Last summer marked the first time a Colonie police officer fired shots at a suspect in more than a decade, but it was those actions by Sgt. Daniel Belles that Chief Steve Heider said saved the lives of three civilians and two police officers.
Belles was one of a handful of officers recognized for exceptional service at the annual awards ceremony held in Colonie Justice Court on Thursday, May 24.
“When we look at the job that these men and women do every day — the shifts, the hours, the weekends, the holidays. … We thank all the families,” said Heider.
Belles was presented with the Medal of Valor and Combat Cross Award for his actions on July 20, 2011. It was an incident that began with a hit-and-run, led to the dismantlement of a drug lab and ended in a shootout that killed Agostino Jubrey, the 21-year-old who set off the daylong crime spree.
“The chief briefed me on a set of circumstances that, quite frankly, just is not the set of circumstances that you ever hear about in our community,” said Albany County District Attorney David Soares. “What he described was something out of a violent film, not the kind of incident that you ever expect in a community as safe as Colonie.”
Around 6:30 p.m. on July 20, Belles arrived at a residence in Colonie to meet up with a Columbia County Deputy trying to locate the vehicle and suspect involved in a serious hit-and-run accident involving a motorcycle in Columbia County. Upon arrival, Belles saw Jubrey sitting in the suspected vehicle in the midst of an argument with three other people who were standing in the driveway. When Belles started to walk up the driveway to approach the vehicle, Jubrey made eye contact and opened fire on the three civilians, striking one in the hand, before turning his gun on Belles and the Columbia County Deputy and backing his car into Belles’ patrol car. Jubrey and Belles exchanged 13 rounds before Jubrey was shot in the head. He died from his injuries two days later.
Heider said Belles saved his own life that day, preventing him from becoming one of the 173 police officers who died in the line of duty nationwide last year.
“There are about 170 chiefs of police offering condolences at award ceremonies. I’m proud that I’m here to offer congratulations to my people for the fact that they were able to make those quick, bold, decisive decisions to make sure that they got home safe,” said Heider.
The department also honored an officer who discovered the first meth lab in the Capital District in 20 years while responding to what seemed like a standard structure fire.
Anthony Riccitelli responded to a possible structure fire at 1080 Loudon Rd. on March 12, 2011, where he found the resident burning garbage in the backyard. Riccitelli saw the resident trying to remove a plastic garbage bag from the fire scene by throwing it into a wooded area, which caused the bag to break open and small bottles flooded out. Riccitelli called on members of the Special Investigations Unit to investigate further.
“While dispatched to the fire scene he sees the remnants of what could be — and lo and behold it wasn’t what it could be, it was — a major toxic meth lab in Colonie,” said Heider.
Riccitelli received a Command Recognition Award for his actions, along with 19 other officers. The methamphetamine lab was only the second ever located in Albany County and resulted in the recovery of 5.7 ounces of methamphetamine.
A shocking Halloween incident at Gold’s Gym in Latham made headlines and earned officers Jennifer Oliver, Matthew Overocker and Derek Breslin the Meritorious Service Award.
“They were called to Gold’s Gym for a suspicious individual acting strangely. No one in this room could have ever predicted what they would have encountered when they went there,” said Heider.
Chad Brothers, 32, of Troy was Tased by police after going on a bizarre rampage where he grabbed a woman’s drink; turned up the speed on a treadmill before punching the man using it in the face; knocked over 700-pound pieces of equipment; and threw desks and chairs. Oliver was hit in the head with a box and lifted off the ground while trying to handcuff Brothers. Tasers were eventually used on him.
“Offices Oliver, Breslin and Overocker were placed in an adverse situation and put themselves in harm’s way in an attempt to control an extremely violent individual who, if allowed to continue, could have seriously injured or killed someone at Gold’s Gym,” said Deputy Chief John Van Alstyne.
Brothers was pronounced dead at Albany Medical Center and autopsy results released months later revealed there were drugs in his system.
Other awards included the Explorer of the Year, presented to Lt. Ryan Berkery for his involvement in the Colonie Police Explorer Post, a career exploration program for youths ages 14 to 20; Officer of the Year, presented to Sgt. Todd Weiss, a 12-year veteran officer; and Dispatcher of the Year to David Haller.
The department also honored Donald L. Wilkins, a patrolman who was hit by a car and killed on duty in 1956 while taking photographs of an accident scene.
“We were finally able to establish that the incident was not an off-duty incident,” said Heider.
The Colonie Police Benevolent Association honored Wilkins with a granite bench that sits next to the Police Officer’s Memorial in front of the Public Safety Building.
Heider praised the entire department, not just the honorees, for exceptional service and Soares shared the sentiment.
“They don’t just drop a file in the office and then go back to the shop. When they come into that office, they’re in that office and stay with them all the way through,” said Soares. “I can’t tell you what it means to those families.”