Call It The Cop Oscars

On the same day that city officials announced that the crime rate has steadily plunged for five years, many of the cops responsible for the drop got their due.

They got their due at the first New Haven Police Department awards ceremony in five years, held at Anthony’s Ocean View Wednesday night to give the city’s rank and file police officers long overdue recognition.

Assistant Chief Luiz Casanova said prior to 2011 the awards ceremony was an annual event, but for some reason the event just stopped. When Cassanova was put in charge of the department’s Professional Standards and Training Bureau, he said, he knew that he wanted to revive the tradition.

Casanova tapped soon-to-be retired Capt. Julie Johnson to spearhead the event because of her ​“tenacity and persistence. She gets the job done. Not matter where you put her,” he said.

Johnson, with the help of Lt. Racheal Cain, Lt. Robert Criscuolo, Sgt. Tammi Means and Sgt. Brett Runlett, put together what can only be called The Oscars of New Haven police awards.

“I was like, ​‘Let’s do this,’” she said.

Mayor Toni Harp said Wednesday in her remarks that she was having a great day thanks to the efforts of the police officers in the room who had worked so hard to deliver a decrease in crime each year for the last five years.

“The entire city appreciates your efforts,” she said. ​“Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being role models and performing your duties above and beyond expectations.”

Henry Lee, forensic scientist and namesake of The Henry Lee Institute for Forensic Science at the University of New Haven, told the officers and their families that though it is a tough time to be a police officer, the difference between those who win and lose in this climate is how they approach their jobs.

“I’ve been in law enforcement 68 years,” he said. ​“And people are always asking me, ​‘What’s the difference between a winner and a loser?’ The winner always is part of the answer; the loser always is part of the problem.” He said that those who were receiving awards Wednesday night — many for making cases that brought down dangerous gangs in the city, seizing drugs and guns and piecing together evidence to catch criminals — are winners.

He said they could view their awards and medals as ” just another medal or another piece of paper.” But he urged them to be proud of what they had accomplished.

“You earned them,” he said. ​“Be proud of them.”

At the ceremony Wednesday, it was announced that Detective Andrew Faggio, who died in 2012 as a result of injuries sustained in a 2003 automobile accident, will have his name added to the Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, D.C. this week thanks to a successful campaign by the city to get it added. Faggio’s name also will be added to the Connecticut Law Enforcement Memorial on May 19.

Following are the awards given out at Wednesday’s New Haven ceremony. (Articles about many of the recipients can be found in the Independent’s ​“Cop of the Week” archives.)

Officer of the Year: Officer Michael Mastropetre (2014); Officer Robert Hayden (2015)

Daniel Picagli Special Merit Award: Sgt. Albert McFadden (2014); Officer Louis DeCrescenzo (2015)

Detective Andrew Faggio Service Award: Capt. Julie Johnson (2014) Sgt. Renee Dominguez (2015)

David Williams Life Saving Award of Merit: Detective Omaida Nieves; Detective Matthew Abbate; Officer Christopher Fennessy; Officer Michael Luckingham; Officer Michael Criscuolo; Officer Diego Quintero; Officer Dino Rasile; Lt. Otoniel Reyes; Officer Elvin Rivera; and Officer Arpad Tolnay

Medal of Valor: Sgt. Craig Alston; Detective William White Jr. Officer Louis DeCrescenzo; and Officer Martin Feliciano

Meritorious Service: Officer Steven Silk; Officer Jeremie Elliott; Officer Scott Shumway

Award of Merit: Officer Jeffrey Suchy

Outstanding Contribution: Detective Bridget Brosnahan; Officer Dwight Calderon; Sgt. Gregory Catania; Detective Kristine Cuddy; Detective Jeffrey Goodwin; Sgt. Dietrich Hernandez; Capt. Julie Johnson; Sgt. Robert Koval; Detective Amanda Leyda; Officer Steven Manware; Sgt. Tammi Means; Lt. Jason Minardi; ASA Stacey Miranda; Detective Omaida Nieves; USMA Michael Novak; Officer John Palmer; Officer Ray Quinn; Officer Carmelo Rivera; Detective Daniel Sacco; Inspector Robert Sage; Detective Hollie Turani; Detective Jason Weted; and Detective William White Jr.

Police Achievement: Officer Richard Burgos; Sgt. Manmeet Colon; Officer Milton DeJesus; Sgt. Rose Dell; Officer Robert DuPont; Sgt. Marco Francia; Officer Robert Dupont; Sgt. Marco Francia; Officer William Hoffman; Officer Roger Kergaravat; Officer Elias Mendez; Sgt. Mark O’Neill; Officer Elvin Rivera; Detective Lucille Roach; Officer Lars Vallin; Officer Robert Williams; and K9 Xander

Award of Excellence: Sgt. Dennis Burgh; Detective Robert Clark; Officer Carlos Colon; Lt. Robert Criscuolo; Officer John Lalli; Officer Brian McDermott; Officer Brian Pazsak; Officer Christopher Simon; Officer Arpad Tolnay; Sgt. Stephan Torquati; Officer Leslee Witcher; and Officer John Wolcheski

(A number behind a name represents multiple awards for that officer in the following award categories.)

