Three members of the Glen Cove Police Department received promotions and accolades at the Glen Cove City Council meeting Tuesday.
Sgt. John Nagle was promoted to detective lieutenant and officers David Leon and Ryan Nardone were each promoted to sergeant.
The promotions come as the department's ranks are thinned by more than a dozen retirements in 2012.
"A lot of institutional knowledge leaves with the retirees, but since these men worked under them, that knowledge is still with us," said Mayor Ralph Suozzi.
Police chief William Whitton said the department is in a rebuilding phase, but said he is confidant it will continue to perform to its normal standard.
Councilman Anthony Gallo commended the officers' professionalism, which was echoed by other Council members. Councilman Reginald Spinello called the promotions "the right thing at the right time for the right people."
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Also honored was Tom Fitzpatrick, who retired with the rank of detective lieutenant. Fitzpatrick also served as the department's spokesman. That role is filled by Nagle.
Whitton praised Fitzpatrick for establishing avenues of communication and partnership with various other law enforcement agencies and helping solidify the department's reputation with those agencies.
Whitton made mention of the character and accomplishments of each man. Nardone received the highest score on the New York State sergeant's exam, he said. Leon spent three years in the U.S. Navy before joining Glen Cove's police force. He will be assuming the role of patrol supervisor.
Nagle, who has coached Glen Cove Junior Football and attended the FBI Academy, was the first member of the department's Community Policing Unit. He was assigned to the detective division for six years before returned to the CPU. Whitton noted the importance of the detective division Nagle is now a ranking member of.
"The detective division is the last chance for the victim of a crime to get some solution to the incident," Whitton said.
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