Heroes in blue: Pictured are (from left) Police Officers Kenneth Tilley and Thomas Nolan, state Rep. Mark Cohen, community relations officer Dianne Murphy, Capt. Frank Palumbo and (front) state Sen. Tina Tartaglione.
Members of the 2nd Police District Advisory Council on Feb. 11 honored officers for outstanding police work.
PDAC members along with Capt. Frank Palumbo, Lt. Frank Schneider and Sgt. Frank Barclay honored Thomas Nolan and Kenneth Tilley as the October 2013 officers of the month, and Christopher McCue and Anthony Glaviano the November 2013 officers of the month.
Tilley and Nolan’s honors stemmed from a firearms arrest they made in late October.
Nolan and Tilley were on patrol shortly after 1 a.m. on Oct. 24 when they arrived on the 1600 block of Cottman Avenue to back up another officer who was conducting a vehicle investigation.
A man left the vehicle and fled on foot through the grounds of Northeast High School. As Tilley and Nolan pursued him, according to Community Relations Officer Dianne Murphy, they noticed the man throw something on top of the school’s roof.
The two officers caught the 21-year-old man on Summerdale Avenue, Murphy said. With the man secured, she said, the officers called for a ladder, checked the roof and found a .25-caliber firearm with seven rounds. The man, identified as Tyresses Melvin, was subsequently arrested for Violations of the Uniform Firearm Act.
McCue and Glaviano were honored for an arrest they made in early November.
On Nov. 7, at about 11:30 a.m., McCue and Glaviano were on routine patrol when they responded to a radio call for a burglary in progress on the 700 block of Marley Road. When the officers arrived on scene, Murphy said, they saw a Joseph Rios, 31, trying to get in the front door. When Rios saw the two cops, he fled on foot. The officers pursued and soon caught Rios in an alley, Murphy said. A witness was brought to the location and positively identified the defendant, who was charged with criminal mischief, criminal trespass, conspiracy and related offenses.
Murphy said McCue was able to give flash information over police radio in regard to a second defendant, Misouk Bethsaysong, 36, who later was apprehended in the 700 block of Marley Road and was also positively identified by the witness. He faces burglary and other charges.
Officers Robert Donnelly and Kirk Dodd were given special recognition on Feb. 11 for an arrest they made in mid-November. ••
