During the September monthly meeting of the 52^nd Precinct Community Council, Police Officer Klorentin Nokaj was presented with the “Police Officer of the Month” award for August for apprehending two armed male suspects. The 52nd Precinct covers some or all of Bedford Park, Fordham, Kingsbridge, Norwood, Bronx Park, and University Heights.

 

During the meeting, held at Success Academy Charter School on East 207th Street in Norwood on Thursday, Sept. 25, NYPD Deputy Inspector Chase Maneri, commanding officer of the precinct, told those gathered, “We’re honoring Officer Nokaj with the August “Police Officer of the Month” regarding two separate incidents.”

Maneri continued, “The first incident was around that awful homicide,” referring to the murder of Ángel Miguel Mendoza Hernández, 14, who was fatally stabbed in the Williamsbridge Oval park in Norwood on Tuesday, Aug. 5. As reported, five teens were arrested in connection to the incident and four were later charged with Ángel’s murder, while others are still sought.

 

As reported, the incident shocked the local community and and was followed by some disturbing rapes close to the same area to where the murder took place. Recently, it was confirmed that 22 cameras are to be installed in the Oval to help deter further crimes.

“Officer Nokaj was the third officer to enter the park,” Maneri recalled. “He observed a male running with a firearm. He chased that male and ended up arresting that male with a gun, and that male was one of the perpetrators to the homicide and was arrested with his two friends that night,” he added.

In response, a woman in attendance at the meeting offered a simple, “thank you,” as the room broke out into applause. Maneri then outlined Nokaj’s second arrest which was of a man sitting in his car with a handgun near East 207th Street and Bainbridge Avenue, also in Norwood, just down the block from where the community council meeting was being held.

 

“So two firearm arrests in a month that really impacted this area and we’re just proud of the work he did,” Maneri said.

According to the NYPD’s public database, Nokaj joined the department in October 2022 and was assigned to the 52^nd Precinct in April 2023. In his brief time as an officer, he has so far racked up three “Excellent Police Duty” awards, as well as 45 felony arrests and 51 misdemeanor arrests.

 

Major crime statistics for the 46th, 50th and 52nd Precincts for the 28-day period ending Oct. 12, 2025 compared to the same timeframe last year, and year-to-date major crime statistics for the same precincts as of Oct. 12, 2025, compared to last year are attached.

 

*Síle Moloney contributed to this story.