Certificate of Commendation: Officer Edrick Agosto; Officer Newton Anderson; Officer Miguel Aponte; Officer Peter Ballolli; Officer Jason Bandy; Officer Duane Biros; Officer Brendan Borer; Officer Richard Burgos; Officer Matthew Collier; Officer Carlos Conceicao (2); Detective Steven Cunningham; Officer Louis Decrescenzo (7); Detective Michael DeFonzo; Officer Milton DeJesus; Sgt. Rose Dell; Detective Brian Diange; Officer Jeremie Elliot; Officer Michael Falcigno (2); Officer Martin Feliciano (2); Officer Christopher Fennessey; Officer Jeffrey Fletcher; Detective Theodore Forbes: Sgt. Derek Gartner; Officer Thomas Glynn (2); Detective Jeffrey Goodwin; Sgt. David Guliuzza (2); Officer Michael Haines; Officer Robert Hwang; Detective Juan Ingles (2); Detective Shayna Kendall; Detective Joshua Kyle; Officer Luis Lopez; Officer Michael Lozada; Officer Jose Luna; Officer Ryan Macuirzynski (5); Sgt. Albert McFadden; Detective Kyle Malloy (2); Detective Justin Marshall; Officer Dana Martin; Officer Michael Mastropetre; Detective Brian McDermott (2); Officer Reginald McGlotten; Sgt. Albert Merced; Detective Kealyn Nivakoff; Detective Dennis O’Connell; Officer Ivelisse Ortiz; Officer Salvatore Ricci; Officer Elvin Rivera; Detective Lucille Roach; Officer David Runlett; Detective Daniel Sacco; Detective Jessica Stone; Officer David Stratton (2); Officer Michael Styles; Officer David Totino; Officer Elizabeth White; Officer Curtis Williams; Officer Matthew Williams; and Officer Allyn Wright.

Unit Citation: Probation Officer Steven Abbagnaro; Officer David Acosta (4); Officer Christopher Alvarado (2); Officer Newton Anderson (2); Detective Joseph Aurora; Officer Shawn Booth; Sgt. Wayne Bullock; Officer Richard Burgos; Capt. Craig Burnett (3); Officer Michael Calabro; Officer Dwight Calderon (4); Officer Christopher Cameron (2); Officer Paul Cavalier; Officer Matthew Collier; Sgt. Manmeet Colon; Officer Carlos Conceicao (4); Officer Richard Cotto (3); Detective Orlando Crespo (2); Officer Michael Criscuolo; Detective Kristine Cuddy (2); Officer Paul D’Andrea (6); Officer Michael Daniele; Michael Dearington; Detective Mark DeCarvallo (2); Officer Louis Decrescenzo; Officer Milton DeJesus (2); Officer David Diaz (2); Officer Michelle Dobson; Sgt. Renee Dominguez; The Honorable Kevin Doyle; Officer Christopher Dube; Officer Robert Dupont; Officer Jeremie Elliot; Detective Bertram Ettienne (3); Officer Martin Feliciano (4); Sgt. Ronald Ferrante; Officer Brett Ferrara; Detective Theodore Forbes (2); Sgt. Marco Francia; Officer Michael Fumiatti; Officer Charles Gargano; Sgt. Derek Gartner; Officer Richard Gonzalez; Officer Ryan Hall; Sgt. Gary Hammill; Lt. Douglas Harkins; Officer Robert Hayden; Lt. Brendan Hosey; Officer Derek Huelsman; Officer Michael Hurley; Detective Juan Ingles; Sgt. Karl Jacobson (2); Lt. Herbert Johnson III; Detective John Kaczor (2); Officer Nicholas Katz; Inspector Dennis Kelly; Officer Roger Kergaravat; Officer Jeffrey King; Detective Joshua Kyle; Officer John Lalli; Officer Luis Lopez; Officer Michael Lozada; Probation Officer James Masella; Officer Ryan Macuirzynski; Sgt. Sean Maher; Sgt. Anthony Maio (2); Detective Kyle Malloy; Officer Paul Mandel; Lt. Nicholas Marcucio (2); Detective Brian McDermott; Officer Ryan McFarland; Detective Lynn Meekins; Sgt. Alberto Merced (4); Amarilys Millman; Detective Jose Miranda; Officer Patrick Munson; Detective Nicole Natale (4); Officer Michael Pepe; Detective Christopher Perrone; Detective Jonathan Pleckaitis; Detective Marcin Podsiad (4); SA Daniel Prather; Officer Ray Quinn (3); Sgt. Jason Rentkowicz; Officer Carmelo Rivera (3); Officer David Rivera (2); Detective Lucille Roach; Officer David Runlett; Sgt. Betsy Seui; Officer Christopher Simon; Detective Leonardo Soto; Detective Jessica Stone (2); Officer Christopher Stroscio; Officer Jeffrey Suchy; Officer Arpad Tolnay; Officer Lars Vallin; Detective Manuella Vensel (3); Officer Ryan Walker; Officer Mitch Warwick (MPD); Capt Holly Wasilewski (2); Officer Derek Werner (2); SA Kurt Wheeler; Officer Leslie Witcher; Detective Michael Wolf (3); Detective Michael Wuchek (4); K9 Xander; Sgt. David Zannelli (3); Detective David Zaweski (4); and Officer Caitlin Zerella.

