Forced To Retire By Illness, New York's Most Decorated Cop To Be Honored In Belated Ceremony
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- An illness brought a sudden end to the career of the city's most decorated officer, but his accomplishments have not been forgotten.
As CBS2's Weijia Jiang reported, retired NYPD Detective Michael Hinrichs is, by all accounts, a cop's cop.
"They started calling me 'The General' back in the day," he said.
He has a resume that lists more than 1,000 arrests, a hundred closed cases for the Brooklyn South Homicide Unit, and enough awards to make him the most decorated NYPD officer ever.
"It's very humbling and hard to believe," Hinrichs said.
In his 30 year career, Hinrichs has earned 200 medals, including two combat crosses, and two medals of valor.
He has survived four shootouts. He even shot a gun right out of a suspect's hand.
"It was. I don't want to say a lucky shot, but it was a lucky shot," he said.
He was also injured twice, most recently 22 years ago, when a bullet grazed his hand.
However, Hinrichs said the scariest moment of his life happened at home.
"I was lying on my bathroom floor with no one home. My whole life flashing in front of me," he said.
In August of 2013, Hinrichs suffered a career ending stroke. His last day of work came much sooner than expected, so he missed out on the traditional 'walkout' when fellow officers line up and applaud the retiree.
On Thursday, he will be honored during a belated ceremony.
"I'm really looking forward to, not so much a party for me, but for all of us," he said.
Hinrichs can't wait to see his police family next to his own, including a son who is following in his father's footsteps.
The retired detective said his greatest achievement is being a husband and father that his family can be proud of.
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