Friday was a proud day for the Niagara Falls Police Department.

An hour after swearing in seven new recruits, Police Superintendent John Chella and Administrative Capt. John DeMarco presented numerous awards to current officers who went above and beyond the call of duty this past year.

The top award went to Lt. Kelly Rizzo and officers Walter Nichols, Michael Bird, Richard Fleck and Nicholas Granto in recognition of their actions Feb. 7, 2009, while confronting a heavily armed individual in which a ferocious gun battle ensued. Despite the adverse conditions, which included two officers being wounded, they managed to neutralize the threat and save the life of a wounded female.

Adam Hamilton, the armed assailant, was found guilty earlier this month on two counts of attempted first-degree murder, a single charge of attempted second-degree murder and one count of aggravated criminal contempt.

Rizzo, Nichols, Bird, Fleck and Granto each received Medal of Honor awards — and an emotional standing ovation from about 100



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friends, relatives and fellow officers in the crowd Friday at Niagara Falls City Hall.

“Through their actions, the victim’s life was saved, the suspect was brought to justice and these officers were prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice,” DeMarco said.

Bird and Nichols, the two officers shot during the incident, also received Wounded in Combat Medals.

The department’s “Outstanding Detective Award” went to Patricia McCune, who was praised for being a “professional and thorough investigator” in her years on the force.

DeMarco, who was in the same police academy class as McCune, said the award was “long overdue.”

“Patty has always done an outstanding job regardless of the assignment,” he said. “She sets the example for all others.”

Chella said he hopes the dedication and example set from all of Friday’s award recipients rubs off on the seven new recruits sworn in earlier in the day.

The diverse group, which includes a female, a Native American and a 22-year-old, will begin the department’s 22-week police academy on Monday. That will be followed by an additional 10-week field program before the new officers are assigned to the streets on their own.

“The sacrifice that these young people and their families are making ... it sets them apart,” Dyster said about the new class. “Even though your career puts you in harm’s way, we want you to know you are not alone. .. The vast majority of the people living in the City of Niagara Falls are extraordinarily supportive of what you do.”

Chella noted that the new recruits, combined with 10 other hirings since October, will make up the department’s largest academy class ever. One-third of the department’s workforce now has under six years of service — a plus in Chella’s eyes.

“It’s a young department and progressive thinking department,” he said. “These are the future leaders of the department.”

Chella reminded the new recruits that being a police officer “is a privilege, not a right.”

“We picked you because you are the best of the best,” he said. “Don’t disappoint us.”

The first recruit sworn-in was Sandi Billings, who will add to what is currently a low percentage of women on the force.

“I’m excited and nervous,” she said afterward. “I work as a paramedic and I see the work (police officers) do and I wanted to be a part of that.”

Billings added she’s proud to help increase the number of women in the department.

“They are all fine females and I am excited to work with them,” she said.

Recruit Pat Tighe, 22, got his first taste of becoming a police officer in 2006, while attending the department’s youth academy for high school students. He recently graduated from Niagara County Community College with a degree in criminal justice and immediately took the proper exams to become an officer in his hometown.

“I thought it would be a good chance to give back to the community,” he said, adding he’s not worried about the danger that comes with being a police officer. “The academy is going to train us well enough and we will all be going through it together and building a brotherhood.”

Tighe’s parents, David and Linda, and grandparents, Barbara and Matthew Janik, were in attendance to watch their son be sworn in.

“(The danger aspect) is always in the back of your mind, but he wanted to do this job and we support him,” David Tighe said.

Other new recruits are Kenneth Soluri, Paul Kudela, Daniel Haney, Shawn Watson and Wayne General, who will be the department’s first Native American male.

Before ending the swearing-in ceremony, Dyster wished the group a safe and successful career — and delivered a message to the general public.

“Bad guys out there, beware,” he said.

Contact reporter Rick Forgione

at 282-2311, ext. 2257.