New York State Trooper Robert P. Stawicki is the recipient of the State’s Police Officer Medal of Valor for demonstrating exceptional courage and bravery when he rushed into a raging house fire in Granby, Oswego County, to save a 13-year-old boy.
Upon arriving at the scene with Trooper Alec R. Nelson, he ran toward the house and saw the child collapsed and unconscious on the floor inside. Without hesitation, Trooper Stawicki ran through the roaring flames, grabbed the child pulled him to safety, and administered first aid and resuscitation. The boy was alive when he arrived at the hospital but later died from his injuries.
“Without a single piece of fire safety gear, Trooper Stawicki rushed into a deadly inferno to save the life of a stranger’s child,” Governor Hochul said. “In a tragically fatal situation, Trooper Stawicki selflessly put the life of the child before his own, doing absolutely all he could to fight for that child’s life. The bravery of his actions that day are humbling, and he is truly deserving of recognition, thanks, and the highest honor I can bestow upon a police officer in this state.”
Lieutenant Governor Delgado presented the Police Officer Medal of Valor, also known as the Governor’s Police Officer of the Year award, to Trooper Stawicki on Governor Hochul’s behalf during a ceremony Thursday at the Syracuse campus of SUNY Oswego. Members of Trooper Stawicki’s his family and State Police colleagues joined the ceremony, along with local and state elected officials and law enforcement professionals from the region.
Trooper Stawicki, 26, has been assigned to Troop D/Fulton since joining the State Police in September 2019. The rescue for which he was recognized occurred in the early morning hours of Dec. 15, 2021. Trooper Stawicki is the 11th member of the State Police to receive the Medal of Valor/Governor’s Police Officer of the Year Award. He also received the Brummer Award, which is the New York State Police’s highest award for heroism, for his actions that day.
New York State Police Acting Superintendent Steven G. James said, “Today, we commemorate the valiant act of Trooper Stawicki and his heroic efforts on December 15, 2021. To say the situation was dangerous is an understatement. Despite any personal risks, Trooper Stawicki demonstrated extraordinary fortitude and selflessness in an attempt to save a child’s life. I express my sincere gratitude and congratulations to Trooper Stawicki for his outstanding service and exceptional performance of duty to the citizens of New York.”
The Division of Criminal Justice Services coordinates the work of the Police Officer of the Year Award selection committee, members of which represent law enforcement agencies and police union leadership. Four other police departments nominated a total of eight individuals for the 2021 award. All nominees receive a Certificate of Exceptional Valor from Governor Hochul.
Since its inception in 1984, the Medal of Valor/Governor’s Police Officer of the Year Award has been presented to 123 officers from 21 different agencies. The Division of Criminal Justice Services will recognize the 2022 recipient of the award this spring.
