The Port Washington Police District held its annual Awards Ceremony on Monday, May 12, where 20 officers received recognitions for outstanding contributions to the protection of the Port Washington community over the last two years.
Awards were given for meritorious service and lifesaving efforts, some of which required officers’ willingness to put their own lives on the line to save the lives of others.
“Our Awards Ceremony is always an exciting time of year at the Port Washington Police District,” said PWPD Chairman JB Meyer. “Our officers put their own safety at risk every single day to protect this community, and it is important to us that they are recognized for their valor and heroism. We hope that these officers understand how much we appreciate their efforts and the crucial role they play in keeping our citizens safe.”
Twelve officers, one sergeant and one detective were honored for their lifesaving efforts, some more than once. These efforts oftentimes included performing CPR on unresponsive citizens, working with EMS services to make sure residents made it out of life-threatening situations alive and clearing the airways of choking victims.
Highly noted were the actions of police officers Kristin Kujan, Kyle Lewis, William McNally and Christopher Mele. Kujan put her own safety aside to rescue a Port Washington Fire Department assistant chief with whom she was working alongside during an investigation into a strange odor in a local apartment.
The assistant chief called for help as he began to collapse, and without taking into account her own well-being, Officer Kujan ran into the fumes to pull him out, and informed the other three officers on the scene that another victim was still inside.
Lewis, McNally and Mele all rushed in, foregoing their own safety gear in favor of getting the victim out successfully. Thanks to the actions of all four officers, all victims recovered from their conditions.
All four officers were honored for their heroism. Other PWPD members who received awards for lifesaving efforts include Sgt. Robert Pape, Det. Anthony Guzzello and police officers Christian Castillo, Jimmy Ambroise, Patrick McKeever, Zeshan Babar, Kyle DiLeo, Jordan Caruso, Richard Cuomo and Lionel Puton.
“Cases like these show just how crucial our officers are to this community and how valuable all of the constant training they receive truly is,” said PWPD Chief Robert Del Muro. “If it weren’t for their dedication to protecting the people of Port Washington, there may very well have been several residents who would have died without getting the help they needed. I am extremely proud of the work these fine officers do on a daily basis and it is a privilege to work alongside them.”
Receiving the Meritorious Police Service Award were the members of the PWPD Detective Division, including Lieutenant Nicholas Dello-Iacono and detectives Charles Kouvel, Donald Wilson, Michele Cetta, John Steadman, and Jaime Arias.
Since 2023, the detective division has engaged in a proactive campaign targeting unlicensed and illicit massage parlor, operating in violation of local business laws. Demonstrating exceptional initiative, professionalism and a commitment to public safety, these operations played a tremendous role in protecting and improving the quality of life within the Port Washington community.
These detectives exemplified what it means to uphold public trust and safety in Port Washington.
