Security guard turned sculptor: Meet the man honoring law enforcement officers in a unique way - CBS Philadelphia

By Wakisha Bailey

July 8, 2024 / 8:04 AM EDT / CBS Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Things are rarely as they seem, including people like Tom Grieco, a security guard at CBS Philadelphia.

When he's not greeting workers and visitors, he's patrolling the parking lot and monitoring the building and its many cameras. One morning, we noticed a unique police badge sitting across from his desk with the numbers 3-6-9.

"Off-duty cops will say 369, it's only Philly that does that," Grieco said.

We all knew Grieco was a former police officer, but something we didn't know is that when Grieco's not at work, he's pursuing a new passion -- sculpting.

Grieco converted his garage into an at-home workshop, where he designs large, metal badges for the families of fallen police officers. Welding became his therapy after an injury that ended his 20-year law enforcement career.

"I got hit at 40 mph in the kneecaps by a guy trying to get away in a drug deal. I never wanted to be a police officer, not just because that wasn't my goal, but my dad was a cop," he said.

Grieco comes from a long line of men who served in the military. His dad was in the Air Force and Grieco was in the Marine Corps.

Grieco did end up following in his father's footsteps to become a police officer, and said he learned from his father that being an officer means you're part of another family.

"My dad's police buddies, no matter what color, they all came to the house for dinner and my dad loved them," Grieco said.

Grieco's dad died in 2004, but a special place they shared was Cione Park in Fishtown.

"He would just pull over and sometimes he would cry about Freddy," Grieco remembered.

Years later, he learned the park was named after Philadelphia Police Officer Frederick Cione Jr., who was killed in the line of duty after just one year on the job.

Grieco said those car rides with his father inspired him to give back to the families of fallen officers. His first badge was in memory of Officer Daniel Boyle, who was killed in February 1991.

However, not every badge is for an officer killed in the line of duty. Grieco created another badge for veteran officer Joe Cooney, who is battling brain cancer.

"I have a grade-four tumor that they went and removed 90% of that," Cooney said.

A replica of his police badge created by Grieco includes the words "Cooney Strong."

But Grieco and Cooney's bond goes far beyond the metal badge.

"When my father passed away, Joe was one of the pallbearers," Grieco said. "That means a lot to me."

To date, Grieco has made more than 20 badges to remind families that the men and women in blue are to be honored and not forgotten. For this reason, he is much more than a security guard.

Grieco said he doesn't plan to do this forever, mostly because his injury is tough on his body. But sadly enough, Grieco just recently finished another badge that will soon be delivered.

For more stories like this one where we highlight our neighbors who make a positive impact in our communities, check out some of the links below.

Wakisha Bailey joined CBS News Philadelphia as a reporter in July 2021.