During the September monthly meeting of the 52nd Precinct Community Council, Police Officer Klorentin Nokaj was presented with the “Police Officer of the Month” award for August for apprehending two armed male suspects. The 52nd Precinct covers some or all of Bedford Park, Fordham, Kingsbridge, Norwood, Bronx Park, and University Heights.
During the meeting, held at Success Academy Charter School on East 207th Street in Norwood on Thursday, Sept. 25, NYPD Deputy Inspector Chase Maneri, commanding officer of the precinct, told those gathered, “We’re honoring Officer Nokaj with the August “Police Officer of the Month” regarding two separate incidents.”
Maneri continued, “The first incident was around that awful homicide,” referring to the murder of Ángel Miguel Mendoza Hernández, 14, who was fatally stabbed in the Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood on Tuesday, Aug. 5. As reported, five teens were arrested in connection to the incident and four were later charged with Ángel’s murder, while others are still sought.
As reported, the incident shocked the local community and and was followed by some disturbing rapes close to the same area to where the murder took place. Recently, it was confirmed that 22 cameras are to be installed in the Oval to help deter further crimes.
“Officer Nokaj was the third officer to enter the park,” Maneri recalled. “He observed a male running with a firearm. He chased that male and ended up arresting that male with a gun, and that male was one of the perpetrators to the homicide and was arrested with his two friends that night,” he added.
In response, a woman in attendance at the meeting offered a simple, “thank you,” as the room broke out into applause. Maneri then outlined Nokaj’s second arrest which was of a man sitting in his car with a handgun near East 207th Street and Bainbridge Avenue, also in Norwood, just down the block from where the community council meeting was being held…