The 45th Precinct Community Council held its annual council breakfast on Thursday, May 23, at SUNY Maritime College to celebrate Bronx community leaders and NYPD officers who work at the precinct.
Distinguished members and speakers of the ceremony included Deputy Inspector of the 45th Precinct Johnny A. Orellana, New York City Sheriff Chief Anthony Miranda, Commanding Officer and Assistant Chief at Patrol Borough Bronx Benjamin Gurley, 45th Precinct Community Council President Robert Bieder, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, Pastor Deborah Jenkins from Faith at Work Christian Church and District 13 Council Member Kristy Marmorato.
Bieder opened the annual ceremony by thanking attendees for gathering to celebrate police officers and community leaders.
“It is one of my biggest thrills in life to have this breakfast, to host this. We here at the 45th precinct have such an amazing, wonderful group of members here,” Bieder said. “Our police, of course, we are all in support of, but the thing that thrills me the most is the fact that in this community we are probably the most diverse anywhere, we are represented by five of the seven continents.”
Bieder highlighted both the diversity of the Bronx community and the individuals chosen for awards and honors.
“New York is a melting pot and we are certainly a great example of that. The diversity here, to me, shows that we can all get along,” Bieder said. “It’s just a marvelous, heartwarming feeling to have all of you come together and break bread with us today.”
Gibson also spoke highly of the Bronx’s diverse community and thanked the crowd for investing in the borough, including public safety, economic development, education and employment opportunities within the 45th Precinct. She thanked the leaders and officers at the breakfast for their work as role models to the community.
“That’s what this fellowship breakfast is about. It is about recognizing those who go above and beyond, those that do the work without the accolades, and without the recognition, sometimes often unrecognized,” Gibson said. “But we see all of you, we see the work you do every day because you believe in this borough.”
Gibson said the work that leaders in the 45th Precinct accomplish every day “set footprints” for the next generation and other community members to follow.
“When one of us wins, all of us can win, no matter what. Working with the men and women of the NYPD, working with all of our business leaders, members of the community board, of the precinct council, the clergy council, we truly are better together,” Gibson said. “I look forward to even more opportunities and really taking advantage of what we represent today.”
Several community members were honored for their leadership in the Bronx community. Honorees included Bobby Jean, executive director of the Throggs Neck Business Improvement District; George Havranek, president of the Spencer Estate Civic Association; Antonio Codrington, commander of American Legion Post 1871; and Greg Clancy, City Island Troop 211 Eagle Scout.
Orellana and Rivera presented police awards to Officers Dennison Durgadeen, Justine Zerbo, Amar Alfalahi, Robert Rodriguez, Bianca Zara and Edward McClain for their service that went “above and beyond.”
Pastor Nikil Adwalpalker from the Throggs Neck Community Church closed the event with a prayer.
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