Officers, K9 Mac and civilians honored with P.C. Police Association awards
June 5, 2024 at 11:10 p.m.
To recognize excellence, sacrifice and courageous acts in local law enforcement, every few years the Port Chester Police Association hosts an award ceremony honoring noteworthy moments in the line of duty.
For around 40 minutes at the start of the Port Chester Board of Trustees meeting on May 20, dozens of police officials and two civilians received awards for acts documented between September 2021, when the last ceremony was held, to January of this year.
“We are a busy town,” said Port Chester Police Association President Mike Giandurco, who presented the awards that night. “We’re a very safe town; we’re all happy and proud to work here and, for a lot of us, live here. But we are busy, and the things you hear tonight might come as a surprise to some of you as far as the variety of incidents that we sometimes deal with. But just know we are working hard every day, 24 hours a day, to keep this village safe.”
The awards presented are as follows:
Civilian Award
For a civilian performing an act of service that was instrumental in saving a life or assisting police officers in apprehending a violator of the law.
Michael Parrotta
For assisting Port Chester police by chasing down, apprehending, and subduing a strong-armed robbery suspect on Feb. 25, 2023.
Richard Davis
For his role in assisting Port Chester police in evacuating the residents of an apartment building after being met with heavy smoke and fire conditions on Jan. 16, 2022.
Exceptional Merit Award
For an act of exceptional police work, intelligently performed in the line of duty, involving personal risk. Giandurco described the Exceptional Merit Award as the highest achievement of the night.
P.O. Christian Coyt
For swiftly and decisively incapacitating and apprehending a suicidal subject armed with a knife who charged at fellow officers on the night of July 14, 2023. Officer Coyt’s exceptional decision making and utilization of a taser prevented serious injuries to all involved.
Meritorious Police Duty
For an act of meritorious police duty intelligently performed demonstrating special faithfulness and performance of duty.
P.O. Daniel Melgar
For swiftly and intelligently apprehending a suspect who had discharged an illegal handgun and attempted to conceal the weapon from responding officers underneath a parked vehicle on Mar. 27, 2023.
P.O. Anthony Rappoccio
Det. Jared Pennella
For decisively apprehending a robbery suspect who held victims at gunpoint after a foot pursuit ensued on Mar. 24, 2023. The apprehension of the suspect afforded officers the opportunity to glean information which linked the suspect to multiple robberies in the area. Additionally, an illegal handgun used during the robbery was recovered by Officer Rappoccio.
Lifesaving Award
For an officer who, through excellent judgement and performance of duty, was instrumental in saving a life facing personal risk, when without such action said life would have been lost or endangered of being lost.
Sgt. Jason Behar
P.O. Frank Fiumara
For decisively rescuing a suicidal male threatening to jump from a wooden plank suspended out of the fourth story window of an abandoned building by pulling him through the open window into safety during the afternoon of Dec. 7, 2022. The combative subject was carried down and through the hazardous dilapidated building by officers on scene.
Excellent Police Duty
For an intelligent act materially contributing to a valuable accomplishment.
P.O. Frank Fiumara
P.O. Joseph Romanello
P.O. Kenneth Manning
For apprehending a combative suspect involved in a physical domestic dispute within a motor vehicle where an illegal handgun concealed under the driver’s seat was discovered by P.O. Manning.
Capt. Charles Nielsen
P.O. David Arroyo
P.O. Marcelo Pereira & K9 Mac
P.O. Moises Ochoa
For being instrumental in locating and apprehending an armed suspect with a history of assault with a firearm, who was wanted for menacing with a handgun without incident during the afternoon of Mar. 20, 2022. Officers recovered a handgun from the suspect’s vehicle.
Sgt. Jason Behar
P.O. Chris Bivona
P.O. Marcelo Pereira & K9 Mac
For safely and intelligently deescalating an EDP (emotionally disturbed person) armed with a large knife who had barricaded himself within his room on the night of May 5, 2022. Officer’s efforts to build a strong rapport with the person were rewarded when they dropped the knife and were able to be transported by Port Chester-Rye-Rye Brook EMS to receive treatment.
