2001 Police Officer of the Year

"I didn't do anything that any other Newark police [officer] or firefighter wouldn't have done," Farina said. "I've got to admit, it feels really good to know that something you did helped save lives."

On April 15, 2000, Sergeant Farina called the fire department after noticing that a building was on fire. He then entered the building without protective gear and saved two men from the smoke and flames. Sergeant Farina helped 18 trapped residents to safety and joined the fire department in rescuing approximately 80 others. "When I opened the front door, I could hear men gagging and yelling for help," Farina recalled. "It was impossible to see with the heavy black smoke."

"This was a very bad fire," said Deputy Fire Chief James Smith. "If it wasn't for Sergeant Farina, this could have been a fire chief's worst nightmare." One person died in the fire and seven were injured.

This was the third time in his career that Farina entered a burning building to save others.

Matt Greimel, formerly of the Newark Fire Department, described Sergeant Farina's actions as "a great example of the police and fire departments doing what they do best-saving lives." Greimel added,

"[W]ithout Sergeant Farina taking the time to check this out and call it in and get the fire units there so quick, this could have been much, much worse."

After the terrorist attacks on September 11, Farina spent time working at Ground Zero and at a Newark staging area.

Ten other police officers received honorable mention by Parade and the IACP:

• Officer John Curry, 45, of the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Police Department intervened during a bank robbery in March 2000. No injuries resulted except to the gunman.
  
  
• Corporal Albert Ramirez, 36, and Officer John Cordero, 38, of the Barstow, California, Police Department remained at the scene of a neighborhood shooting, exchanging fire with the gunman-despite receiving gunshot wounds themselves- until other officers arrived.
  
  
• Officers Bradford Bullock, 30, and Rodney Durham, 36, of the Detroit, Michigan, Police Department conducted a detailed investigation of the murder of three women, resulting in the arrest of the killer.
  
  
• Officer Dana Courtney, 34, of the Irving, Texas, Police Department plunged into fast-moving water in a drainage ditch to save two boys from drowning.
  
  
• Troopers Brian C. Connors, 36, and Peter C. Cummings, 41, of the Massachusetts State Police led a two-year drug investigation that culminated last year in the arrest of 21 suspects and the seizure of 15 pounds of cocaine, 40 pounds of marijuana, and $1.5 million.
  
  
• Corporal Bob Ratcliffe, 37, of the Fontana, California, Police Department fought off a carjacking attempt, engaged in a close-range shootout with his attackers, and risked his life to save two bystanders.
  
  
• Detective Earl Koanui, 38, of the Honolulu Police Department posed undercover as a corrupt police officer to gather evidence of illegal gambling operations. The work resulted in 32 arrests for gambling and money laundering, almost $500,000 in cash, and forfeiture of property worth more than $2.5 million.