-informed recovery, suicide prevention, and long-term healing resources.
Focus
Trauma-informed care and long-term recovery support.
Purpose
Breaking stigma and helping first responders find a path forward.
Legacy
Honoring Joe’s service, love of the water, and commitment to others.
In Memory Of
Police Officer Joseph B. Stassi
Foundation Mission
Connection, recovery, remembrance, and hope.
Mission Statement
Operation Driftwood honors the life and service of Police Officer Joseph B. Stassi by supporting police officers and their families through trauma-informed recovery, suicide prevention, and long-term healing resources.
Our mission is to ensure that no police officer returns home from treatment without a clear path forward, providing access to mental health care, peer support, meaningful recovery tools, and community connections.
Through education, advocacy, and remembrance, we strive to break the stigma surrounding help-seeking and to save lives impacted by trauma, addiction, and suicide.
About Us
Operation Driftwood was created in memory of a devoted husband, father, and officer whose love for service and the water shaped the lives of those around him.
A life of service
Career
27 years of combined service with the NYPD and Nassau County Police Department.
Known as
“Poseidon,” for his deep connection to the Great South Bay and life on the water.
Legacy
Protecting others, teaching safety, and serving with pride both on land and at sea.
Operation Driftwood – The Joseph B. Stassi Memorial Foundation was created in memory of Joseph B. Stassi, a devoted husband, father, and Nassau County Police Officer who served his community, both in New York City and Nassau County, for a combined 27 years.
He began his career with the NYPD, where he worked in the 111th and 114th precincts, and ended his city career in the Harbor Unit. Joe continued his law enforcement career as a Nassau County Police Officer. He began in the First Precinct and finished his career in the Marine Bureau, where he combined his lifelong love of the water with his passion for keeping others safe.
Known by family and friends as “Poseidon,” Joe had been navigating the Great South Bay from a young age and took great pride in training police officers and educating boaters in safety for the State of New York.
Like many first responders, Joe was exposed to repeated traumatic events throughout his career. After witnessing a devastating boating accident in 2019, he began showing symptoms of PTSD. Despite multiple attempts at treatment and his deep desire to heal, he faced significant barriers upon returning home, including limited continuity of care and difficulty accessing appropriate mental health support.
As a result, his illness overtook him and Joe died by suicide, leaving behind his wife and two sons, Steven and Jake.
While in treatment, Joe found peace in creating paracord bracelets, small acts of purpose and connection that he shared with fellow officers, family, and friends. This foundation reflects that same spirit by offering tangible support, connection, and hope to those who serve.
Through fundraising, education, and advocacy, Operation Driftwood seeks to ensure that those who protect and serve are also protected and supported, and that families impacted by suicide are met with compassion, resources, and hope.
Founder’s Message
This foundation was created so that no police officer or family has to face the aftermath of trauma, treatment, and loss alone.
What guides this work
In His Memory
Service, family, and life on the water.
This foundation carries forward Joe’s steadiness, compassion, and commitment to protecting others.
Why It Matters
Help should not stop at discharge.
Families and officers need connection, clarity, and a real plan when the hardest part follows them home.
“Strength is not silence. Strength is reaching out.”
My name is Nicole Stassi, and I am the wife of Police Officer Joseph B. Stassi. Joe and I were married for 28 years and raised two incredible sons together, Steven and Jake. Joe was not only my husband, he was my best friend, my protector, and the person who loved his family and his job with his whole heart.
Joe proudly served the NYPD and Nassau County Police Department for a combined 27 years of service. He believed deeply in protecting others, training officers, and keeping people safe, especially on the water. The Great South Bay was his peace. Many of us called him “Poseidon” because the water was where he felt happiest.
From driving boats to Montauk at a young age, to teaching state boater safety classes and training officers in the Marine Bureau, Joe found purpose in service and calm in the tide.
But like so many others, Joe carried more than most people ever saw. Years of traumatic calls took a toll, and after witnessing a tragic boating accident in 2019, his struggles with PTSD worsened. Joe tried, over and over, to get help. He wanted to heal.
What he did not have was consistent support when he came home.
I watched my husband fight to find the right therapist, the right treatment options, and the right path forward. I searched endlessly for resources for him. He was bounced around, left without continuity of care, and returned home with no clear plan for recovery. Joe did everything he was asked to do.
While in treatment, Joe discovered peace in making paracord bracelets. It gave him purpose, calm, and connection. He loved giving them to fellow officers, friends, and family. Those bracelets symbolize everything this foundation stands for: small acts of care that can hold someone together when they are unraveling.
Operation Driftwood was created so that no police officer or family has to face what we did, alone. Our mission is to make sure that when someone leaves a treatment facility, there are real supports already in place. A plan. A connection. Hope.
Through this foundation, we honor Joe’s love of the water by supporting boater safety and maritime education. We also support survivors of suicide and their families, ensuring they have access to resources, compassion, and understanding during the darkest moments of their lives.
Most importantly, we are committed to breaking the stigma around police officers asking for help. Strength is not silence. Strength is reaching out.
Joe’s life mattered. His service mattered. And through Operation Driftwood, his legacy will continue to save lives.
Thank you for being part of this mission and honoring Joe’s memory.
With gratitude,
Nicole, Steven, & Jake Stassi
Founders, Operation Driftwood
The Joseph B. Stassi Memorial Foundation
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