Usually it’s the great collar that snags a police officer cop of the month honors.
But, this month, the 68th Precinct cops who were recognized were honored for their day-in, day-out efforts, and for their ongoing contribution toward making Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and Fort Hamilton better places in which to live.
At the November meeting of the 68th Precinct Community Council, which was held at the station house, 333 65th Street, P.O. Steven Last, P.O. Marcello Gianquinto, P.O. Greg Barone and Sergeant Dennis Russo were feted by Deputy Inspector Eric Rodriguez, the precinct’s commanding officer, for their stellar “consistency.
“That’s the word of the day for these cops,” he told the community council members.
“Sometimes it’s not all about doing one heroic thing or one good thing,” Rodriguez stressed. “It’s consistency. All the cops here deserve a round of applause for what they do.”
Last, said Rodriguez, is on the 4 p.m. to midnight tour. “He goes out of here every single day and does his job the proper way,” Rodriguez noted. “He’s very respectful to the community, and deserves every accolade. He’s a proactive cop and one of the major reasons why we are successful.”
Gianquinto, he went on, is “another consistent cop, very respectful, a hard-working guy.”
Barone’s focus is on traffic. “Expediting traffic is challenging in the area because of the logistics,” Rodriguez remarked. “Greg is one of my summons guys. He’s nothing but spectacular, one of the reasons why we are successful in our traffic program.”
As for Russo, he is the conditions sergeant in the late night hours, and deals, among other things, with problems at local bars.
With nightlife being a “very important part of Bay Ridge,” Rodriguez commented, “it’s hard to keep everybody happy, but this guy has done a phenomenal job. He’s one of the reasons why assaults are down for the year. By consistently being out there, and taking care of the bars, he’s given us great rewards back.”
