Two 68th Precinct officers took center stage at the recent meeting of the 68th Precinct Community Council as “Cops of the Month” for June.
P.O. Louis La Torre and Sergeant Eddie Coello were toasted for the work they do on the community’s behalf, during the meeting held at the station house, 333 65th Street.
For both officers, the award was a reflection of their ongoing efforts, stressed Deputy Inspector Eric Rodriguez, the precinct’s commanding officer.
“A lot of times when we come here,” Rodriguez told his listeners, “we talk about one incident −− the guy made a great robbery collar, the guy made a great burglary collar.”
With respect to La Torre and Coello, he said, the award was meant to highlight ongoing efforts.
La Torre, noted Rodriguez, “has been on the midnights for the past couple of years.” At the beginning of 2009, Rodriguez went on, he had “put him on the conditions unit. He’s done nothing but phenomenal work.”
Specifically, Rodriguez cited, “The DWI numbers that Louie brings in each week,” adding, “It’s not just DWIs. He’s a jack of all trades. He’s made robbery collars. He’s made several collars of guys breaking into cars, taking out property. Our DWI numbers are up over 300 percent because of guys like Louie La Torre. Obviously, we have a lot of bars in the area, and he does keep the place safe. He’s probably averted a lot of tragedies because of his work with DWIs.”
As for Coello, who works during the daytime hours, and also does conditions work, Rodriguez said, “With the school conditions going on, he grabs guys, and he’s constantly looking for things to do to better this neighborhood.”
