NORTHAMPTON — From saving a girl from choking to preventing two suicides and creating a trading card program for youth, the city’s police officers took time out earlier this month to recognize the accomplishments of their own.

The department also welcomed two new faces at its annual swearing-in and awards ceremony March 22.

Officers received awards for saving lives, advancing their training and educations, and creating outreach programs for the department.

“We’re excited to have the ceremony and proud of the work our staff and officers do each year and their commendable acts that were recognized,” Capt. John Cartledge said Wednesday.

Lifesaving medals were awarded to officers Bradley Buzzee, Thomas Briotta and Justin Hooten.

Buzzee was off duty eating dinner at a restaurant in Florence when he performed the Heimlich maneuver to save a 13-year-old girl who was choking.

Briotta and Hooten were able to stop a woman from jumping off the parking garage. Hooten was able to momentarily distract her while Briotta was able to grab onto her and pull her from the ledge, according to the department.

Buzzee and Officer Timothy Zantrofski received the meritorious service medal for their response to a call to the Northampton Meadows for a report of a man making suicidal statements. Police found the man hanging from a tree. Buzzee climbed the tree and cut the man down with the assistance of Zantrofski. The two officers immediately began lifesaving measures, according to the department.

Staff Sgt. Patrick Moody and firefighter Josh Shanley received a letter of commendation for their work in creating the Northampton Police Trading Card Program.

Officers Brandon Lagoy and Jeffrey Staples received commendations for their response to Cooley Dickinson Hospital for a report of a woman who escaped from an ambulance and was later found submerged in a swamp area near the hospital, according to the department.

In all, more than two dozen officers were honored.

New officers

Officers Heather Longley and Garret Wojcicki were sworn in as news officers.

Longley joined the department in November 2016 and was a graduate of the 55th Western Massachusetts Police Academy. She is a graduate of Lasell College, in Auburndale, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice with a minor in legal studies.

Wojcicki joined the department in June 2017 and previously worked as a dispatcher for Northampton Public Safety. He is a graduate of Westfield State University, where he earned a bachelor’s in criminal justice and a minor in political science.

Emily Cutts can be reached at ecutts@gazettenet.com.]]>