Police commission recognizes lifesaving civilian, names officers of the month and highlights community commendations

The Board of Police Commissioners recognized two officers for actions in September and presented a civilian lifesaving award during its Oct. 20 meeting.

Officer of the month: Chief Walsh told the board that Officer Nelson Figueroa and Officer Corey Austin were chosen as the September 2025 officers of the month for actions on Sept. 15, 2025, when they located and apprehended an armed individual who had threatened a person with a handgun near 458 Westport Avenue. Chief Walsh described the response: an extra-duty officer heard dispatch, located a subject matching the description, gave verbal commands and detained a suspect who complied; officers recovered a .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol with a high-capacity magazine and 11 rounds of ammunition. "Their courageous actions paired with sound tactical operations not only removed an imminent public threat, but also safely arrested this felon with limited use of force," the chief said when announcing the award.

Civilian lifesaving award: The commission presented a civilian award to Robert Downes (not present at the meeting), recognizing actions on Sept. 20 when Downes saw an elderly person with dementia in the water off a neighboring dock on Channel Avenue, alerted the live-in aide, put on waders and held the woman upright in the water until officers and fire personnel could assist. Chief Walsh said Downes’ actions likely saved the woman from drowning or hypothermia; the commission uniformly commended him.

Community commendations: The meeting included multiple written commendations read into the record. Sandra Pales (assistant superintendent of operations, Norwalk Public Schools) thanked the department for de-escalation and support from school resource officers, specifically praising Officer Erwin Reyes. Other letters praised Officer Cornel Abruzzini for proactive outreach to new parents, Officer Corey Bento for persistence in investigating a hit-and-run parking-lot incident and members of the City Hall response team (Sergeant White, Officer Anaskevich and Officer Chris Kasmus) for de-escalating a disruptive parent at City Hall. Commissioners noted the volume of positive letters and said they reflect the department’s community-policing work.

Commissioners and the chief thanked the awardees and the many officers named in letters for professionalism and quick action, and said the letters and awards will be added to the officers’ personnel files.