60 Graduate from Westchester County Police Academy

Written by LANNING TALIAFERRO (Patch Staff)

Sixty police recruits graduated Friday from the Westchester County Police Academy and are headed off to work at 17 departments in Westchester.

The new officers, who completed 20 weeks of training at the police academy in Valhalla, received their diplomas during a ceremony at Purchase College of the State University of New York.

County Executive Robert P. Astorino addressed the graduates of the 140th Session Basic Police Recruit Class and praised them for mastering the physical and academic demands of the academy. Recalling the recent attacks in Paris and San Bernadino, Astorino noted that the curriculum included substantial counter-terrorism training.

“We have prepared these new officers as best we can to respond to the worst incidents we can imagine – from active-shooter events to incidents involving weapons of mass destruction. It is our prayer that they never have to do so. But while we hope for the best, we have prepared them for the worst,” he said. “The training that police officers receive at this academy is the best there is -- and I am committed to keeping it that way. That training also includes giving officers the verbal and tactical skills they need to resolve incidents peacefully. It includes a continued focus on the safe and proper use of less-than-lethal means to take non-compliant suspects into custody.”

The county executive said he was continuing to work to bridge the divide between police and some of those they serve. But he also pledged to stand firmly with police if they have acted properly under difficult circumstances.

“The public won’t always understand the tactics that police officers may have to use. A shaky cell phone video will not always show the totality of an event or the catalyst for the necessary use of force. I reiterate the same commitment today to these new officers that I have previously made to all police officers in our county. If you take police action in accordance with your training and within the bounds of the law, I will stand with you and I will have your back -- no matter what comes your way.”

Public Safety Commissioner George N. Longworth presented the new officers with their certificates and welcomed them “to the Westchester law enforcement family and the best job in the world.”

The new officers and their departments in Westchester are:

• Eastchester: Christian Delarosa and John Martin.
• Greenburgh: Thomas Nee and Colin Tiedemann.
• Larchmont: Michael Della Vecchia.
• Mamaroneck Town: William Brusack.
• Mamaroneck Village: Dominic Carelli.
• Mount Vernon: Dervin Chery, David Culbert, James Hunt, Matthew LaLindez, Jinish Mathew, Darius
• Mitchell, Luis Odar, Ison Patterson, Marilena Sophia and Joseph Valente.
• New Rochelle: Marisa Bird, Christopher Carelli, John Conklin, Ted Cordaro, Samuel Goldman, Francis Gray, Harry Kyreakedes, Jeffrey Marello, Alec McKenna, Gary Moss and Joseph Nieves.
• North Castle: Christopher Costa and Steven Vitolo
• Ossining: Louis Rinaldi.
• Port Chester: Mark Morales and Kevin Munnelly.
• Rye Brook: Linda Dekonski.
• Sleepy Hollow: Gregory Lobato, Angela Martello, Reamonn McGuire and Lisanny Neris.
• Scarsdale: Nicholas Cascioli and Nicholas Kringas.
• White Plains: Manuel Maya, Eric Molina and Martha Tineo.
• Yonkers: Thomas Bennett, Stephen Brown, Anthony Fico, Thomas Goff, Andrew Lane, Kayla Maher, Francis McDonald, Brendan Moore, Ryan Moran, Steven Nicosia, Joseph Parrella, Richard Reilly, Elyssa Tellone and John Zappia.
• Yorktown: Timothy Curtin and Gregory Palladino.
• Westchester County: Michael Hagan.

Photo 1: Fathers and Sons/Left to right: Greenburgh Police Officer Colin Tiedemann, Westchester County Police Officer Michael Hagan, Westchester County Police Sgt. Michael Hagan, Westchester County Police Lt. James Tiedemann, Westchester County Police Lt. Jeff Hunt and Mount Vernon Police Officer James Hunt. Photo 2: The crowd at graduation Dec. 18 from the Westchester County Police Academy. Photo credit: Contributed