Putnam Officer Named NY Marine Law Enforcement Officer of the Year

Putnam County Sheriff Donald B. Smith announces that Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Michael Szabo has been named the New York State Marine Law Enforcement Officer of the Year for 2016.

Sgt. Szabo was selected as the award recipient from among the ranks of marine law enforcement officers across the entire state. The selection committee was comprised of officials from the Bureau of Marine Services—a division of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

State Parks representatives Richard Stefanski and Timothy McGuire visited the Sheriff’s Office Tuesday to present the award to Sgt. Szabo. The award was conferred upon him at a ceremony attended by a number of Sheriff’s Office personnel and members of the sergeant’s family.

At the ceremony, Smith praised the sergeant for his outstanding service in the Marine Unit, pointing out that the sergeant played a key role in organizing a recent boating event on Lake Mahopac that raised funds for veterans groups in the County. The Sheriff called the sergeant “a great Sheriff’s Office ambassador for community policing in Putnam County” and said his family could rightfully be proud of him.

In reading the state award citation, Stefanski cited a number of the sergeant’s achievements in the areas of marine enforcement and boating safety, including his training of over 400 citizens in boater certification courses and instructing other officers in marine law enforcement. He mentioned what he called “Sgt. Szabo’s fun and creative approach” in encouraging kids to wear life-preservers by handing out ice cream treats to youngsters seen wearing them while boating with their families on Lake Mahopac.

PHOTO: from left to right, Undersheriff Peter Convery, Sgt. Michael Szabo, State Parks representative Richard Stefanski, Sheriff Donald B. Smith and Captain Thomas Velotti./ contributed