Alliance for Downtown New York Honors Six Public Safety Officers for Exceptional Service
The Alliance for Downtown New York honored six public safety officers for their outstanding service. The ceremony, a long-standing tradition at the Alliance, was held Thursday afternoon at the White Horse Tavern on Bridge Street. The Officers were honored for a variety of distinguished acts, from reuniting a lost child with their family, to giving aid and assistance to a gravely injured citizen, to assisting the NYPD with making a robbery arrest.
Downtown Alliance President Jessica Lappin presented the awards, together with Senior Vice President of Operations Ron Wolfgang and Director of Public Safety Dave Harvin.
“This is one of my favorite yearly traditions because our public safety team has a positive impact on our neighborhood every day in so many different ways,” Lappin said. “They serve as our eyes and ears on the street and continually make a difference. This year’s honorees showcase the ways in which this team continually goes above and beyond for our community.”
The Public Safety Officers received recognition from the Downtown Alliance for the following:
Supervisor Francisco Rosario and Officer Nyeisha Als — On the afternoon of March 16, 2022, Officer Als was on her routine patrol near Bowling Green when she was alerted that a 12-year-old boy had gone missing. She notified Alliance dispatch and gave them a description of the lost child before requesting a supervisor. Supervisor Rosario arrived on the scene, whereupon he launched a canvass of the area and had dispatch notify the NYPD. The child’s mother told Supervisor Rosario that her son had an Apple watch, and they were both able to pinpoint the child’s location using the Find My app. The child was ultimately located and reunited with his mother.
Security Officer Nathan Turner — On the morning of September 7, 2022, Officer Turner was on a train assignment at the Bowling Green train station when he heard an elderly man call for help. When he approached the man, Officer Turner noticed that he was bleeding heavily from his face. He flagged down two MTA officers who attended to the victim. It was determined that the victim had been assaulted by a woman with a machete; she was still on the scene, and MTA police officers arrested her.
Security Officer Darrell Joseph — On the afternoon of June 30, 2022, Officer Joseph was on routine patrol when the general manager of Bobby Van’s approached him, asking for assistance with a man who was acting erratically in the restaurant’s outdoor dining area. Officer Joseph notified Alliance dispatch and requested help from the BRC Homeless Outreach Team. The man refused their assistance and would not leave the area, prompting the responders to notify the NYPD. When the man refused to leave a second time, and then knocked over a restaurant stand, the NYPD took him into custody and brought him to Bellevue Hospital for treatment.
Security Officer Theresa Seignious — On the morning of July 22, 2022, while on her routine patrol, Officer Seignious came across a man who appeared to be in distress in the middle of the street. When she saw that he was semi-conscious, she requested an ambulance through Alliance dispatch. Paramedics arrived on the scene and administered aid, determining the man had suffered a cardiac event. He was transported to NewYork-Presbyterian hospital for further treatment.
Supervisor Shawn Soto — While on his routine patrol on the morning of November 2, 2022, Supervisor Soto was flagged down by a man who was bleeding from his face. The man said that he had been the victim of a robbery, prompting Supervisor Soto to request NYPD assistance through Alliance dispatch. Units from the 1st Precinct arrived on the scene and conducted a canvass with the victim, ultimately spotting the perpetrator a short distance from the scene and placing them under arrest.
Easily recognized by their bright red uniforms, the Downtown Alliance’s crew of more than 40 public safety officers works around the clock to keep Lower Manhattan safe. The team operates in close collaboration with New York City Police Department’s 1st Precinct and the Patrol Borough Manhattan South Scooter Task Force. In addition, these proud men and women also help locals and visitors alike with general information, directions and personal recommendations on how to best experience Lower Manhattan.
This year’s awards ceremony was hosted by our partners Quality Protection Services, a leading provider of security services.