SGT. FRANK NOTARO RECEIVES GOTHAM MEDAL OF COMMENDATION
At a ceremony in City Hall's Banquet Room yesterday, Gotham Police Department Sgt. Francis X. Notaro received the Gotham Medal of Commendation. It is the highest medal one can receive from the Mayor of Gotham, and requires "an extraordinary act of courage in the face of real danger to one's self." Mayor Garcia as well as numerous other dignitaries were there to honor Sgt. Notaro, who was accompanied to the event by his wife Hannah and his two children, Samuel, 7, and Rachel, 4.
The commendation emerged from Sgt. Notaro's actions of May 13 of last year. A crazed gunman began shooting up passers-by in an alley downtown off of Jackson and Columbus at around 2 AM.
Notaro, who was not on duty at that hour but happened to be close by, heard the shots, went straight to the scene of the incident, and shot and killed the perpetrator. Notaro's actions put himself at grave risk of death, while saving the lives of innocent bystanders.
"Sgt. Notaro reflects the very best of Gotham," said Mayor Garcia. "He represents the spirit of dedication, duty, and commitment to the rule of law that we all can admire."
At the time, police officers called the fact that no passers-by were killed "an absolute miracle." But Commissioner Loeb, in his remarks, said that the absence of deaths was "no miracle."
"There was no miracle that night," said Commissioner Loeb. "Instead, there was something perhaps as rare: true bravery. Sgt. Notaro is a hero, and I am proud to serve with him on the best police force in the nation, the Gotham City Police Department."
A dinner honoring Sgt. Notaro for the honor - and his birthday, which happened to also fall on the auspicious day - was held by a group of his friends later that night, at Rossi's Deli & Grill.
