Series: Patch Spotlights Police Award Winners

On May 19, 2011, while conducting routine patrol on the midnight shift, Officer Linskey located a vehicle parked in the Pistol Creek parking lot, in a manner to be purposely concealed from general view, with a man sitting in the driver’s seat. Officer Linskey investigated further and discovered an intoxicated driver who was looking to be left alone. The man seemed depressed and despondent.

Officer Veach arrived on scene a few minutes later to back up Officer Linskey. Officer Linskey learned that the male subject was wanted by East Hampton Police on a re-arrest warrant. Officer Linskey told the man of the arrest warrant and he became more upset. The suspect did not follow Officer Linskey’s order to step from the truck and resisted Officer Linskey’s attempt to remove him from the vehicle. Officer Veach started to assist Officer Linskey in removing the suspect from the car.

The suspect fell back inside his vehicle allowing him to reach for a concealed 8” fillet knife. The officers drew their weapons, repeatedly ordering the suspect to drop the knife. The suspect turned towards the officers and Officer Veach fired his taser, striking the suspect and incapacitating him.

The suspect recovered from the incapacitation and Officers Linskey and Veach struggled to remove the resisting suspect from the vehicle. After incapacitating the man again, with the Taser, they successfully controlled and handcuffed him. Officers Linskey and Veach used extraordinary restraint and when confronted with deadly physical force, used exceptional tactics and prevented a man’s unnecessary death.

In recognition of their performance of duties in this case, Officer Joseph Linskey and Officer Jeffrey Veach were awarded the Merit Award.