Latest news with #EmergencyServiceUnit
New York Post
3 days ago
- New York Post
Newly promoted detective will wear same shield number as 9/11 hero dad
A newly promoted Big Apple detective — who has the same job as his 9/11 hero dad — will now wear his father's identical shield number, decades after it was retired. Joe Vigiano, 32, of the NYPD's elite Emergency Service Unit, sported shield number 4511 at a promotions ceremony Friday — years after his father, Joseph Vigiano, died wearing it while rescuing those trapped in the World Trade Center. 'Now I have the privilege of wearing my dad's shield number,' a beaming Joe Vigiano told The Post. 4 Joe Vigiano, 32, surrounded by his proud family at a promotions ceremony. Matthew McDermott Vigiano was 8 years old when his father, a detective with ESU's Truck 2 on Sept. 11, 2011, never returned home. His dad's FDNY brother John also perished in the terrorist attack. Joseph Vigiano and his widow, Kathy, met while the pair worked in Brooklyn's 75th Precinct. 'He went to work and never came home,' Kathy, a retired cop, said about her beloved husband. 4 Joe Vigiano wearing his hero dad's shield number. Matthew McDermott 'Now, my son Joe wears his father's detective shield and does the same job his father did.' Joe said he was inspired to follow his father's footsteps after ESU members helped the shattered family grieve after the devastating attacks. 4 Joe Vigiano poses for a photo with NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch during a promotions ceremony. Matthew McDermott 'It was definitely the camaraderie I saw with the passing of my father,' he said. 'After my dad passed away, it was definitely the men and women of the 75th Precinct and the Emergency Service Unit that took my family in.' Joe joined the department eight years ago and has worked out of Brooklyn's Emergency Truck 7 — where his dad started out. His brother John is in the Marines. While his other one, James, also works in the NYPD. 4 Brothers Joseph and John Vigiano died in the World Trade Center attacks on 9/11. Copyphoto Last year, the cop brothers saved a man in Brooklyn after he was shot in the chest. At the ceremony, Joe was surrounded by his proud family including his mom, wife Jenny and 3-year-old son Joseph, who is named after his brave grandfather. Asked how his dad would feel about his ascent in the department, Joe said, 'I'm sure he would be proud.' 'More importantly, I think he would be proud of my family, my wife and son. They're great'
New York Post
20-06-2025
- New York Post
Beloved NYPD trainer of elite Emergency Service Unit gets special send-off after two decades in uniform
A beloved instructor for the NYPD's elite Emergency Service Unit bade farewell to the department Thursday after more than two decades on the job in a rousing ceremony attended by scores of his fellow Finest. Sgt. John Flynn's formal walk off took place at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, home to the NYPD's facility where Flynn trained many of the officers who are in the unit today. 4 NYPD ESU Sgt. John Flynn had his walk off ceremony at Floy Bennett Field after. a career that panned more than two decades. Michael Nagle Dozens of officers from the Emergency Service Unit celebrated the man who they consider to be an institution within the department. 'The training to be able to do this work is not easy,' Flynn said to the crowd. 'What I say to all my students on day one is 'I'm not saying it's going to be easy,'' Flynn said. But he added, 'it is absolutely one of the most rewarding positions you could ever be involved in.' 'After leading 11 Emergency Service Unit classes and countless life-saving rescues, Sgt. John Flynn takes his final walkout,' the NYPD said in a statement. 'A standard-bearer of excellence, his leadership shaped generations of NYPD heroes and safeguarded our city.' 4 NYPD ESU Sergeant John Flynn posed with fellow officers in front of Emergency Service Unit vehicle. Michael Nagle Flynn was involved in numerous harrowing rescues and dangerous calls in a career that spanned more than two decades. The ESU is one of the most highly trained units of its kind in the county, dealing with a variety of complex, high-risk incidents like rescues and tactical situations. It is the unit, as one NYPD officer put it, that the cops call when the cops need help. Of the 23 officers who died responding to the 9/11 attacks, 14 of them were members of ESU. The 400-members of the unit deal with everything from hostage situations to disasters. Flynn's career is a testimony to the unexpected and sometimes eccentric calls members of the team have responded to over the years. 4 NYPD ESU Sergeant John Flynn celebrates with fellow officers at his retirement ceremony. Michael Nagle Flynn recalled the most exciting moments of his career that was built on thrilling moments. State Police needed help with a hiker who had been bitten by a rattlesnake on Bear Mountain. Flynn hastily put together a crew and flew out. 'We were able to assess that patient, stabilize her, package her up, and hoisted her up on the side of the mountain about 100 feet up to the helicopter,' he said. Flynn took pride in knowing he was saving one of his own – a New Yorker. 'What was amazing about it, she was from New York, from Brooklyn.' Flynn added: 'She…was surprised to be bitten by a rattlesnake.' She was in grave condition so they flew her to Nyack where the team landed on a football field and rushed her to a hospital. 'She was saved with a significant amount of anti venom,' he said. 'Probably one of the wildest and most exciting moments of my entire career.' 4 NYPD ESU Sergeant John Flynn hugs an officer at his retirement ceremony at Floyd Bennett Field. Michael Nagle Flynn credited his fellow officers for the city being so safe over the course of his career. He said its a tremendous obligation they take on every time they put on a uniform, 'We're tasked with the responsibility of protecting the people who live and visit here and it's an awesome responsibility,' Flynn said, 'and is absolutely worth it.'
