Deputy Inspector Thomas Pascale presents Police office Frank Calafiore with the award for Cop of the Month in May 2013.
Police Officer Frank Calafiore was presented with the Cop of the Month award last week at the 106 Precinct Community Council meeting for May.
Calafiore received the award for his actions following the foot pursuit of an armed gunman who allegedly held a gun toward the back of a woman who was wearing a walk man and didn’t hear the gunman behind her.
After the chase, the officer followed the suspect into a house where he tossed the gun onto the floor.
Four other residents in the house refused to cooperate with police and identify the owner of the gun, and they were subsequently arrested along with the original suspect.
Police confiscated a 9-mm semi automatic pistol, and a quantity of drugs.
“When the police confiscate one illegal gun there is no way to determine the number of crimes they stop by taking just that one weapon off the street,” said Community Affairs Officer Kenneth Zorn.
Councilman Eric Ulrich addressed the meeting about an upcoming bill established by members of the council who are concerned with current Stop and Frisk policy. They proposed forming the Office of the Inspector General, for purposes of oversight.
Ulrich said he would not support the bill, citing the extensive oversight already imposed on the NYPD; it already has more oversight than any department in the United States.
“At any given time a member of our police department can be charged with or investigated by any one of five district attorneys, one of the two U.S Attorneys, the Civilian Complaint Review Board, the Committee to Combat Police Corruption and the Internal Affairs Bureau, which he reminded the audience, has a $70 million dollar a year budget to look into their “own house.” Ulrich offered further explanation, “there are so many layers of oversight, I believe the formation that office would be a disservice to the department and also would be in competition with the police commissioner.”
The 106 precinct Community Council meets every second Wednesday of the month.
By Patricia Adams
