Bridgeport Police Officer Killed In Fatal Crash Remembered For Honor & Integrity

BRIDGEPORT, CT — A GoFundMe effort has been launched to aid the children of Brittany Islami, the 34-year-old New Milford woman killed in a motorcycle crash early Monday in Danbury.

Islami was the mother of three children, Hayleigh, 12; Madison, 10; and Logan, 7, who she cherished, according to Katelyn Nakano, who started the campaign.

"They are now facing the unimaginable loss of their mother while their family works to navigate this difficult new reality," Nakano wrote.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the campaign had raised more than $10,200 toward a goal of $75,000.

Islami was a passenger on a motorcycle driven by Bridgeport Police Officer Cooper Whiteside, 38, of Danbury, who was also killed in the two-vehicle crash. The driver of the other vehicle was seriously injured in the crash, according to police.

"We also keep Officer Whiteside's family in our prayers as they mourn the heartbreaking loss of Cooper," Nakano wrote. "He was deeply loved and cherished by many, and his absence will be felt by all who knew him."

Danbury resident Sandy Griesbach, Whiteside's mother, told said that her son had wanted to become a police officer since childhood, the Connecticut Post reported.

"It was a dream of his for a long time," Griesbach told the Post. "He tried for 10 or 15 years."

The Bridgeport Police Department said Whiteside, who was hired in 2024, served "with honor, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to protecting others."

According to the department, Whiteside had a sign hanging above the door in his home that read, "The name on your patch says who hired you. The name on your nameplate says who raised you. Every time you walk out this door, represent both with honor and integrity."

Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim and City Council President Jeanette Herron issued statements in honor of Whiteside and Islami.

"It is with a heavy heart to acknowledge the passing of Bridgeport Police Officer, Cooper Whiteside," Ganim said. "At this time, we extend our condolences to the family and friends of Officer Whiteside, and the family and friends of Brittany Islami, who also tragically passed away during the same incident. We send prayers during this difficult time and wish both families healing from this horrific incident."

Added Herron, "I want to share my condolences to the family and friends of both Officer Cooper Whiteside and Brittany Islami. This was such a terrible incident that no one could possibly prepare for. As we stand together as a community during this difficult time, I also extend prayers to the entire Bridgeport Police Department as they recover from this loss."

Before the Bridgeport Police Department, Whiteside also served in the Brookfield Volunteer Fire Department and the West Redding Fire Department, where he rose in the ranks from firefighter to Vice President.

"Those weren’t just words on a sign, they were words Cooper lived by," the Bridgeport department wrote on Facebook about the sign above Whiteside's door. "Every time he walked out that door, he carried with him the values instilled by his family and the oath he took to serve this community. He represented both with honor, integrity, humility, compassion, and selfless dedication. Those who knew Cooper know those words couldn’t have described him more perfectly."

Nakano thanked donors on behalf of Islami's children.

"If you are able to give, no matter the amount, your generosity will help provide childcare and support for the children as our family comes together to care for Hayleigh, Madison, and Logan during the weeks and months ahead," she wrote.

To view the GoFundMe campaign on behalf of the children of the late Brittany Islami, click here.