On Monday, February 10th, Officer Michael Robinson received the Frank G Hammer Kiwanis Officer of the Month Award. Officer Robinson received the award as recognition for his life-saving actions during a call for service this past October. In the early morning hours of October 2024, Officer Robinson, who is trained in Crisis Intervention, responded to a location under one of the bridges around Cornell University, where he was able to make direct contact with an individual who was attempting to cause self-harm by jumping into the gorge.

After spending an hour building a rapport with the individual through empathy and compassion, Officer Robinson convinced the individual to walk away from the gorge and meet him in a safe location. Officer Robison then met with the individual and facilitated further mental health for the individual.

From all of us at CUPD, thank you for your dedication and commitment to keeping our community safe.

On Feb. 10, 2025, the Cornell University Police Department arrested Cheolmyeong Woo, age 37, and Lunzhen Chen, age 27, both of Flushing, N.Y. for criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree, a Class D felony.

The arrests stem from a traffic stop in the Town of Ithaca during which Woo and Chen were found possessing 42 forged driver`s licenses. Woo was also cited for operating a motor vehicle without insurance and an equipment violation.

Woo and Chen were transferred to the Tompkins County Sheriff`s Office - Corrections Division for the Centralized Arraignment Program.

All individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.