Unsung Big Apple heroes — NYC's hospital cops — finally get their day
They typically fly under the radar, but they wear uniforms and fight crime — and finally got noticed in a major way Tuesday.
Members of the New York City Health + Hospitals Police Department in Brooklyn were honored at the agency's first medal ceremony, with more than 200 on hand to acknowledge the crew that tackles wrongdoers without guns or even pepper spray.
'The philosophy is, do excellent work, everyone lives, the bad guys go to jail, job done,' said Vincent Martinos, a former NYPD detective and now chief of the South Brooklyn hospital force, at the Coney Island event. 'This ceremony is trying to honor them and their dedication to the community that we serve.
5 Thirty Brooklyn members of the underappreciated New York City Health + Hospitals Police Department were honored Tuesday.
Paul Martinka
'We only patrol hospitals, and we don't have firearms or mace, but we do have the responsibility to make arrests just the same as the NYPD,' said Martinos, a three-star borough chief.
It can get pretty hairy in the hallways of Big Apple hospitals.
Officer Stephen Cummings received a commendation Tuesday for nabbing a wanted man as he was being discharged from a hospital — after a nurse who had been assaulted by the creep recognized him and tipped off the cop.
'I went over to talk to him to deescalate, and he just started punching me in the face,' Cummings recalled to The Post. 'I saw blood all over, and I said, 'Where's the blood coming from? Who's hurt?' And my partner was like, 'Hey, Cummings. It's you!' '
5 Vincent Martinos, head of the South Brooklyn hospital force, speaks at the department's awards ceremony.
Paul Martinka
5 Martinos has made the cover of the South Brooklyn Health Magazine for his work.
Paul Martinka
Cummings said the suspect had two open cases in Queens for assaulting women, including the nurse.
Another award was given to hospital cop Matvey Gornack, who received the meritorious medal for saving a patient's life by giving him a dose of Narcan in a quick-thinking move inside a van.
But it wasn't the craziest feat in his career, he said.
'The craziest thing was 10 years ago when the person in the ER jumped out the window,' Gornack said. 'He was in the psych ER, and he jumped right through the glass outside, and here I am chasing him down Ocean Parkway, and he is naked and has a bad cut and bleeding.'
Officer Collins Daley also was given the Excellent Police Duty medal for helping deliver a baby.
5 Officer Collins Daley receives his award Tuesday.
Paul Martinka
5 New York City hospital cops have to fight crime without guns or even pepper spray, officials said.
Paul Martinka
'I have two kids of my own, and when I saw [the mother's] face, I saw she needed me to stay with her and act quickly,' he said. 'Instinct kicked in. I reacted, it was an urgent situation.
'I stayed with her all the way up until she gave birth,' Daley said.
In all, 30 hospital police officers were cited Tuesday for their service.
While average New Yorkers may not know there are cops patrolling city hospitals, the NYPD and FDNY are well-versed in the exploits of their brethren and frequent partners.
'This isn't just good partners,' said FDNY Lt. Marat Nurilov. 'This is a necessary partnership.
'We bring patients in to them who can sometimes be violent, and their officers got our backs so that we can focus on patient care,' Nurilov said.
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