After more than three decades with the NYPD, the man who headed the department's hostage negotiation team has retired.
Jack Cambria spent 33 years with the Police Department and 14 years as hostage team leader.
His last day was Friday.
Cambria was in action just two weeks ago on Staten Island, when Garland Tyree set fire to his home and shot a firefighter before shooting himself.
Cambria says he learned an important lesson on day one of his tenure with the force:
"Policing is about compassion, and we demonstrated that every day as negotiators, and now, it's extending with our training even down to the patrol force," he said. "Today is proving more difficult than I thought it would be. I thought it would be okay, but I have people calling me I haven't spoken to in 20 years to congratulate me. Wow, it's huge for me. It means so much."
Cambria will continue to teach hostage negotiation for a private law enforcement training agency.
He also teaches classes at John Jay and Empire State Colleges.