Celebrating those who helped quickly in Long Beach

Long Beach City Council honored Police Department Detectives Stephanie Marra and Rudy Pennetti, along with Officers Joseph Brand, Sean Gutfleisch, Ashley Raaf and Shelby Saroka.

City Manager Dan Creighton presented each law enforcement professional with a citation at the city council meeting on July 2. This recognition of first responders comes as a result of the unauthorized beach gathering on June 13, which resulted in a shooting at Long Beach train station.

“Giving these proclamations and awards out to these police officers who responded so bravely and did their duty reminds us that America’s changing and Long Beach is changing as well,” said City Council President Brendan Finn. “The police are the people who uphold the social contract that keeps our country together so we need to respect the police and we need the police to be a part of the people, and that’s the social contract, so I’m very grateful for their service.”

The combined efforts on June 13 were those of the Long Beach Police Department, Nassau County and MTA, as well as the Long Beach Fire Department who tended to and transported the victim. Officers ran towards the direction of the shot and Saroka and Raaf tended to the victim. Brand and Gutfleisch, along with Nassau County Police, were able to take a suspect into custody, recovering an illegal firearm without further violence. Marra and Pennetti were on the scene during the incident and have worked to piece together the case, which has resulted in an indictment for attempted murder, with the possibility of further charges as the investigation continues.

“This is an extremely difficult time to be a police officer and first responder and I personally do not think they are thanked enough for putting their lives at risk for all of our safety,” said City Manager Daniel Creighton. “Their actions help to restore order and keep our residents safe. I thank them all for their service to our community and hope we can, as a country, return to a time when officers are afforded the respect they rightly deserve.”

On another front of protecting the community, Creighton highlighted the job done by the city’s lifeguards so far this summer.