Retiring, longtime Lynbrook village employees honored

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Two longtime Lynbrook Village employees were honored by Mayor Alan Beach and the board of trustees on Jan. 13 in recognition of their years of service as they prepared to retire.

Lynbrook Police Officer Pat Hahl and Department of Public Works employee Dave Brewster were each given a citation by the board and received a standing ovation from those in attendance in the Village Hall rotunda in recognition of their efforts.

Hahl was born and raised in Lynbrook and graduated from Lynbrook High School in 1983. He and his wife, Kerry, have six children. In January 1985, Hahl became a third-generation officer for the NYPD, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. He was assigned to the 113th precinct in Jamaica, Queens.

In 1987, Hahl joined the Lynbrook Police Department, where he spent 33 years up until his retirement on Jan. 21. During his time there, Hahl earned awards for taking such actions as assisting in childbirth, helping people escape a fire at the congressional building and preventing the suicide of a distraught person who attempted to jump in front of a Long Island Rail Road train.

Perhaps his most harrowing experience on the job occurred on July 29, 1992. Hahl was involved in a high-speed chase of subjects from a Rockville Centre jewelry store robbery, who eventually crashed their car into a building at the intersection of Sunrise Highway and Atlantic Avenue. One of the suspects exited the vehicle and shot Hahl’s brother, Billy, but Hahl was able to chase him and apprehend him a block away.

“Pat is a Lynbrook guy and always has the community in mind,” Police Chief Brian Paladino said, “and we’re going to miss him.”

Beach thanked Hahl for his dedication. “I appreciate your years of service and I appreciate knowing you,” the mayor said. “Thank you very much for being here.”

In retirement, Hahl and his wife plan to move to central Florida.

Brewster was hired by the DPW in 1983 and served the village for 36 years.

“The postal service used to be rain, sleet or snow, but Dave really outshines the postal service any day,” DPW Supervisor Phil Healey said. “He was just taking care of business every day, sometimes six days a week. Constant, dependable, what else can you say about a hard-working guy?”

Beach called Brewster and “asset” and said he would be missed in the village. Brewster approached the lectern and said he enjoyed being a part of the DPW for more than three decades.

“I appreciate the award and I appreciate that I was employed by the Village of Lynbrook for 36 years,” he said. “I enjoy working for the Village of Lynbrook and it’s a very good village.”