Ken Alversa East Hampton Top Cop

The East Hampton Town Police Department has named its annual “Cop of the Year” for 2016. “The senior staff and I have selected Police Officer Ken Alversa as this year’s recipient,” Chief Michael D. Sarlo said yesterday.

The officer is the police liaison with East Hampton High School. “Ken is an eight-year veteran of the department, who took over as full-time School Resource Officer during 2016. The work that Kenny has done for our agency is truly professional and exemplary,” Chief Sarlo said.

The chief listed some of Officer Alversa’s initiatives in the school, including new educational programs, panel presentations, and classroom discussions. Among the tough issues he has tackled are opioid and alcohol abuse and dependency, cybersecurity and cyberbullying, date rape, and sexual-assault awareness.

The school resource officer balances the need for education and outreach with that of law enforcement when necessary. “He made 16 arrests and assisted on 23 others during 2016. Kenny has taken community policing to another level,” the chief said.

A versatile officer who maintains a strong relationship with the student body, Officer Alversa is also a trainer for the department, instructing on defensive tactics, the use of firearms, and the application of the lifesaving Narcan, used to rescue victims of a drug overdose. An emergency medical technician for the Montauk Fire Department, he also trains others in C.P.R. and the use of defibrillators, and assists the detective division in reconstructing accident scenes involving serious injuries or fatalities.

“Kenny has demonstrated a tireless, dedicated, professional, and committed approach to every aspect of his police career, and the citizens of the Town of East Hampton, as well as our department, are lucky to have him,” Chief Sarlo said.