Downtown Alliance Honors 12 Public Safety Officers

Twelve Downtown Alliance Public Safety Officers were honored Tuesday, at The Ketch on Pearl Street, for helping to keep Lower Manhattan one of the safest neighborhoods in the five boroughs.

“Our public safety officers are the most recognizable faces of the Downtown Alliance,” said Downtown Alliance President Elizabeth H. Berger. “These men and women in red improve the experience of Lower Manhattan’s millions of workers, residents and visitors every day and I thank them for their hard work and dedication.”

The 57 public safety officers, known for their bright red uniforms, work hand in hand with the New York City Police Department’s First Precinct, which has a substation in the Downtown Alliance’s Public Safety Office. Criminal activity in Lower Manhattan has dropped considerably since the Downtown Alliance and NYPD began working together 13 years ago. The public safety team is also trained to provide Lower Manhattan’s 11.5 million annual tourists with directions, district maps, and recommendations on local attractions.

Public Safety Officers received recognition from the Downtown Alliance for the following:

June 1, 2012 – Security Officer Edwin Velez reported a fire on the 17^th floor of 116 John Street. Velez and Supervisor Shawn Soto assisted the police department in securing the area and safely evacuating residents.

July 17, 2012 – Security Officer Giovanni Lombardo notified the police department after several skateboarders refused to stop skating on property at 17 Battery Place during the early morning. The skateboarders, one of whom provided police officers with false identification, were arrested for destruction of property and identity theft.

August 23, 2012– Supervisor German Rosario and Security Officer Jonathan Molina reported and altercation between two food cart vendors on Fulton and Church Streets. After the NYPD and EMS were notified and the vendors’ injuries were treated, both men were arrested for assault.

October 16, 2012 – Security Officer Luis Soto reported a man who was suspiciously recording Lower Manhattan landmarks. The NYPD Intelligence Division opened a case and Security Officer Soto’s photographs of this suspicious person are being used as evidence in the active case.

Hurricane Sandy: October 29-31, 2012 – The following public safety members are recognized for their outstanding, around-the-clock performance during Hurricane Sandy:

• Supervisor Rosa Ellis
• Supervisor German  Rosario
• Supervisor Jason Rivera
• Supervisor David Weeks
• Security Officer Jaquan Brown
• Security Officer Joseph Cuadrado
• Security Officer Giovanni Lombardo
• Security Officer Steven Maldonado