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Carmel Officers Honored After Evacuating Residents From Burning Building

CARMEL, N.Y. - Two Carmel Police officers and one Putnam Sheriff's Department Sergeant were honored Wednesday night at Carmel Town Hall, after evacuating residents from a burning structure fire last month.

Honored Wednesday night were (from L): Police Officer Neil Brown, Sergeant Robert Behan and Sergeant Thomas Lee.

Honored Wednesday night were (from L): Police Officer Neil Brown, Sergeant Robert Behan and Sergeant Thomas Lee.

Photo Credit: Skip Pearlman

Officer Neil Brown, Sergeant Robert Behan and Putnam County Sheriff's Department Sergeant Thomas Lee were honored at Wednesday's Town Board meeting by town Supervisor Ken Schmitt and Sheriff Don Smith for meritorious police duty.

"The top part of the building (at the Hughson Commons Senior Housing Apartments) was involved in flames," Behan told Daily Voice. "There were 34 different units, we did as many floors as we could, getting as many people out as we could.

"It's good to be recognized," Behan added, "a lot of things we do get missed, so it's nice to be recognized now and again. But it really part of the job. As a cop, you don't sign up to go into burning buildings, but it's part of the job... it's part of what you do, it's just instinct."

"They displayed very heroic action," Schmitt said. "It was a cold night, early in the morning, and their training, their instincts and fortitude gave them the strength and the courage to go from room to room, door to door in the building that was on fire. We're extremely proud of them, and they're definitely worthy of department recognition. They went above and beyond the call of duty.

"We're extremely proud of the men and women officers in our police department," Schmitt added. "They're an amazing group and we really do support them."

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