LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Lieutenant Robert O'Connor upon the
occasion of his designation as the 2012 New York Officer of the Year by
the Northeast Conservation Law Enforcement Chiefs Association

WHEREAS, It is incumbent upon the people of the State of New York to
recognize and acknowledge those within our midst who have made signif-
icant contributions to the quality of life therein; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor
Lieutenant Robert O'Connor upon the occasion of his designation as the
2012 New York Officer of the Year by the Northeast Conservation Law
Enforcement Chiefs Association; and
WHEREAS, Bureau of Environmental Crimes Investigation Lieutenant
Robert O'Connor is a tremendous asset to the New York State Department
of Environmental Conservation's Division of Law Enforcement; his notable
work ethic, integrity and professionalism make him an outstanding Inves-
tigator that the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is proud
to have working on the public's behalf in environmental criminal
enforcement; and
WHEREAS, Lieutenant O'Connor has served with distinction in the DEC's
Division of Law Enforcement for nearly 25 years; after completing DEC's
eighth Basic Academy for Police Officers in 1989, Robert O'Connor was
initially assigned to patrol Westchester County; he transferred to DEC's
Region 9 office in 1992, where he has been serving since; and
WHEREAS, As an Environmental Conservation Officer in Region 9, Lieu-
tenant O'Connor excelled at enforcing the entire range of fish and wild-
life conservation law, educating the public and solving numerous cases,
including the recovery of the renowned New York State "Lucky Buck"
original antlers that had been missing for over a decade; in 2005, he
was promoted to Investigator and joined the DEC's Bureau of Environ-
mental Crimes Investigation (BECI) Unit, where he worked diligently to
protect the environment and public health and safety through investi-
gations into environmental crimes and crimes against the state's fish
and wildlife resources; and
WHEREAS, During his years of service with DEC's Division of Law
Enforcement, Lieutenant O'Connor has supported responses to several
major emergency events, including his assistance as a first responder to
the 9/11 World Trade Center tragedy; and
WHEREAS, Lieutenant O'Connor is known for his fairness, attention to
detail and ability to collaborate effectively with other agencies to
successfully resolve cases; he is consistently recognized and relied
upon by partner law enforcement agencies for his expertise and efforts
to advance interagency cooperation; and
WHEREAS, Most recently, Lieutenant O'Connor was promoted from Investi-
gator to Lieutenant and now oversees DEC Region 9's Bureau of Environ-
mental Crimes Investigation Unit; he resides in Gowanda with his wife
and five children; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that those who
enhance the well-being and vitality of their community and have shown a
long and sustained commitment to excellence certainly have earned the
recognition and applause of all the citizens of this great Empire State;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Lieutenant Robert O'Connor upon the occasion of his designation as
the 2012 New York Officer of the Year by the Northeast Conservation Law
Enforcement Chiefs Association; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Lieutenant Robert O'Connor.