Hero court officer catches carjacker

Earlier this month, a senior court officer working at the Queens County Courthouse in Jamaica on Sutphin Blvd., received the highest honor attainable within the court system for his heroism fending off a carjacking.
On November 16 of last year, Frank Pastore, 37, apprehended Frank Cabrera, 22, of Queens, who had carjacked teacher Jill Brogan outside P.S. 86 in Jamaica and stabbed her three times after she handed him the keys to her Dodge Durango.
Shortly after crashing the Durango, Cabrera was found assaulting and attempting to carjack nurse Patrice Klein right next to the Jamaica courthouse.
Pastore, an 11-year veteran of the court system, was awarded the 2006 Merit Performance Award for exemplary service and heroism by Governor George Pataki.
Pastore traveled to Albany to receive the award, along with his wife and two children, who were very proud of their hero dad. His 10-year-old daughter was especially proud to see her father on the TV news after the incident.
“Frank is an outstanding person, an excellent worker, and went above and beyond the call of duty when he did what he did,” Pastore’s supervisor, Major Robert Gardner, said. “He had no regard for his personal safety when he jumped at the man.”
Gardner nominated Pastore for the award.
While on perimeter security, senior court officer Frank Pastore noticed an altercation ensuing at a nearby auto.
“I saw him leaning into the car and thought it was a marital dispute, which isn’t uncommon around here. Until I saw a striking motion and that’s when I ran to get him off the woman,” Pastore said.
After being treated for their injuries both Brogan and Klein were discharged from the hospital. Klein was so grateful that she wrote Pastore a letter thanking him.
Asked about how he felt about the job, Pastore said that he loves to interact with the public and make a difference in the community. However, the best part of the job is working with all the people at the courthouse.
“There’s a lot of camaraderie here, I love working with everyone,” he said.