March 2022
Photo: Third J.D. L-R Officer Elizabeth LaPorte, Officer Julie Cioffi, Officer Russell Lapham, Lieutenant Scott Llanes, Chief Sean Egan, NYS Liaison Chief for Courts Outside New York City, Hon. Norman St. George, Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for Courts Outside New York City, Hon. Elizabeth Walsh, Rensselaer County Family Court Judge, Hon. Gerald Connolly, 3rd Judicial District Administrative Judge, Sergeant Donn Liebener, Officer John Hill, Officer Trevor Wallace and Officer Evan Tavella
* The 2 Officers in that back next to the flags were, Officer Devin Feliciano and Officer Erin Wood.
On Monday March 7, 2022, the Third Judicial District held a Court Officer Recognition Ceremony at the Rensselaer County Courthouse. Hon. Norman St. George, Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for Courts Outside New York City, and Hon. Gerald Connolly, Third Judicial District Administrative Judge, presided as seven court officers were honored for their heroic actions on June 1, 2021, for an incident which occurred at the Rensselaer County Courthouse.
During a virtual Family Court proceeding, a litigant father became disruptive and began screaming and making threats directed at the Judge. Later that day, officers observed a man in the Judge’s parking lot who matched the description of the disruptive litigant. He was calling and threatening the Judge by name. Lieutenant Scott Llanes, Sergeant Donn Liebener, Court Officers Julie Cioffi, John Hill, Russell Lapham, Elizabeth LaPorte, Evan Tavella and Trevor Wallace acted swiftly to detain the litigant and neutralize the threat. Each honoree received a Certificate of Recognition and a Letter of Commendation.
On March 15, 2022, The Fourth Judicial District held a Court Officer Recognition Ceremony at the District Office in Malta. Judge St. George and Hon. Felix Catena, Fourth Judicial District Administrative Judge, presided at the ceremony to honor three court officers for their heroic actions during an incident that occurred on March 3, 2021.
Immediately following a Family Court proceeding, Sergeant Eduardo Suarez was notified by an attorney that his client, a litigant mother, just swallowed a “bunch of pills”. Lieutenant Suarez immediately radioed for assistance and Officers Andrew Leonard and April Wood quickly responded. The Officers observed the woman to have chalky lips and a mouth full of pills. Officer Wood directed the litigant to spit out the pills, which she did, only to take more pills from her pocket and place them in her mouth. While doing so, the woman lunged across a table to grab a visible pill bottle. Officer Leonard restrained the woman, rendering her unable to further harm herself or anyone else, and Officer Wood then manually removed several pills from the woman’s mouth. Sergeant Suarez placed the woman in handcuffs, using the least amount of force necessary. An ambulance arrived to take her to the hospital. Each honoree received a Certificate of Recognition and a Letter of Commendation.
Photo: Fourth J.D. -L-R Chief Sean Egan, NYS Liaison Chief for Courts Outside New York City, Officer Andrew G. Leonard, Officer April M. Wood, Lieutenant Eduardo R. Suarez, Captain Andrew Hollis and Chief David Joseph