City Approves 2 Police Promotions

Two Glen Cove Police officers were approved for promotion Tuesday, moving up a ladder left light at the top after a number of retirements last year.

Officer Tom "Tucker" Wansor was promoted to sergeant and Sgt. Christopher Ortiz was promoted to lieutenant. Both are Glen Cove natives. 

Wansor, who's mother, Joan, and sister, Wendy, attended the meeting, is a graduate of St. Mary's High School in Manhasset and Nassau Community College. He holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from C.W. Post.

He joined the department in 1995, and has since received 14 Excellent Police Duty commendations and four Letters of Commendation. Notable achievements include:

• Assisted in arrest for bank robbery at Bank of America on April 8, 1997.
• Arrested a burglary suspect August 17, 1998 prior to the discovery of the burglary of a laundromat.
• Arrested a suspect for first-degree burglary and first-degree assault with a knife on Dec. 5, 1998. Wansor found the suspect hiding under a car after fleeing the scene.
• Located a missing 14-year-old girl on April 18, 2000 and obtained information about two stolen Honda's, leading to the recovery of the vehicles and the arrest of a male suspect.
• Received the 2002 Nassau County Police Chiefs Association Distinguished Service Award.
• Certified in field training, RADAR, police mountain biking, and FBI-certified in firearms instruction and TASER instruction.
• Specialties - mountain bike patrol, commercial truck enforcement, SLA (underage drinking, licensed premise) enforcement, department firearms instructor and TASER instructor.

Ortiz, joined at the meeting by his wife, Cori, and twin sons Jack and Ryan, is a graduate of Glen Cove High School and Nassau Community College. He earned a bachelor's degree in criminology from John Jay College in 1997, a master's degree in science from C.W. Post in 2000 and a Ph.D. degree in criminal justice from John Jay College in 2006.

Ortiz joined the department in 1997 and was promoted to sergeant in 2006. He has received 22 Excellent Police Duty commendations and one Letter of Commendation. Notable achievements include:

• Arrest of suspect for burglary of Glen Cove Power Equipment Co. on Cottage Row on July 9, 2000.
• Arrested gang members in a stolen van after a vehicle pursuit and foot chase. One suspect was in possession of a sawed-off shotgun.
• Entered a burning apartment on Glen Keith Rd. on July 22, 2004 to rescue a woman who had gone inside to save her cats.
• With Officer Christopher Albin, saved the life of a pregnant woman who had lost three pints of blood after severing her brachial artery with a large knife.
• Assisted in the arrest of a man who had a handgun and "resisted violently when officers tried to handcuff him."
• Certified in field training, RADAR and police mountain biking.
• Attended the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar (LEEDS) at Princeton University in June 2007.
• Attended the FBI National Academy 249th Session at Quantico, Va. in June 2012.
• Specialties - department grant coordinator, underage drinking enforcement, liaison to SAFE, Inc., coordinator for National Night Out.
• As grant coordinator, helped the department acquire its Community Policing Command Post Vehicle, license plate readers , downtown surveillance camera system, digital fingerprinting, firearms training simulator and crime mapping, entirely funded by grant money.
• Serves as consultant for the Rand Corporation, Vera Institute of Justice and the New York Division of Criminal Justice Services.

Mayor Ralph Suozzi also recognized Brian Glennon, a five-year veteran of the New York Police Department who joined Glen Cove's force four years ago. Glennon was recently promoted to detective. He was recognized for his graduation from detective's school.

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