ATTICA — The Village of Attica Police Department is not your ordinary public safety unit. On any given day, officers are asked to do extraordinary things.
Chief Dean Hendershott recently held an awards ceremony to honor outstanding accomplishments for their work in the line of duty.
“Today, we’re here to honor my officers,” Hendershott said. “They have gone above and beyond several times and they need to be publicly recognized for their bravery and professionalism.”
The police department, which has a full-time staff of three personnel and nine CSEA-represented part-time officers, serves a population of 3,000 residents in this unique village that sits within two counties, Wyoming and Genesee in Western New York.
Hendershott said there are three awards given to village employees and upstanding citizens — the Merit of Accommodation, a Distinguished Service Award and the Medal of Valor. The latter is the most prestigious award for an officer to receive, and it’s one Hendershott himself received while serving as an officer earlier in his career.
Three CSEA members employed as officers recently received the Attica police officers honored for service Medal of Valor.
CSEA member and Police Officer Stephanie Ingles received the Medal of Valor for responding to a call without backup where one man was unresponsive following an opiate overdose. She had the other person at the scene assist her in performing CPR until the fire department and EMS arrived to administer Narcan. The patient has fully recovered, and is reportedly doing very well.
Hendershott said that Wyoming County Director of Emergency Management Tony Santoro commented on Ingles at the time of the incident, saying how her “quick and decisive actions, which on all accounts prevented a heroin overdose from being a fatality.”
CSEA member and Police Officer James Prusak Jr. also received the Medal of Valor for saving a suicidal man. Prusak arrived at the scene where a man had hung himself with an electric cord from a tree in the man’s backyard. Prusak lowered the man to the ground by cutting the cord and begin lifesaving measures.
“Without the immediate and direct intervention by Officer Prusak, the victim would have succumbed to his attempt and would have perished,” Hendershott said.
Finally, CSEA member and Police Officer Karl Zufall received the Medal of Valor for responding to a call of a man with a severe cut to his leg. The man was injured when a trailer had fallen off a rig while he was trying to connect it to his vehicle. The wound cut open an artery and the victim immediately went into shock. Hendershott said Zufall applied a pressure dressing and bandage in an attempt to save the man, who died a week later from his injuries.
“Due to Officer Zufall’s lifesaving measures, the victim survived the day which allowed his family members precious time to gather and have time to say goodbye,” Hendershott said.
State Sen. Patrick Gallivan, who served as a state trooper and Erie County sheriff earlier in his career, also attended the ceremony.
Gallivan presented the three Medal of Valor honorees with a State Senate proclamation. “Those dedicated public servants, who unselfishly devote their lives to the preservation of order and the protection of others, are worthy of dutiful praise for their commitment and noble endeavors,” Gallivan said.
Ingles said being recognized for just doing her job is great, but remained modest in her observations. “We do the best we can and rely on our training to get us through our day,” she said. “It’s a great feeling to know you can help save a life — that is what we are trained to do.”
The recipients of the Merit of Accommodation were Prusak and Zachary Fleiss. Police Officer Gregory Kellogg also received the Distinguished Service Award.
— Ove Overmyer
Above,CSEA members James F. Prusak Jr, Stephanie A. Ingles, and Karl E. Zufall are given proclamations from State Sen. Patrick Gallivan after receiving the Attica Police Department’s Medal of Valor.
