Police officers honored at banquet

Elmira Police Office Amy L. Taft received the Mary J. Brunner Officer of the Year Award April 26 at the Elmira Police Department’s annual Pensioner’s Banquet and Wards Ceremony.

The award is given to an officer who has demonstrated proficiency in various aspects of law enforcement.

The banquet is also the time to announce the Exceptional Duty Award which this year was given to the officers who worked on the homicide at Hathorn Court last summer. Honored were: Capt. Joseph Kain, Lt. Robert Smallcomb, Sgt. William Bresser, Sgt. Matthew Sweet, Sgt. Joseph Kane, Inv. Michael Canali, Inv. Wesley Dibble, Inv. Brian Ellis, Inv. Gregory James, Inv. Patrick Griffin, Inv. Richard Weed, Inv. Patrick Fernan and Inv. Gerald Tucker.

Two officers, Carl Mustico and Joshua VanSkiver, were given Exceptional Duty Awards for their work with a suicidal man who was threatening them with a knife. They were able to disarm him without causing injury.

Other awards named Sunday night were:

Honorable Service Certificate: Sot. Eugene Walrath, Officer Zachary Stewart and officer William Solt.

Quality Service Award: Officer Michael Collins.

Educational Achievement Award: Officer Zachary Stewart or receiving his master’s degree from Norwich University in 2008.

Law Enforcement Recognition Award: given to following New York State Police officers for their assistance in the Hathorn Court homicide investigation: Senior Inv. Gary Ferguson, Inv. Patrick Englishbee, Inv. Doug Childs, Inv. Eric Hurd, Inv. Tim Randall and Inv. Matthew Lambert and Trooper Greg Vaughan.

Office Joseph C. Marrone Award: Officer Robert Taft.

Certificate of Appreciation: Mary Beth Minchin.

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