Port Chester Recruit Graduates From Westchester Police Academy

PORT CHESTER, NY — A new officer joined the Port Chester Police Department after graduating Friday from the Westchester County Police Academy. Andy Polanco is among 83 police recruits headed off to work at 22 law enforcement agencies in Westchester and one in Putnam.

The new officers, who completed 20 weeks of training at the police academy in Valhalla, received their diplomas during a ceremony at Westchester Community College.

County Executive George Latimer, Public Safety Commissioner Thomas A. Gleason and District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino Jr. addressed the graduates of the 147th Session Basic Police Recruit Class and congratulated them for mastering the physical and academic demands of the Academy.

Gleason said the recruit school curriculum is constantly updated to reflect modern challenges. He said training in counter-terrorism, active shooter incidents and crisis intervention has been expanded.

“In simpler times, active shooter and counter-terrorism training was not a part of the Police Academy Curriculum. But our world has changed, and so has our training. You have been given the knowledge and skills to handle whatever might come your way,” Gleason told the graduates.

He urged them to commit themselves to improving their departments and communities throughout their careers.

"Police work is a challenging profession and the work is often demanding and stressful," said Latimer. "Thanks to Commissioner Gleason, Chief Inspector Martin McGlynn, Lt. Nicholas Alongi and the staff and instructors at the Academy, all can be confident these graduates have the knowledge, skills, tactics and training to help them handle whatever comes their way.

“Congratulations to the 83 men and women from the 147th Session, and their families, for their hard work over the past four months that brought them successfully to graduation today."

Here is the full list of graduates and their departments:

• Westchester County: Rachel Santiago and John Severi.
• Bedford: David Friedman.
• Eastchester: Nicholas Todino.
• Elmsford: John Barrett.
• Greenburgh: Justin Flynn, Paul Kandilou, Robert Martin and Vitaily Tarshentsev.
• Harrison: Michael Forgione, Robert Longo, Alexandra Menniti and David Tolve.
• Mamaroneck Town: Jennifer Guski and John Na.
• Mount Pleasant: Brian Givney and Andrew Texeira.
• Mount Vernon: Wendell Barbour, Samantha Betty-McLeggon, Christopher Cartwright, Robert Francis, William Guevara, Guillermo Lizarzaburu and Francisco Medina.
• New Rochelle: Alex Arias, Kari Bird, Matthew Moskalik, Wayne Nelson II, Jesse Pugliese, Alessandra Ricigliano, Anthony Sabatino, Marlon Stewart and Liam Wynne.
• North Castle: Julia DeCrenza and William Young.
• Peekskill: Angelo Cintron, Jr., Ramon Santos and Russell Schum.
• Pelham: Robert DiNapoli and Vincent RiPulone.
• Pelham Manor: Edward Fattorini and Nicholas Manias.
• Pleasantville: Jesus Bangurra.
• Port Chester: Andy Polanco.
• Putnam County Sheriff’s Office: Connor Carroll, Robert Loprieno and Elizabeth Sangalli.
• Rye: Joao Anjo, Joshua Belloise, Jesse Calcagni and Robert Jones.
• Scarsdale: Anthony Mery and Aidan Sullivan.
• SUNY Purchase: Matthew Alto and Dina Chakides.
• Tuckahoe: Peter Costa.
• White Plains: Shawna Amato, Winston McCormack, Anthony Rudovic and Sierra Vitolo.
• Yonkers: Edward Byrne, Dean Campana, Marc Caro, Frank Cimadomo, Christopher Cooney, Kevin Dempsey, Filipe Fernandes, Max Gonzalez, Thomas Gray, Kaitlin Hold, Luke Kusick, Adam Leddy, Joel Lozada, Katerine Mata, Paul Meara, Michael Olijarczyk, Joseph Pasciotty, Dana Pierdiluca, Rachelle Sainten, Johnathan Soto, Dylan Thomas, Juan Vasquez and John Wilt.