By Cindy J. Roth
"This is a very special evening for the Town of Hempstead as we pay tribute to those dedicated and courageous individuals who risk their own lives for ours," said Town of Hempstead Supervisor Richard Guardino.
Cipolla was bestowed a 2002 Police Service Award for performing his duties in a truly exemplary fashion and for being a distinguished representative of the Lynbrook Police Department. On regular patrol on the night of Nov. 30, Cipolla heard two patrol cars being dispatched to the scene of an armed robbery at a gas station on Sunrise Highway. With other officers responding to the scene, Cipolla, instinctively and strategically took up position at an intersection he thought the suspects might travel through while making their escape.
In position, Cipolla learned that they were traveling in his direction. Soon, Cipolla observed the vehicle as it raced past his location and headed into Valley Stream. After an effective pursuit and with the help of assisting officers, the vehicle was stopped and the occupants were identified and arrested. Additionally a weapon was discovered and the stolen money recovered. Subsequent investigation determined the suspects had committed several previous robberies in Nassau County.
The Malverne Police Department was honored for its assistance at Ground Zero following the World Trade Center terrorist attacks last year. On the Sept. 12, 18 members of the Malverne Police Department raced into lower Manhattan equipped with a mobile command post, rescue gear, tools and supplies. Their determined response was one of the first sanctioned and organized responses from an outside police agency.
For the next five days, Malverne police officers worked around the clock alongside other rescue and fire personnel, searching, digging and manning bucket brigades on what would later become know as "The Pile." Not until the weekend when it was finally and regrettably evident that no other victims would be found alive, did members of the police force return to Malverne.
