Public safety officers were honored by the Buckhead Business Association at its May 31 luncheon that annually honors police and firefighters.
Zone 2 Atlanta Police Officer Dominick Giovanna, Fulton Deputy Faith Hampton and firefighter Cornelius Griffin were presented with awards at the event held at the Grand Hyatt Buckhead.
The officers and firefighter were nominated by their departments. David Thompson, the vice president of public safety at the BBA, visited the stations and spoke to their superiors and peers, who complimented them on their skills, bravery and selflessness, he said.
Hampton was nominated for taking down a suspect who was attacking her partner without using lethal force. Her partner needed two weeks to recover from the injuries sustained in the attack, Thompson said. She was described as “tough” and “brave,” by her peers, he said.
“It was her peers eagerness to share what an honor it it is to work with her,” that led Thompson to know she was worthy of the award, he said.
Giovanna, a Zone 2 police officer, was nominated for helping talk down a person threatening suicide at an I-75 overpass and catching a suspect involved with a theft of a knife from a vehicle in a Buckhead neighborhood.
Officers that work with him said he often reminds them how important their job is, Thompson said.
“[Giovanna] is nominated for this award because he has proven that he always shows up; he’s brave, he’s safe, he enjoys helping our community and he loves our community,” Thompson said.
Griffin, a firefighter in the Atlanta Fire and Rescue Department, was described as “humble” and as eager to help other firefighters he works with, including helping one repair his car and another buy lunch when they were low on money.
“He does things for you that a true brother would do,” a firefighter who works with Griffin said, according to Thompson.