Cop of the Month for January

Police Officer Joe Amato was honored as the 102nd Precinct’s cop of the month for January 2007 for his heroic efforts in the line of duty.
On Monday afternoon, January 14, while on routine patrol, he witnessed smoke coming from a second-floor apartment that was fully engulfed in smoke. Amato quickly radioed the Fire Department to come and extinguish the fire. He also observed people on the second and third floor screaming out the windows for help. Amato raced into the building, fought through the smoke, and was able to safely rescue three women and two children, a one-year-old and an eight-month-old.
After he brought them to safety, he heard a woman on the third floor screaming out the window. Amato attempted to run back inside but the stairway was so filled with smoke, he was unable to breathe.
However, by that time the Fire Department had arrived and they were able to successfully save the woman using a bucket ladder to go up to the third floor and remove her from the burning apartment.
Pictured are Captain Charles McEvoy, Police Officer Joe Amato, Community Council Treasurer Latchman Budai, Community Affairs Officer John DiGregorio, and Community Affairs Officer Mohammad Kahn.