Officers Who Rescued Hook Creek Jumper Honored by Town

Two officers who rescued a man that jumped into Hook Creek were recently recognized by the Town of Hempstead.
Officers Clarence Hudson and Michael Iannarelli, of the Tactical Field Services unit, were among 22 police officers honored for their service during the 2013 Police Service Awards ceremony. Three members of the Fourth Precinct, Officers Rita Bopp-Carroll and Richard Menzies and Detective Kristina Napolitano-Ferro, also got the nod.

“While we live, work and raise our families here in the Town of Hempstead, our dedicated police officers are patrolling the streets to ensure that our quality of life is protected,” Supervisor Kate Murray said. “I am proud to present these 22 police officers with the town’s Police Service Award in recognition of their heroic and selfless acts.”

A Daring Rescue

“Talking a man off a ledge is no easy task,” read a release from the town. “Saving a man who actually jumped off the ledge requires sheer courage and, often, superhero skills.”

On Aug. 19, Officers Hudson and Iannarelli arrived at Hook Creek in North Woodmere, where they broke through a chain link found and found a 23-year-old man threatening to take his own life. The man stood on the edge of a concrete retaining over a 9-foot deep body of water.

Hudson calmly talked to the man, who communicated his angst over a breakup with a girlfriend. Meanwhile, Iannarelli donned water survival gear and a life vest.

The man’s estranged girlfriend then arrived at the scene, and he jumped off the wall into the cold water. Iannarelli dove in after him. After multiple dives and battling difficult currents, Iannarelli secured the man in a life-saving hold with one arm. The officer carried the man with one arm and used his other arm to swim to the edge of the waterway, where Hudson awaited to remove the victim and transport him to the hospital for treatment.

A “Jill of All Trades”

Officer Bopp-Carrol, formerly of the Fifth Precinct, has served as a liaison to area schools, community groups and religious organizations, and is actively involved in the department’s Project 21 initiative, which aims to prevent businesses from selling alcohol to underage persons. She’s a regular a Hempstead Town Hall, where she communicates police matters, and assists the town with investigations that affect the quality of life of town residents. She’s also involved in the Town of Hempstead’s Summer Recreation Program.

A Problem Solver

A member of the Fourth Precinct’s Problem Oriented Policing Unit, Officer Menzies does everything from enforcing vehicle and traffic laws to tracking down dangerous criminals.

He communicates regularly with schools, community organizations, religious groups, local governments and other law enforcement agencies to identify emerging issues that affect quality of life in the community. Menzies is dedicated to keeping drugs and alcohol out of the hands of children, and targets businesses that sell alcohol to underage persons.

Menzies was recently recognized by the Fourth Precinct as a “Top Cop.”