Letter of Recognition: Officer Albert Acosta; Officer Christopher Alvarado (4); Officer John Barbetti; Officer Leslee Billingslea; Lt. Kenneth Blanchard; Officer Mattehw Borges; Officer Yelena Borisova; Detective James Bottigliero; Officer Cary Broderick; Officer Christopher Cacela; Officer Dwight Calderon; Officer Christopher Cameron (2); Officer Brendan Canning (2); Officer Cherelle Carr (3); Officer Paul Cavalier; Officer Carlos Conceicao (4); Officer Steven Cunningham; Officer Michael Daniele; Sgt. Roy Davis; Officer Louis Decrescenzo (5); Officer Milton DeJesus; Officer Brian Donnelly; Officer Robert Dupont; Officer Martin Feliciano (4); Sgt. Ronald Ferrante (2); Officer Vincent Foster; Sgt. Marco Francia; Officer William Gargone (2); Sgt. Gary Hammill (2); Officer Daniel Hartnett (2); Officer Robert Hayden (6); Officer Julie Hill; Officer Bennett Hines; Officer Derek Huelsman (2); Officer Robert Hwang; Detective Juan Ingles; Officer Brian Jackson; Officer Timothy Janus; Detective John Kaczor (3); Officer Nicholas Katz (2); Officer Todd Kelley (2); Sgt. Christopher Kenny; Officer Roger Kergaravat; Officer Jeffrey King (2); Detective Joshua Kyle (2); Officer Johnathan Lambe; Officer Luis Lopez; Officer Michael Lozada (3); Officer Ryan Macuirzynski (8); Sgt. Carlos Maldonado; Detective Kyle Malloy (4); Officer Jennifer Mancini; Officer Paul Mandel (2); Officer Miguel Marquez; Officer Gerald Marquis; Officer Dana Martin ; Officer Michael Mastropetre; Detective Brian McDermott (3); Detective Ryan McFarland (2); Officer Philip McKnight; Officer Terrance McNeil (2); Detective Lyn Meekins; Officer Elias Mendez; Sgt. Alberto Merced; Detective Juan Monzon; Officer Alex Morgillo (3); Officer Brian Morris; Officer Edward Morrone; Officer James Murcko (2); Officer David Murgo; Detective Kealyn Mivakoff (2); Sgt. Mark O’Neill (2); Officer Michael Ostigny; Officer Warren Palmer; Officer Michael Pepe (3); Officer Raul Pereira; Officer Ronald Pressley (2); Officer Diego Quintero; Officer Carmelo Rivera; Officer Luis Rivera; Officer Joseph Roberts; Officer Tyren Robinson; Officer Salvatore Rodriguez; Sgt. Brett Runlett; Officer David Runlett (2); Officer Francisco Sanchez; Officer John Schmaltz (2); Officer Michael Shapiro; Detective Cindy Shaw; Officer Scott Shumway (2); Officer Joshua Smereczynsky; Officer Sheree Smith; Officer Leonardo Soto; Officer Matthew Stevens; Officer David Stratton (5); Officer Mitchell Strickland; Officer Omar Thomas; Officer Andrew Tomer; Officer David Totino (5); Officer Lars Vallin; Officer Ross Van Nostrand; Officer Lisa Wexler (2); Officer Matthew Williams; Officer Robert Williams; Officer Leslee Witcher; K9 Xander; Officer Huey Young; Officer Caitlin Zerella (2); and Sgt. Anthony Zona.

Distinguished Honoree: Dr. Steven Marans, founder of the CD-CP program at the Yale Child Study Center
Certificate of Appreciation (citizens): Andre Alexander; Christina Altieri; Larissa Broadie; Diane Brown: Laura Cahn; Kenneth Couser; Lee Cruz; Johnny Dye; Nadine Herring; Anthony Juliano; Kenneth Kuczynski; Lena Largie; Paul Morbidelli; Eliu Negron; Vin Romei; Harold Setzer; Debra Thornton; Tina Viscio; and Peter Webster.