Joseph C. Cordeiro

Joseph C. Cordeiro, the youngest of three children, was born in 1964 on the beautiful island of São Miguel in the Azores to his loving parents, José and Teresa Cordeiro. In 1966, when Joseph was just two years old, his family immigrated to New Bedford, Massachusetts, in search of new opportunities. He remains fluent in Portuguese, his native language, and deeply connected to his Portuguese heritage.

Joseph received his early education at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School and graduated from Holy Family High School in New Bedford. His mother, Teresa, instilled in her children a profound Catholic faith, devotion to the Church, and a special reverence for the Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres. These spiritual values became an enduring foundation in Joseph’s life, shaping his commitment to family, community, and service to others.

Committed to lifelong learning and professional excellence, Joseph earned a Bachelor of Science in Law Enforcement and a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice Administration from Western New England College in Springfield, Massachusetts. He is also a graduate of the prestigious Senior Management Institute for Police, sponsored by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) at Boston University, Session 27, and the New England Institute for Law Enforcement Management at Babson College, Session 227.

Joseph inherited a strong work ethic from his parents, beginning his working life at just 12 years old, delivering newspapers and later working at Goulart Square Bakery in New Bedford. At 19, he purchased a sporting goods store, demonstrating an early entrepreneurial spirit. At 22, he began what would become a distinguished career with the New Bedford Police Department.

Over the next 35 years, Joseph served in numerous divisions and leadership roles throughout the department, ultimately rising to the position of Chief of Police. He served as the first Portuguese immigrant Police Chief. His career was marked by a commitment to public safety, innovative community policing, and strengthening the relationship between law enforcement and the community it serves. He developed and supported numerous community-based initiatives, served a variety of nonprofit organizations, and earned recognition for his exemplary leadership and innovative approaches to policing.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, family has always remained at the center of Joseph’s life. In 1986, he married his high school sweetheart, Christine, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in New Bedford. Together, they have been blessed with a daughter (Jaimie) and a son (Haden), who remain a source of great pride and joy.

After completing 35 years of dedicated public service, Joseph retired from the New Bedford Police Department. Retirement, however, did not mean stepping away from service. He continues to volunteer with nonprofit organizations and remains committed to helping others whenever the opportunity arises. For Joseph, service is not simply a profession or an obligation; it is a way of life rooted in faith, gratitude, and a responsibility to give back.

In the fall of 2025, while gathering with his lifelong childhood friend’s sister, to honor and celebrate his friend’s memory - he reconnected with his third-grade teacher, Sister Judith Costa, SSD.

Sister Judith invited Joseph to join Project Forgotten Child, the humanitarian organization she founded to bring hope and essential support to some of the most vulnerable and deprived children in Angola and Mozambique. Inspired by her unwavering dedication and the mission of the organization, Joseph embraced the opportunity. Through Sister Judith’s remarkable ability to magnetically inspire others, she has brought together a dedicated board committed to sustaining and expanding the organization’s mission and ensuring that these children receive the assistance and opportunities they so desperately need.

Joseph considers this reconnection more than mere coincidence. He views it as an honor—a remarkable full-circle moment that has reunited him with a teacher who helped shape his early life and given him a renewed opportunity to serve others in a profoundly meaningful way. This unexpected reconnection that brought together the lessons of his childhood, the values instilled by his parents, and a lifetime dedicated to serving others.