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Joseph "Joe" Fontana was a homicide detective on Law & Order from 2004 to 2006. He replaced Lennie Briscoe as Ed Green's partner after Briscoe retired. Fontana has a loose view on the law, willing to bend the rules to get what he needs.

Early Life[]

Born in Chicago, Joe Fontana grew up in "Little Italy", a working-class neighborhood composed primarily of Italian and Albanian immigrants. (L&O: "Enemy") He went to a Catholic school, finished high school, and apparently got decent grades; he was at least well-read enough to quote John Keats. He claimed to have served in the military and fought in the Vietnam War, being stationed in Saigon. but later admitted he made it up.

At some point, Fontana decided to become a cop, and joined the Chicago Police Department. At some point, he worked undercover. (L&O: "Gunplay") His tenure in the CPD was impressive, but he ended up leaving due to a conflict with a superior. (L&O: "Paradigm")

He transferred to a Homicide Squad in the Bronx, though this may not have been his first stop in New York City. In 1995, he was one of the officers investigating the murder of 12-year-old Sara Dolan. He was convinced she'd been killed by her father, and thus pursued that angle for months, but failed to find the necessary proof.

In "Fame", Detective Cassady revealed in a conversation with Lieutenant Van Buren that Fontana had retired.

Officer-involved shootings[]

Trivia[]

  • Like Fontana, Farina grew up in Little Italy and served a Chicago police detective. However, he worked in the Burglary Division for 20 years.
  • The character is named after Tom Fontana who worked as a writer and director on Homicide: Life on the Street and created the HBO series Oz, which shares a number of actors with the Law & Order franchise.

Appearances[]


Icon L&O Law & Order - Main Characters
Law

Senior Detectives: Max GreeveyPhil CerretaLennie BriscoeJoe FontanaEd GreenCyrus LupoKevin BernardFrank CosgroveJalen Shaw

Junior Detectives: Mike LoganRey CurtisEd GreenNick FalcoNina CassadyCyrus LupoKevin BernardFrank CosgroveJalen ShawVincent Riley

Commanding Officers: Captain Donald Cragen • Lieutenant Anita Van Buren • Lieutenant Kate Dixon

Order

Executive Assistant District Attorneys: Benjamin StoneJack McCoyMichael CutterNolan Price

Assistant District Attorneys: Paul RobinetteClaire KincaidJamie RossAbbie CarmichaelSerena SoutherlynAlexandra BorgiaConnie RubirosaSamantha Maroun

District Attorneys: Adam SchiffNora LewinArthur BranchJack McCoyNicholas Baxter

Others

Elizabeth OlivetAlfred Wentworth

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