Two dozen of Staten Island’s finest were recognized on Wednesday for their outstanding police work during the 2016 calendar year. NY1’s Jared Smith filed the following report.

In December of 2016, Officer Angel Espada responded to a call of an unconscious male who overdosed on heroin.

Espada performed CPR for about two minutes while his partner administered Narcan. The man would eventually regain consciousness and was later taken to a hospital. 

Seven months later, Espada, along with 23 other Staten Island officers and detectives, were recognized for their outstanding police work by the Chamber of Commerce Wednesday at the annual Officer of the Year luncheon at the Historic Old Bermuda Inn. 

"It's great to see that everyone came out just to support us for the things that we do on an everyday basis where we are just responding to our normal everyday process and we're able to make a difference," said Officer Espada.  

"In the middle of the opioid crisis, the national opioid crisis, to have a story like that really shows you how much the men and women of the New York City police department care about what they do and how much they care about the people of this great city," said NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill.

Commissioner O'Neill was the keynote speaker at the luncheon, just one day after delivering a powerful speech at the wake of Officer Miosotis Familia, the Bronx officer killed in the line of duty last week. 

"It's important for all the people of this city to understand what it takes to be a New York City police officer and the sacrifices that are made each and every day," said Commissioner O’Neill. 

Espada says Wednesday was the first time he's met Commissioner O'Neill in person and was admittedly a little nervous. But he was grateful for the opportunity to share this day with his family. 

"They get to kind of firsthand experience it. All they know is what I tell them when I come home, but then they get to first-hand experience the things that I'm facing," said Espada.