This new dad was just named the Midtown South Precinct’s “Officer of the Year” — after sticking a drug- and gun-toting maniac behind bars.
NYPD Officer Thomas Bucholz, 30, was entrusted with the prestigious award at the Safe City Safe Streets Luncheon at the Manhattan Penthouse Thursday.
Dozens of colleagues and loved ones — including Bucholz’s two-month-old daughter — cheered on as he accepted the title, which he humbly dedicated to his fellow officers.
“It’s a very big honor to me. It’s a very big precinct and I’m not the only one who does tremendous work,” Bucholz, who has been one of New York’s Finest for nearly a decade, told The Post ahead of the ceremony.
“Everyone there goes above and beyond for the community. We are all there to do better for the people of Midtown, and the business owners and the tourists as well.”
He was one of several Manhattan cops from various precincts to receive the award. The NYPD’s Jennifer Paolino, Christian Orellana and Michael Dejesus were also honored as “Officers of the Year” for the 6th,10th and 13th precincts, respectively.
Bucholz clinched the award for Midtown South after he chased down and cuffed a criminal who fled the scene of a serious crash in September.
The perp had a horde of drugs and weapons stuffed in the car, including a defaced assault rifle and a loaded handgun.
Bucholz, who dreamed of being an NYPD officer since he was a Long Island student, has served solely in Midtown South throughout his nine-year tenure.
Since he and his wife, Meghan, welcomed their baby, Scarlett, Bucholz has set his eyes on bigger dreams.
“I would like to strive to be a detective one day,” he said.
Read the full article here
