Johnson City Patrolman Louis Cioci is Officer of the Year

The Johnson City Police Officer who braved a hail of bullets to fatally shoot the man who killed Officer Dave, D.W., Smith on March 31 of last year is New York State's Police Officer of the Year.

Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul presented Patrolman Louis Cioci  the award in  Johnson City September 1 yesterday saying he placed himself in harm’s way to protect the safety of citizens.

Police were called to Southern Tier Imaging at the start of the shift that Monday and a disturbed employee of the business confronted Smith as he was getting out of his patrol car and shot him in the head with his own service weapon.

Cioci ordered the gunman to drop the weapon but the man opened fire on Officer Cioci.

The suspect was shot several times and continued to struggle with police and hospital staff before being subdued.  He died later that day of his wounds.

Johnson City Police Chief Brent Dodge says Cioci’s actions that morning, including waiting to return fire until innocent bystanders took cover, “saved many innocent New Yorkers that morning.”

Cioci told media he still struggles with the events of that day and greatly misses his colleague.

D.W. Smith, himself, had been nominated for Officer of the Year in 2002 for rescuing a sleeping 4-year old boy from a burning apartment building.

Five other officers were nominated for this year’s award and will receive commendations from the Governor.