Hempstead honors Nassau County Police Department service

Jed Hendrixson
Nassau County Police Officers James Sileo and Scott Burleson with their medals as Supervisor Laura Gillen looks on. (Photo by Jed Hendrixson)

The Town of Hempstead honored Nassau County Police Department officers and first responders last Wednesday at its annual Police Service Awards ceremony.

“I am humbled by the opportunity to share my thoughts as well as our collective appreciation and admiration for tonight’s honorees,” Town Supervisor Laura Gillen said.

Officers Daniel Kolakowski and Kyle Desmond and Sgt. Timothy Vitiello from the 3rd Precinct were honored for an incident they responded to last February. The three were not able to be present at the ceremony.

Officers recognized for their service received citations and medals from Gillen and had police reports read afterward describing the reason they were honored.

Desmond and Kolakowski responded to a call of shots fired at the La Quinta Inn in Garden City on Feb. 11 around 5 a.m. While canvassing the area the officers identified two men who were fleeing the area. Desmond apprehended one suspect, Vitiello responded and put out a notification about the second suspect and Kolakowski continued to canvass before catching the man.

The second suspect had ditched a backpack containing a 9 mm handgun while fleeing but questioning led to the recovery of it by Desmond from a McDonald’s parking lot, police said.

Officers were also honored from the 2nd, 4th, 5th and 7th precincts as well as the Garden City Police Department, among others.

“We live in a world that employs the term hero far too loosely and overuse it for those that are not always deserving,” Gillen said. “Those sitting before you have demonstrated professionalism in the face of the most trying circumstances.”

 

 

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