VALHALLA – Sixty-nine police recruits graduated Wednesday from the Westchester County Police Academy and are headed off to work at 14 law enforcement agencies in Westchester and two in Putnam County.
Due to the Covid-19 crisis, a scaled-down graduation ceremony was conducted on the drill floor at the Police Academy in Valhalla and was streamed live on the Westchester County Police YouTube channel. The ceremony itself was limited to the recruits and members of the Police Academy staff.
“We know that you have already achieved intellectually, you’ve achieved physically, you’ve proved that you’ve got what it takes to be successful,” County Executive George Latimer said in recorded comments. “And we’re rooting for your success and we’re very happy that this moment has come. This is a class like no other, with the pandemic around us.”
Public Safety Commissioner Thomas Gleason, who provided the only in-person remarks, saluted the class for persevering through the challenges posed by the pandemic.
“This class came in 69 strong and you go out 69 strong. In the face of this pandemic and these unsettling times, no one bailed out. No one said this is more than I bargained for. No one said I will leave this difficult and dangerous environment to someone else. So I salute you all for staying the course,” he said.
The new officers and their departments are:
Ardsley: Jonathan Goldstein
Carmel: Vincent Desantola, Arthur Kloskowski
Dobbs Ferry: Stephen Foley
Eastchester: Anthony Guerriero, Nicholas Occhicone, Andrew Tiso
Harrison: Andrew Clokey, Nicholas Conte, Anastas Papazov, Michael Pellegrino
Hastings-on-Hudson: Stephanie Minor
Mount Pleasant: Daniel Lovett
Mount Vernon: Kristin Hambas, John Hecht, Intiaz Jaipal, Nicholas Kikis, Stephanie Mendez, Jesus Oceguera Ayala, Nelson Santana, Stefano Silvestri, John Tychyn
New Rochelle: Hanson Bamfo, Deivy Martinez, Phalen Pedro, Kyle Sanchez, Beqir Tagani
Pelham Manor: John Luiso
Putnam County Sheriff: Corey Berke
Scarsdale: Nicholas Saglibene
Sleepy Hollow: Melissa Ojito, Julio Sosa
SUNY Purchase: Tiffany Charles
White Plains: Anthony Bambach, James Connelly, Christopher Coughlan, Jessica Hunt, Andrew Jacobsen, Ashley Martinez, Brendon Mavra, Michael Monroig, Anthony Paguio, Robert Samuel
Yonkers: Gianni Benros, Ben Brady, Daniel Bruno, Hector Cartegena, Joseph Cosenza, Briana Darcy, Bianca Doblado, Albert Fagan, Paul Faia, Arthur Foti, Luis German, Theresa Gottron, Nachyra Jimenez, Courtney McCormack, Joseph McEntee, Mark Mendelson, Matthew Nassar, Joseph Nyemchek, Michelle Perrotta, Jared Pinto, Makena Raffa, Robert Riti, Randy Rodriguez-Herrera, Daquan Scott, Leonard Spano, Nicholas Spano.
