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Chelsea Honors 'Cops of the Month' for Catching Burglary, Assault Suspects

By Mathew Katz | November 1, 2013 7:05am
  The new awards are meant to highlight intrepid officers helping the Chelsea community.
'Cop of the Month' Awards at the NYPD's 10th Precinct
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CHELSEA — Declaring them the "finest of the Finest," the 10th Precinct's new commanding officer recognized two "Cops of the Month" Wednesday night for their work fighting crime in Chelsea.

Capt. David Miller, who took over command of the precinct in May, gave the award to Officer Nicholas Pistilli for his work arresting a burglar in August and Officer Peter Marter for apprehending an assault suspect in September.

"These officers dealt with very tough crimes they were able to solve in one night," Miller said at the precinct's Community Council meeting.

Pistilli responded to a burglary call on Aug. 30 near West 23rd Street and Eighth Avenue, Miller said. But when he arrived, the victim had confronted and scared off the alleged burglar.

Pistilli then saw a man on the street who fit the description of the burglar and instead of rushing up to him, lights and sirens blazing, he switched his lights on and sped past — tricking the alleged burglar into thinking he was home free.

He then circled back with his lights off and snuck up on the man, Miller said.

"Because of Officer Pistilli, he was only able to commit one crime," Miller said.

Marter was also able to arrest someone shortly after he committed a crime, Miller said. While on patrol, Marter found a man who appeared to have been robbed and assaulted by three assailants, Miller said. He had seen one of the alleged attackers earlier in the night entering The Blue Store, a sex shop on Eighth Avenue, according to Miller. 

Marter returned to the area and saw the suspect traveling from The Blue Store to Erotica, another sex shop farther up Eighth Avenue, Miller said. After a brief pursuit and a struggle, Marter arrested the man, which led to the the arrests of two other alleged attackers.

In the past, officers from the 10th Precinct were honored at an awards dinner each June but, after Miller took over, they decided to begin awarding the "Cop of the Month."

The precinct gave the award to Officers Kasey Homer and Jordan Rossi after they rescued a man who attempted suicide by jumping into the Hudson River in June. In July, the honor went to Officer Jared DiLorenzo for catching an armed robber who had a previous conviction for manslaughter.