Five Towns Kiwanis Honor Officers Who Took Down "Madman"

The Five Towns Kiwanis along with police and government officials on Thursday commended the efforts of two Fourth Precinct police officers credited with busting a potential “madman” who had explosives at a Woodmere home.

Police Officers Robert Ryan, of Dix Hills, and John Lutz, of Old Bethpage, received several citations at the Kiwanis Police Officer Appreciation Night held at Mezzanote in Cedarhurst for their work leading to the arrest of Marc Ringel, 53, at his parents’ Narrow Lane home March of last year. Police discovered 15 destructive devices, particularly pipe bombs, 15 improvised grenades and 50 pounds of ingredients that could be used to make explosives as well as about 100 handguns and 20 long guns and marijuana at the home. Ringel is still on trial.

“Something you can’t measure is what the police officer prevents. No one knows what [these officers] prevented,” said Nassau Chief of Detectives Rick Capece, the former commanding officer of the Fourth Precinct. “No one has that much firepower for [stuff] and giggles.”

According to Inspector Chris Cleary, current commanding officer of the Fourth Precinct, Officers Ryan and Lutz received a call for an audible alarm at a Narrow Lane home. When they arrived, they found Ringel outside, who told them it was his parents’ home. The officers asked for ID, and as Ringel opened the door of the house, the officers smelled marijuana. They then saw the weapons.

Ringel then allegedly attempted to push the officers out of the home, but the officers were able to pull him out of the house, secure him and call for backup. 

Cleary commended Ryan and Lutz for their “quick thinking and resourcefulness” and for making the crime scene “good to go.”

Government citations were provided by County Executive Ed Mangano, State Sen. Dean Skelos, Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg and Town of Hempstead Councilman Anthony Santino.

“We are truly blessed to have a wonderful police department,” Santino said.