TORRANCE, CA – Government Fleet magazine has named Ignazio Focarino, auto mechanic for the New York Police Department’s (NYPD’s) fleet services division, as its Technician of the Month for September, 2012.

“Auto Mechanic Ignazio Focarino has been a valuable asset to the NYPD Fleet Services Division and the City of New York since joining the department a decade ago in October 2002,” said Markus Anto, deputy director for NYPD’s fleet services division. “His innovations have resulted in significant cost-savings, including the reduction of labor time and equipment replacement expense.”

Focarino has 25 years of experience in the automotive industry. NYPD’s Anto said Focarino developed a number of innovations related to improving police vehicle maintenance and on-road performance.

“For example, between 2000 and 2006, Chevrolet Impala police vehicle ignition cylinders exhibited a high failure rate. Mr. Focarino developed a tool that enabled us to remove the ignition cylinder without disassembling the dashboard, saving the department valuable vehicle downtime and more than one hour of labor per vehicle – a significant measure taking into account the Department’s fleet of 1881 Impalas over six years,” Anto said. “Another of Mr. Focarino’s more recent innovations is the redesign of the Ford Crown Victoria air intake box, which he modified to allow air to be drawn in to the engine from an alternate, elevated location – a critical modification in response vehicles subject to flooding conditions during severe weather and rain. The Department’s 1309 Crown Victoria police vehicles were modified with Ignacio’s expertise, preventing us from having to replace engines lost to hydro lock, and representing a significant cost savings.”

Fleet managers interested in nominating a staff technician for this recognition program can sign up for Fleet Toolbox (for free) here and then submit a nomination via the form on the Technician of the Month submissions page once logged into Fleet Toolbox. You can also read more about the Technician of the Month program here.