WHITE PLAINS, NY (May 15, 2025) — The Westchester County law enforcement community gathered Wednesday at the County Center in White Plains to honor 93 fallen officers and recognize current officers for exceptional police work during the annual Police Memorial Service and Honor Awards ceremony.
County Executive Ken Jenkins and Public Safety Commissioner Terrance Raynor presided over the event, where the names of 93 officers who died in the line of duty were read aloud, followed by the playing of taps. Jenkins emphasized the importance of remembering their sacrifice.
“We gather today in solemn remembrance of 93 law enforcement officers from Westchester who gave their lives in the service of others,” Jenkins said. “It is our duty to never forget their sacrifice. It is our responsibility to remember the terrible price their loved ones paid.”
The ceremony also highlighted outstanding police work from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025.
Among the honorees, a New Rochelle case stood out. Detective John Ladeairous received a Citation of Commendable Merit for his homicide investigation into the torture and dismemberment of a New Rochelle woman. His hundreds of hours of investigation led to the arrest and indictment of a suspect for the crime, which occurred in the six months ending September 30, 2024.
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In a separate New Rochelle case, a team of nine officers—Detective Lt. Brian Fagan, Detective Sgt. Steve D’Onofrio, Detective Christopher Guglielmo, Detective John Bulfamonte, Detective Gregory Herring, Detective John Ladeairous, Police Specialist Nicholas Gazzola, Police Officer Jason Barone, and Police Officer Adrian Pina—earned a Citation of Exceptional Merit. Within eight hours of a shooting death of a New Rochelle woman in the six months ending March 31, 2025, they developed significant evidence, tracked a suspect to Queens, and made an arrest.
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Other awards included a Citation of Exceptional Merit for Trooper David Meireles of the New York State Police for saving a domestic assault victim in Somers, and a Citation of Commendable Merit for Detective James Hannigan of the Yorktown Police Department for a narcotics investigation tied to a fatal fentanyl case. Lifesaving Medals were awarded to officers from Yonkers, Ossining, and Hastings-on-Hudson for rescues involving a drowning, a burning building, and a person who stopped breathing.
The ceremony, available to watch on YouTube, underscored Westchester’s commitment to honoring both its fallen and active law enforcement officers.
This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.