Eight Niagara County law enforcement officers recognized as Lawmen of the Year

Apr. 23—Eight Niagara County law enforcement officers were honored for acts of heroism and bravery at the annual Legal and Business Professionals of Niagara County Lawman of the Year awards dinner Saturday night.

The organization, previously known as the Judges and Police Executives of Niagara County, is composed of members of the local judiciary, law enforcement and the business and education communities. The group regularly supports local charities in addition to recognizing the work of members of law enforcement.

This year's honorees included Niagara County Sheriff's Office Deputies David Ganz and Shagundeep Virk, Niagara County Jail Corrections Officer Scott Mendola, Lewiston Police Officer Joshua Belin, Niagara Falls Police Officers Kayla Richards and Ian Sitek and Town of Niagara Police Lt. Kellie Aderman and Officer James Bissell.

Sitek and Richards were honored for their handling of an active shooter incident in the city. On the night of Aug. 3, Falls Police dispatchers received multiple calls that reported shots being fired near the Estella Apartments on Niagara Avenue.

Richards, the first officer to arrive on the scene, encountered a male suspect, sitting in front of the apartments, holding a handgun. Sitek arrived on the scene 11 second later and both officers were approached by a woman, who pointed at the suspect and said that he had shot at her vehicle.

The officers later learned that the suspect had actually been firing at another person.

Body camera video, released by the Falls Police, showed Richards begin to approach the suspect, asking him multiple times to show her his hands. The video showed the suspect standing up and walking toward Richards while waving the handgun in her direction.

As Richards repeatedly implored the suspect to drop his gun, Sitek provided cover for her and joined her in calling for the man to lay down his weapon. The body cam video showed the suspect continuing to walk toward the officers and even, briefly, raising his hands in what appeared to be a surrender, before lowering his right hand and firing at Richards.

Investigators determined that the bullet fired from the suspect's gun missed striking Richards by "just a few feet" and slammed into the door of her patrol car.

Sitek and Richards then returned fire and fatally wounded the suspect.

The professionals' association said, "These officers' tactics, professionalism and calm demeanor under pressure are in the highest tradition of the Niagara Falls Police Department. They are a credit to themselves and the community that they serve."

Aderman and Bissell were recognized for their work in the aftermath of responding to a call of an armed home invasion robbery at a town apartment complex.

On Jan. 18, 2023, Bissell and Aderman were dispatched to the Royal Park Apartments on Porter Road for a report of a burglary in a lower apartment. The suspects had kicked-in the door of an elderly resident but then ran to another apartment.

As Bissell arrived on the scene and approached the lower apartment from the rear, he saw what appeared to be a person coming out of the window of an upper apartment. As he watched the window, Bissell saw a hand, holding a gun, firing three shots at him from the window.

None of the shots hit Bissell and he returned to the front of the apartment building to take cover. As he got to the front of the building, three males began to leave the apartment complex.

Aderman saw the men were all wearing masks and what appeared to be latex gloves. She ordered the suspects to the ground and they were taken into custody.

The incident lead to an hours-long shelter-in-place order for the nearby neighborhood.

In honoring Bissell and Aderman, the association said, "Due to the heroic actions by Lt. Aderman and Officer Bissell in the face of direct fire, three prolific criminals were taken of the streets and thankfully, no one was injured. Their heroic efforts are a credit to the Town of Niagara Police Department."

Ganz and Virk are honored for their efforts to save the life of a 3-year-old girl who had been attacked by a pack of dogs.

The deputies said when they responded to the scene of the call, on April 12, 2023, they saw "a horrifically bloody scene" and thought the child had died. The little girl was found "face down on the kitchen floor, covered in lacerations and puncture wounds from head to toe."

The deputies said, "the child's head had the most significant injuries; her legs and arms were covered with multiple puncture wounds from the dogs biting her. In addition, she had severe bleeding throughout her face, including a wound from one of her eye sockets."

Ganz, a certified paramedic, joined the ambulance crew that rushed the child to the hospital. Pysicians at Oishei Children's hospital said that without the "quick and immediate response of Deputy Virk, and the lifesaving care provided by Deputy Ganz while on the way to the hospital, the child would have perished."

Belin was honored for attempting to rescue a person from a burning home on Saunders Settlement Road on Dec. 8.

The home was reportedly "fully engulfed with heavy smoke and flames visible." As fire companies battled the blaze, Belin was told a person was trapped inside.

Belin entered the burning home, but was unable to bring the person out because of "his medical conditions and confinement to a wheelchair." During the attempted rescue, Belin was exposed to heavy amounts of smoke and suffered third-degree burns to his hands.

The associated noted that, "Officer Joshua Belin put his life and safety in danger in an attempt to rescue another. His heroic actions, courage and dedication to the lives of others are to be commended. He is a credit to the Lewiston Police Department and the community it serves."

Mendola was recognized as a "role model for corrections officers. In particular, Mendola was cited for his work in the officer wellness program, including the Peer-to-Peer Support Program and Crisis Intervention Training.

The award to Mendola also noted his work in the community, including teaching in both the DARE and ALL STAR programs at local schools.