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Yahoo
NYPD K-9 handler's ‘best friend' named after dad — who was killed in line of duty when she was 9
NYPD K-9 Officer Katarina Narvaez became a cop to honor her dad who was killed in the line of duty in Brooklyn — and his memory lives on right by her side, every day at work. Narvaez, 37, was just 9 years old when her best friend in the world — Lt. Frederico Narvaez — was fatally shot while responding to a domestic incident in Flatbush on Oct. 18, 1996. Twenty-two years later, when she joined the K-9 team of the NYPD's Emergency Service Unit, she met her new best friend, a wire-haired pointer/Labrador mix pooch. So she named him Freddy. 'I feel honored that they let me name him after my dad,' Narvaez said. 'I wasn't sure if they were going to allow that. It meant a lot to me when they said that I could.' Now she hangs out all the time with with Freddy, an 8-year-old specialist in finding guns, and anything that can explode, including potassium chlorate, C4, dynamite and other compounds. She and Freddy showed off his impressive sniffer Wednesday to The Post at the Brooklyn Army Terminal in Red Hook, where ESU canines are based. Navaez led Freddy toward three abandoned vehicles where another cop hid a fake pistol dipped in gunpowder. Once released from his collar, Freddy excitedly sniffed around the first two vehicles but came up empty. When he got to the third car, however, he slowed down and zeroed in on the right front bumper. Then, he sat down – which means he hit pay dirt. ''Freddy has a great nose,' said ESU Detective and trainer Christina Orlando. After Freddy found the gun, Narvaez threw him a rope — his favorite toy — as a reward. 'Such a good dog!' she cooed. Narvaez still gets emotional when she talks about her dad, who was working in the 70th Precinct in Flatbush when he answered a call of a woman being stalked. When Narvaez arrived after calling for backup, career criminal Harvey Richardson, 61, turned and fired, striking him in the face as he exited his patrol car before he could get off a shot. Responding cops shot Richardson dead. 'He was a great dad,' she said, choking up. 'He was just an awesome guy to be around. I looked forward to Mondays because that was his RDO (regular day off). I could just go home after school and we'd just hang out for the rest of the day.' Narvaez learned about K-9 cops after her dad was killed. 'When I was a kid and found out you could work with dogs, I was like, 'I can be a police officer and work with dogs?'' she recalled. ''Come on! Sign me up.'' Narvaez dropped out of Hunter College after being accepted into the NYPD and has been an officer for 12 years, starting out in her dad's old 70 Precinct. 'I feel like the primary goal of a police officer is to help people and I really enjoy doing that,' she said. 'And that's what made me want to be a cop.' When she was moved to the Emergency Services Unit and paired with Freddy, she was ecstatic. Soon, Freddy will be staying home while Navaez, who is married, is at work. NYPD canines retire at 9, so she's about to be paired with a new dog. 'It's scary,' said the cop, who lives with Freddy 24/7. 'This guy's my best friend. He comes with me everywhere . . . I don't know what I'm gonna do.'
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Yahoo
Barricaded suspect accused of wounding cop in Manhattan indicted on attempted murder charges
A suspected gunman who shot an NYPD officer while barricaded in a Manhattan apartment has been indicted on attempted murder and weapon possession charges, officials said Monday. Prosecutors said Edwin Rivera, 34, nearly killed a cop when he fired through a Lower East Side apartment door after a long, tense standoff with detectives who were trying to execute a search warrant last month. Cops said Rivera had actually opened fire on cops two separate times during the four-hour lockdown, and wounded a detective when he shot at cops the second time. Rivera was also wounded during the exchange, and arrested, officials said. 'We have absolutely no tolerance for any conduct that harms police officers, and the charges in this indictment reflect the seriousness with which we are treating this incident,' said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. 'I want to thank the members of the NYPD who put on their uniforms every day to selflessly protect New Yorkers. Their jobs are incredibly dangerous, and I hope the detective who was shot will continue to recover from his injuries. I thank him, and everyone else on the scene that day, for their bravery and commitment to keeping everyone safe.' According to cops and court records, police were trying to execute a search warrant shortly after 5 a.m. at a sixth-floor apartment at NYCHA's Vladeck Houses on Madison St. Rivera, a convicted felon with multiple prior arrests for gun possession and narcotics, quickly barricaded himself inside, using a couch to block the entry door, officials said. A police Emergency Service Unit was looking for guns at the location, cops said. When cops made their first attempt to get inside, Rivera shot at them, hitting an officer's ballistic shield, police said. No one was hurt that time, and the officers did not return fire. Cops pulled back and tried to negotiate with him, and even launched a FaceTime session with the suspect until he cut off communication, officials said. At one point, cops thought a woman was being held hostage in the apartment, but he was in the unit alone. After they lost contact with Rivera, the officers tried to get in again. That's when he opened fire once more, shooting a cop in the shoulder and getting wounded when they returned fire, according to the indictment. 'The shooting of a uniformed police officer is an attack on our entire city,' said Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. 'This indictment serves as a stark reminder of the dangers that NYPD police officers face every day while working to keep New York City safe. As their noble work continues, we remain committed to closely collaborating with the Manhattan District Attorney's Office to ensure that those who endanger the security of New Yorkers are held fully accountable.' Rivera was charged with first-degree and second-degree attempted murder, attempted assault, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a controlled substance. Cops said Rivera threw a bag of drugs through his window onto the street. Rivera was struck in his leg and torso. The officer, a 20-year department veteran, was treated and released. Tisch called Rivera 'a career criminal' who should not have been out of jail. She said he has been out on parole four times, including for a November arrest for criminal possession of stolen property in which he was charged only with resisting arrest, 'We're grateful for his safety, but we're also angry,' Mayor Adams said at the time. 'We're angry because the shooter is a violent, repeated offender with prior gun arrests, who was on parole for narcotics use and sales,'
