NYPD sergeant injured in George Floyd protests retires

NEW YORK CITY - Sgt. Billy Maher, 55, has decided to call it a career after more than 30 years in the department.

In June 2020, Maher nearly died when a speeding driver plowed into him in the Bronx and took off as protests raged across the city following the death of George Floyd. Indeed, colleagues say they thought Maher had died.

He wasn’t dead, but he had a raft of injuries, including cracked ribs and a broken collarbone that kept him out of work for months. He returned to modified duty in December 2020. He is still nowhere near fully recovered and can no longer participate in activities, like riding a bike or playing golf. 

Last month, he retired, but not before dozens of his colleagues gathered inside the 44th Precinct in the Bronx and then cheered as he exited the station house one final time.

"It’s overwhelming to walk in and see that many people supporting me," Maher said.

"I’m very happy for Billy," Marie Maher, his wife, said. "But I know he’s going out kicking and screaming."

The worries for Marie Maher would not end with her husband’s retirement. That’s because one of the couple’s daughters, Shannon, is attending the NYPD academy. So she, too, will be on the force like her dad and grandfather. Policing runs in the Maher family.

You might think Billy would be bitter after nearly losing his life on the job. But he harbors no such feelings. He only feels gratitude.

"I believe in the NYPD," he said.