Schenectady Police and Fire Come Together to Honor Detective Timothy Higgins

The rivalry between police and firefighters took a back seat to something much bigger on September 11, as members of the Schenectady Police and Fire Departments came together for a charity softball game honoring fallen Schenectady Police Detective Timothy Higgins and supporting the family he left behind.

More than 500 people gathered at Central Park’s A Diamond Field for an evening filled with softball, food, raffles, music and memories of Higgins. With support from around 30 sponsors and members of the community, the event raised more than $10,000 to help Higgins’ family with medical expenses. Higgins dedicated much of his life to public service. He started at Waterford Dispatch, served as a volunteer firefighter with Waterford-Halfmoon and later began his law enforcement career with the Schenectady Police Department in 2010.

During his 16 years with Schenectady Police, Higgins served as a patrol officer, community police officer and ultimately a detective in the Youth Aid Bureau. He earned several merit awards during his career and was known by those around him for his compassion, integrity and commitment to helping others.

Higgins later died due to cancer, leaving behind a family, friends and fellow first responders determined to keep his memory alive.

Those who knew Higgins remembered his quick wit and his ability to make people laugh, even during difficult times. Above everything else, however, was his love for his wife and children. His greatest joy was watching his children grow, supporting their interests and celebrating their accomplishments.

That family was at the center of the September 11 event. Lines began forming outside the field as people arrived to support the fundraiser. Attendees purchased raffle tickets for a large selection of donated prizes, while T-shirts, challenge coins and other memorabilia were sold to raise additional money for the Higgins family.

Warm weather and a beautiful sunset provided the backdrop as police officers and firefighters warmed up on the field. Families gathered for food from a local vendor while children played, tossed baseballs around and enjoyed the music before the game.

One of the most emotional moments of the night came before the first inning.Players from both departments lined the sides of the diamond as Higgins’ wife and children walked onto the field. His family then threw out the ceremonial first pitch as more than 200 people rose for a standing ovation in honor of Higgins and his years of service.

After the ceremony, the friendly rivalry took over.Police officers and firefighters battled for more than an hour and a half before the Schenectady Police Department defeated the Schenectady Fire Department 8-5, earning the trophy and bragging rights.

But the final score was only a small part of what the night represented.

Firefighters, police officers, their families, friends and members of the Schenectady community came together for one purpose: to stand behind the family of a man who spent years serving others.

By the end of the event, more than $10,000 had been raised, providing Higgins’ family with assistance toward the medical expenses they faced.

For those who knew Higgins, his legacy goes far beyond his accomplishments as a detective or first responder. It lives on through the people he helped, the laughter and memories he shared with friends and coworkers, and most importantly, through the wife and children he loved deeply.

On September 11, Schenectady’s police officers and firefighters may have taken opposite sides of the field, but for Detective Timothy Higgins and his family, they were all on the same team.