Det. Leonard Carriero
Sgt. Jason Behar
P.O. Moises Ochoa
P.O. Christian Coyt
P.O. Michael Guerriero
For identifying, locating and detaining the suspect of a shots fired road rage incident, and recovering a Polymer P80 “ghost gun,” on the evening of Jan. 5, 2024. A confession was gained from the suspect for this incident as well as a past shooting incident.
P.O. Michael Santorelli
P.O. Andy Polanco
P.O. Daniel Melgar
P.O. Yovani Lago
Sgt. Jason Behar
For deescalating a person in crisis during a domestic dispute who barricaded himself with a rifle and two large dogs on the evening of Mar. 26, 2023. After a brief standoff the suspect secured the rifle and the dogs. Officers recovered 8 rifles, 1 shotgun, 1 fully loaded high capacity 223 caliber magazine along with a copious amount of ammunition.
Lifesaving Certificate
For an officer instrumental in saving a life through excellent judgment and performance of duty, without which action life would be lost.
P.O. Melissa Rosario
P.O. Kenneth Manning
Det. Jared Pennella
P.O. Moises Ochoa
For remaining steadfast in their attempts to communicate with a suicidal man threatening to jump from a wooden plank suspended out of the fourth story window of an abandoned building. Officers were successful allowing other responding officers to pull the man into safety.
Det. Jared Pennella
For administering CPR after finding a party not breathing in cardiac arrest which led to the patient regaining the ability to breathe on their own.
P.O. David Arroyo
Det. Mark Morales
For responding to a female not breathing and rendering lifesaving CPR which proved successful during the afternoon of Nov. 22, 2022.
Det. Mark Morales
For administering immediate aid to a slashing victim who had suffered a serious puncture wound to the abdomen and was bleeding profusely on the night of Sept. 30, 2021.
Det. Leonard Carriero
P.O. Joseph Romanello
For applying a tourniquet to a victim who had been stabbed in the brachial artery and sustained a significant amount of blood loss upon these officers’ arrival.
Investigator Award
For a detective/officer who performs his investigative duties in an outstanding and efficient manner.
Det. Mark Morales
Det. Leonard Carriero
For diligently investigating a series of vehicle arsons which led to information allowing detectives to develop and locate the suspect who later admitted to setting the numerous car fires throughout the village.
P.O. Gary McCord
Capt. Charles Nielsen
For coordinating and obtaining vital information during an investigation among numerous agencies throughout the Tri-State area which led to the arrest of the suspect responsible for 34 armed robberies.
Honorable Mention
For an officer who performs his routine police duties in an outstanding and efficient manner.
Sgt. Vincent Fiumara
P.O. Kenneth Manning
Det. Jared Pennella
P.O. Josh Perez
For expeditiously and steadfastly evacuating the residents of an apartment building after being met with heavy smoke and fire conditions on Jan. 16, 2022.
P.O. Michael Santorelli
P.O. Clayton Adams
P.O. Yovani Lago
For their role in apprehending a suspect who had discharged an illegal handgun and attempted to conceal the weapon from responding officers underneath a parked vehicle on Mar. 27, 2023.
P.O. Christian Coyt
P.O. Jonathan Roman
For their role in apprehending a robbery suspect who held victims at gunpoint after a foot pursuit ensued on Mar. 24, 2023. The apprehension of the suspect afforded officers the opportunity to glean information which linked the suspect to multiple robberies in the area.
Unit Citation
For a specific unit or squad for outstanding accomplishments.
Lt. Robert Salerno
Lt. Steve Barbara
Lt. Marcello Presta
P.O. Efrain Roman
P.O. Melissa Rosario
P.O. John Bykowski
Det. Mark Morales
P.O. Joseph Romanello
P.O. Thomas Sorbella
Capt. Charles Nielsen
For their response to Hurricane Ida, of which the remnants reached Port Chester on Sept. 1, 2021 and set local records for most single-hour rainfall causing widespread flooding and damage in the village. Officers’ efforts to assist residents trapped in their homes and motorists trapped in their vehicles resulted in no injuries or fatalities and deserve notable recognition.
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