It was a full house at Club 101 on Park Avenue, New York on Friday past for the annual Irish Echo Law & Order Awards which salute law enforcement officers from across the nation.
Among sevices represented at the 14th annual assembly which recognises the storied Irish America contribution to law and order were the NYPD, New Jersey and Delaware State Police, the NY-NJ Port Authority Police Department, Yonkers Police Authority (NY), New York City Department of Correction and the MTA Police Department (NY).
Also honored was James Tansey from the Union County Prosecutors Office (NJ), who received his award from New Jersey State Senator Joseph Cryan who grew up in the same street as the First Assistant Prosecutor.
Keynote speaker Mike Lawler presented the 'Front Line Award' to Ann Beck, Correction Officer at Rikers Island while Pat Hendry, President of the New York City Police Benevolent Association honored Mary Farrell, Investigator with the Bronx Special Victims unit with the 'New York's Finest Award'. The representative for New York's 17th Congressional District — where over 50 per cent of homes have a serving or retired member of law enforcement or military — pledged to "always have the back" of law enforcement officers. HONORED: Congressman Lawler and Consul General Angley with awardees Carol Peterkins, NYPD Detective (rtd.) and Ann Beck, Corrections Officer
Other awardees included father and son, Dessie and Daniel Stokes, the former coming to the close of a 40-year tenure with the NYPD, the latter service with the Detective Bureau's 6th Precinct.
NJ Sate Troopers Superior Officers Association President had a quartet of honorees: Sergeant Jason Serratore of the Delaware State Police; Lieutenant Robert Lieberum of the New Jersey State Police; Major Brian Winne of the NJ State Police; and Captain Martin Herrick, also a State Trooper.
Special guests at the gala presentations included Gerald Angley, Consul General of Ireland in the Big Apple and Mary Capella from sponsors CIE Tours, whose father was a police officer in Newark, NJ.
