Robert Douglass (left) with Downtown Alliance public safety honorees

They’re the eyes and ears of the district — on patrol 24/7 — helping rescue people from subway tracks, finding lost children and assisting the NYPD in keeping Lower Manhattan one of the safest places in the city.

On Tuesday the Downtown Alliance honored 12 of its  Public Safety Officers  for extraordinary service last year.

“You have made Lower Manhattan a far more inviting place to be,” Downtown Alliance Chairman Robert R. Douglass told the officers at the organization’s annual public safety luncheon at Moran’s Restaurant and Bar. “Thanks for another great year. (For a full array of photos from the event check out the Downtown Alliance’s Flickr page here.)

The Downtown Alliance’s 57-person public safety staff –- recognizable by their distinctive red uniforms –- checks in with neighborhood businesses, provides visitors and residents with friendly directions and aid, and assists the New York City Police Department. Criminal activity in Lower Manhattan has dropped considerably since the Downtown Alliance and NYPD began working together 12 years ago.

Several officers received multiple awards for their actions.

The awards were presented –- in chronological order –- for actions on the following dates:

April 6, 2010 –- Frank Dell’Alba was recognized for assisting an NYPD officer and an MTA worker in removing an intoxicated man from the train tracks of the R-line. The man was taken to Bellevue Hospital.

June 26, 2010 –- Stephen Lefkowitz was recognized for notifying the NYPD about unlawful vending at a bus stop at Morris Street and Broadway. The vendor refused to leave, and so Lefkowitz notified the NYPD’s 1st Precinct. A computer check revealed three outstanding warrants.

June 30, 2010 –- Donnell Stevens was recognized for notifying the NYPD after he saw a man –- who was being chased by security personnel –- toss stolen items over a fence into a construction site. The man was arrested by 1st Precinct officers.

July 22, 2010 –- Jeison Hidalgo and Rosa Williams were recognized for reuniting a lost 8-year-old girl with her grandmother after the girl went missing near Castle Clinton in Battery Park.

August 6, 2010 –- Jason Rivera, Shawn Soto, Denise Blackwell, Donnell Stevens, Jose Matias, Jonathan Molina, and Joseph Cuadrado were recognized for detaining a reportedly violent homeless man after a woman reported his actions. NYPD officers arrived and took the man to Bellevue Hospital.

October 16, 2010 –- Jerry Marcus and Jason Rivera were recognized after helping members of the NYPD’s Scooter Task Force chase down a man suspected of illegal vending near the World Trade Center site.

Joseph Timpone is no stranger to Business Improvement Districts. His work with them began at the New York City Department of Sanitation before he joined the Downtown Alliance in March of 1995.

“I had the opportunity to work with the first BIDs in the city,” Timpone explained. “I worked with representatives of the BIDs to advise them on how their guidelines should be formulated.”

After assisting the successful launch of other BIDs, Timpone heard about the newest kid on the block, the Downtown Alliance, and signed on as Vice President of Operations.

Timpone — who is now Senior Vice President for Operations — has watched the Alliance grow and evolve. His department, for instance, expanded from offering supplemental sanitation and security services to providing transportation services and landscaping at several small parks.

He also watched Lower Manhattan grow and expand. “When I began with the Alliance this area was strictly a 9-to-5 business center,” he said. “I have enjoyed seeing the change to include more residential occupancy. Lower Manhattan is now a neighborhood and thus much more vibrant.”

For Timpone, the best part of the job is providing a service to the people of New York City.

“I make sure that when workers and residents hit the streets of Lower Manhattan our workers will be out and servicing them by providing sanitation, public safety and transportation services,” Timpone said.

And after 15 years with the Downtown Alliance, Timpone — a Flushing, Queens resident — is still thrilled to be here and helping Lower Manhattan.

“Many people ask when I plan on retiring,” he said. “My answer is, I can’t imagine what I could do in retirement that would give me the satisfaction that I feel every day working for the Alliance. Solving problems that affect the working and living conditions of so many people is the most compelling reason to continue to come to work every day.”

This interview appears in the Winter 2011 edition of Destination Downtown, the Downtown Alliance’s seasonal newsletter. Other articles spotlight Lower Manhattan businesses, examine new ways to enjoy Downtown’s incomparable amenities and discuss the mission of the Downtown Alliance.

Every day, German Rosario patrols the streets of Downtown, offering directions and guidance, and keeping the peace. And every day, he’s all smiles.

“Coming to work every day is joy,” said Rosario, the Downtown Alliance’s Public Safety Supervisor. “I like helping in any way I can, whether it be with the homeless or just helping tourists get around downtown Manhattan.”

Rosario began at the Downtown Alliance in early 2003 as a security guard. Four years later, he was promoted to his current position. Although he says it hasn’t changed his way of doing things, he enjoys the opportunity to deal with different situations.

Rosario grew up—and still lives—on the Lower East Side. “My commute is nice and easy,” he said. “Only 20 minutes away from the Wall Street station.”

Although the commute might be a plus, it isn’t the only thing keeping Rosario nearby. “I like the rebuilding of businesses, residences and the number of people it attracts,” he said. “I like working for the Downtown Alliance very much—I hope to retire here one day.”