A Walkout Salute To Crown Heights’s Longest Serving Police Officer

by CrownHeights.info

Thursday afternoon saw a large crowd of police officers and community members gathered outside the 71st Precinct in Crown Heights for a final salute to Community Affairs Officer Vincent “Vinny” Martinos, a police officer who serves the Crown Heights community for more than 20 years.

“The decision was made with a heavy heart,” he told CrownHeights.info, “and I will miss the community.”

The “walkout,” a tradition in the NYPD for departing officers, saw attendees including NYPD Chief Charles Scholl from the Brooklyn South Command, Jewish NYPD Officer Richie Taylor, and Crown Heights Shomrim Coordinator Gadi Hershkop.

Other community activists, family, and police officers made up the large crowd, as Vinny gave his thanks to his family, community and coworkers for his twenty eight years of service.

“The NYPD is my family,” he said during his remarks, pointing out present commanding officer of the 71st Precinct Tito Romero as a close friend.

“People tell me all the time that Crown Heights is a difficult place to work, it’s not difficult. It’s the easiest place to work for,” Vinny said, thanking the community activists and liaisons for their tireless work

The short ceremony ended with Martinos as he and his family stepped into a ceremonial NYPD car from 1966, and was transported out of the precinct.

Martinos, a 28 year veteran of the NYPD, received a well deserved promotion to Detective First Grade this past November, and was the recipient of the Annual Chief Patrrick D. Brennan Award at the end of October.

As Vinny leaves his post in the 71st Precinct, fellow Community Affairs Officer Mike Berrata will be stepping up to lead the Community Affairs Division in the 71st Precinct.

Photos and Video by Itzik Roytman