In January, the Northern New Jersey Chapter XIII of ASIS International presented a local security officer with a prestigious award sponsored by DSS.

The Michael F. Bucci Security Officer of the Year Award was given to Jonathan Rodriguez, a security officer assigned to a hospital in northern New Jersey, who prevented a patient from harming himself.

The award was presented to Rodriguez by ASIS NNJ Vice-Chairman Thomas Whittles and Mark Riggio of Doyle Security Services. The award winner is not a DSS employee.

The late Michael F. Bucci was a security industry icon, and former Chairman of the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS), who passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic. Michael took great pride in managing security services operations and providing dedicated care for both his employees and customers. He was instrumental in assisting DSS during the company’s early years, helping to train employees and providing valuable strategic guidance.

Rodriquez was performing a routine patrol when he discovered a patient standing on the parking garage’s seventh-story ledge and threatening to jump. He alerted hospital personnel and local emergency responders and then grabbed the distraught man’s wrists, restraining him from jumping off the ledge. Rodriguez held on to the man until backup arrived. His quick thinking and effective response prevented a tragedy.

DSS is proud to sponsor the Michael F. Bucci Security Officer of the Year Award in honor of Bucci’s sterling reputation in the security industry and his association with both DSS and ASIS. We congratulate Security Officer Rodriguez on his lifesaving actions and award.