Transcript: Mayor de Blasio, Commissioner O'Neill Deliver Remarks at NYPD Medal Day Ceremony

June 4, 2019

Mayor Bill de Blasio: Thank you, thank you very much. Thank you, Lieutenant Hodges. I’m proud to be here today to honor New York’s Finest, and today we honor the finest amongst the Finest. And we remember, on this day, that those that we honor today are part of a history, part of a tradition over a century-and-a-half long and they have upheld this tradition with great honor and we’re very proud of all of you today. Today 41 officers receiving commendations, 15 units receiving citations, but as we embark on this ceremony to honor and to celebrate their achievements, we first have to remember those that we’ve lost, that we honor every day. Detective Brian Simonsen, who gave his life while responding to an armed robbery in February; and all 47 members of the NYPD who succumbed to 9/11-related illnesses. Let’s take this moment to remember them, to honor them, and to thank their families. Let’s give them – all the family members a round of applause to show our appreciation.

[Applause]

I want to thank Commissioner O’Neill and all the leadership of the NYPD here present for what you do for this city every day. I want to thank the elected officials who are present, a particular thanks to the former Chair of the Public Safety Committee in the City Council who did so much to support the efforts to keep our city safe – Council Member Vanessa Gibson, thank you. And to all the union leadership who are present today, thank you as well.

Now every officer being honored has written a new, heroic chapter into that extraordinary history of the NYPD. Everyone today deserves our praise and our appreciation, I want to mention a few of them, though, who I think we all should particularly acknowledge and thank. Three officers receiving the Medal of Honor today for bravery under fire – Lieutenant Emmanuel Kwo, Sergeant Arvid Flores, and Police Officer Elwin Martinez. In November, 2016 they pursued a suspect who’d been holding his own family members at gunpoint. I want everyone to just think about that for a moment, someone so dangerous that they could hold even their own loved ones at gunpoint, imagine the threat that that individual posed to everyone in the community.

I want to thank these brave officers for doing all they could to stop this threat. And when the suspect opened fire, Lieutenant Kwo is wounded in the exchange. Fellow officers returned fire and stopped the gunman, stopped the danger, but we all know a horrible price was paid that day, the loss of Sergeant Paul Tuozzolo, such a good man who was awarded the Medal of Honor in 2017. We miss Paul, we honor him, and today we also honor the heroic actions of the three men by his side that day. Let’s thank them all.

[Applause]

Also today, we honor Detective Joseph Ayala and Sergeant Keith Bryan. In July 2017, they responded to the fatal shooting of Detective Miosotis Familia. Detective Ayala and Sergeant Bryan stopped the suspect and saved civilian lives, a suspect so dangerous but for these two brave officers, who knows how many more lives would have been lost. Detective Familia was awarded the Medal of Honor in 2018 for her selfless bravery, and today Detective Ayala and Sergeant Bryan receive the Combat Cross. Let us thank them.

[Applause]

I want to speak for a moment about officers who exemplify the NYPD’s total mission. The NYPD is unsurpassed in fighting crime and making this the safest big city in America, but we know every day beyond the threat of crime is the threat of terror. And the NYPD every day protects this city which is the number one terror target in our nation. We all remember September, 2016 when out of nowhere a bomb exploded in Chelsea. Today we recognize the heroism of Detective Timothy Brady and Detective Jason Hallik. They rushed to the scene, they recovered the second bomb and disabled it, and today they are receiving the Medal of Valor for skill and courage that prevented what would – unquestionably would have been a huge tragedy. Let us thank them.

[Applause]

And finally, I want to mention an officer who has gained such renown, and well deserved, because he ended the West Side Highway terror attack. Another day like this – and every day in New York City, a beautiful day, and out of nowhere terror struck. But it was Police Officer Ryan Nash who confronted the assailant, wounded and arrested – arrested him before he could do anymore danger, someone who had already killed so many was stopped from harming anyone else. Today, Officer Nash will receive the Medal of Valor for saving countless lives that day. Let us thank Officer Nash.

[Applause]

So, in a world where people are searching constantly for heroes and go to movie theaters looking for them, or sports events, I think if you want to find the truest heroes they are right here in front of us today and we honor you and we thank you.

[Applause]

They faced the ultimate test. Everything was on the line. They did not hesitate. They saved lives. They, by their actions, made us all proud. They are the example of the greatness of this department and all New Yorkers owe all of you tremendous gratitude. On behalf of 8.6 million people who you have kept safe, I say congratulations, we are so proud of you today, God bless you all, God bless the NYPD, and God bless America. Thank you.

[Applause]

Lieutenant Jamel Hodges, NYPD: And thank you, Mayor de Blasio. It is now my honor to introduce the Police Commissioner of the City of New York, the Honorable James P. O’Neill.

[Applause]

Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill: Good morning, everybody. Thanks for being here. Mayor de Blasio, on behalf of the leadership team assembled on the stage, thank you for your remarks. And thank you for your continued support of the New York City Police Department. And to our honorees, as well as the families, friends, and colleagues here to participate in the ceremony, welcome to One Police Plaza.

This is one of the most significant days of the year for us because today we honor those who gave their lives for the people of this city, we also recognize those whose remarkable bravery, instincts, and skill carried them through situations that would have panicked most other people. But fortunately these are not most other people. These cops are among the finest law enforcement officers in the world.

Every single day I’m grateful for the honor and privilege of working alongside members of the NYPD who prove time and again that the very best – that they are the very best at what they do. They have to be the best because lives depend on how they do their jobs – their lives, the lives of their fellow cops, and the lives of the people they're sworn to protect.

It’s a solemn responsibility and one that every cop faces just by coming to work. But that’s the job and nobody does it better than the NYPD, especially the NYPD represented here today. You are what New York policing is all about and you are an example to what all cops do every day across our great nation.

You go towards the danger and you never know what you’re going to find when you get there. In an instant what had been a normal day can become that day. So you find yourself wondering, when that day comes, when that call comes over the radio, ‘How will I respond?’

It’s true that some police officers can work their entire careers and not have to answer that question while others, like today’s medal recipients, did face that question and they answered it with confidence and courage. When that day came they rose to the equation with heroism and resolve. But they didn’t do it for the thanks for praise and they certainly didn’t do it for a medal. They did it because of who they are and they’re NYPD cops.

There’s no reward you can take greater pride in than that. So, to all of our medal recipients and your families, congratulations and thank you for everything you do for our department and for our great city. And to the loved ones of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for the people we serve, thank you for being here, you’ll always be among the most respected and revered members of our department, and every time you’re with us, it’s another opportunity to honor the men and women who gave their lives in service to this great city.

I am so privileged to stand here as your Police Commissioner, with the Mayor, with our colleagues, and with our community to honor you. We’re all tremendously proud to count you among our ranks and among the many, many heroes of the New York City Police Department. To everybody wearing that uniform out here today and everybody out on patrol right now, thank you for making this the safest city in the United States. Thank you for what you do each and every day. Thank you for making that decision to become New York City police officers. Thank you very much, everybody.

[Applause]