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• Sunday, July 19, 2026

  Convention Puts Focus on First Respnders

  

  Northeast Officer of Year Jason Beichner with his family and 2025-2026 Department Commander John Miga.

  The 108th Department Convention, held at the Syracuse Marriott Downtown July 16-18, put the focus on the outstanding work of first responders.

  In announcing this year’s honorees, Committee Chair Cynthia Nelson said she was “excited to report” that last year’s officer of the year, Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Deputy Jason Beichner, “was selected by the National Committee on Law and Order to receive the Northeast Regional Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award.” Beichner was cited for saving the life of a motorcyclist who had a partiallysevered leg in a crash as well as for working with his K9 partner to find missing persons and capture fleeing suspects.This year’s honorees included:

  • Officer of the Year Nicole Amatore, of Rochester Police Department. She was cited for shooting and stopping an armed suspect, while under fire herself, after three of her fellow officers were wounded last December.

  

  Officer of Year Nicole Amatore and 2025-2026 Dept. Commander John Miga.

  • Firefighter of the Year Paul Glasser Sr. of Averill Park Sand Lake Fire Department. He was cited for 51 years of dedicated service that included leadership and instructor roles in both the fire department and its rescue squad. Glasser is a U.S. Navy vet who served in Vietnam.

  

  Firefighter of Year Paul Glasser and 2025-2026 Dept. Commander John Miga

  • EMT of the Year Sara Stadler of Erie County Medical Service. As a paramedic she supports suburban EMS units that have minimal manpower. She was cited in particular for taking control of a rainy, chaotic nighttime motor vehicle accident scene, assisted by two other EMS units. Using flash lights to see, she revived and stabilized a severely injured victim who had been thrown from a vehicle, and continued to care for the victim during transport to the hospital.

  • EMS Squad of the Year Bellmore Merrick Volunteer Ambulance Service in Bellmore, NY. The squad was cited, in particular, for responding to a private residence where paramedics found an elderly female lying on the floor, unresponsive and not breathing. They were able to revive and stabilized her for transport to the hospital.

  • Police Department of the Year Jamestown Police Department. Despite operating below minimum staffing, the officers responded to over3,000  calls in 2025, including over 1,000 for serious crimes such as murder, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, larceny and motor vehicle thefts. Officers voluntarily participate on special teams to further enhance the capability of the department.

  

  Jamestown Police Department Deputy Chief Adam McKinley and Chief Scot Forrester accept the Police Dept. of the Year Award from 2025-2026 Dept. Commander John Miga.

  • Fire Department of the Year Milford Fire Department of Milford, NY. With 50 volunteer members, the department responds to over 500 calls per year. Members attend mandatory training and drills. During a massive fire last July that destroyed several buildings, Assistant Chief Jonathan Ashe and Firefighter Will Smith rescued a victim trapped in a second floor bedroom.

  

  Milford Fire Department receives the 1Fire Dept of Year Award.

  Nelson noted that the Department of New York was able to honor outstanding first responders thanks to the committees that submit nominations on the post, county and district levels. She singled out for special recognition East Meadow Post 1082 and Post Chairman Leonard Volpe; Nassau County and its chairman, Kevin Tirman; and the 8th District and its chairman, Ted Balbierz.