Schenectady police honor 50 for valor

PHOTOGRAPHER: Peter R. Barber

Police officers receive the Citation for Bravery at the Schenectady Police Department Valor Day Awards Ceremony at the GE Theatre at Proctors Tuesday, May 17, 2016.

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The Schenectady Police Department honored 50 officers at its annual Valor Day Award Ceremony on Tuesday.

The ceremony was held at 7 p.m. at Proctors GE Theatre and recognized officers for their bravery and merit.

Officers who received the department citation for bravery are Duane Bechand; Scott Bobrowich; John Bonano; James Claus; Kevin Derkowski; Nicholas Giardono; Donald Kiser; Aaron Lang; Nicholas Mannix; Sgt. Jeffrey McCutcheon; Lt. Mark McCracken; Peter Montalto; Sgt. Jonathan Moore; Komieko Mosher; William Stockman; Mark Weekes; and Sgt. Brian Whipple.

Officers who were awarded a citation for exceptional merit are James Claus; Det. Lt. Eric Clifford; Craig Comley; Kevin Derkowski; Det. Kristin Florell; Det. Marisela Fragoso; Sgt. Thomas Harrigan; ACO Dan Hildreth; Det. Ryan Kent; Brandon Kietlinski; Det. Donald Kiser; Det. Ryan Maloney; Det. Edward Ritz; and Matthew Thorne.

Officers who got letters of merit are Duane Bechand; Scott Bobrowich; Andrew Dannible; Dane Flavin; Ross Flood; Timothy Higgins; Brandon Kietlinski; Jeremy Liggett; Cole Merryman; Det. Yonatan Moskow; Steven Nelson; James Plowden Jr.; Gary Relation; Timothy Rizzo; Anthony Savignano; Jennifer Shewczyk; Jason Slingerland; William Stockman; Ryan Thorne; Peter Verret; and Adam Willetts.

The Schenectady Police Department had a total of 148 officers as of the beginning of the year. The department is budgeted for 154.

The department remains without a police chief as the city waits for the state to score and return seven police officers’ civil service exams, which were taken in March. Six officers who took the test are Schenectady police officers and one works outside of the department.

The department is now overseen by Public Safety Commissioner Wayne Bennett along with assistant chiefs Michael Seber, Jack Falvo and Patrick Leguire.