Local Cops Honored During Foundation Event

Community leaders gathered at the 5th Annual Appreciation Luncheon to honor local police officers and firefighters this past Friday, where they heaped praise and gratitude upon the men and women of the 60th and 61st precincts.

The event was organized by the Be Proud Foundation, a group with roots in Russian-speaking community and which formed in 2005 to foster unity and pride in the local neighborhoods.

At the Friday event, held in the New York Steak House (2007 Emmons Avenue), politicians and community leaders paraded in front of dozens of attendees and officers from the two precincts. Those present included Assemblymen Steven Cymbrowitz, William Colton and Alec Brook-Krassny, City Councilmen Lew Fidler and Mike Nelson, Igor Oberman from Borough President Markowitz’s office, and members of both precincts’ community councils.

“It is amazing the relationship that we as elected officials have … with not only the leaders of our precincts but with the individual police officers that do such a terrific job,” said Cymbrowitz.

“They are constantly working for the community,” said Colton. “It is a job that protects the families of the neighborhoods, and we owe it a debt of thanks to all of those officers who are doing so much to protect us.”

Deputy Inspector Georgios Mastrokostas of the 61st Precinct and Deputy Inspector Peter DeBlasio of the 60th Precinct were joined by their community affairs units to receive certificates and gift baskets from the organization.

Video of the elected officials’ statements:

A photo gallery from the event: