Willett honored for foot pursuit arrest in Rockville Centre

Police Officer Michael Willett was named “Cop of the Month” by the Rockville Centre Police Department for the arrest of a man who fled on foot after being observed breaking into a car on Clinton Avenue.

Officer Willett, on routine patrol Saturday, July 9 at about 10:30 p.m., responded to a report of a man prying the lock cylinder from a vehicle in Municipal Parking Field 23. Upon being discovered, the man fled on foot into the surrounding neighborhood.

During the ensuing search by multiple police units, Officer Willett discovered the man and pursued him onto Hickey Field, scaling two tall, locked chain-link fences before single-handedly subduing him and placing him in custody.

The subject was charged with multiple criminal counts, including possession of burglar’s tools and possession of narcotics.

Police Commissioner Chuck Gennario commended Officer Willett for his “diligence, dedication to duty, aggressive pursuit of the subject and highly professional conduct” in naming him Cop of the Month.