| POLICE CHIEF JAMES ROMITO New York/New Jersey Port Authority | |
 | James Romito was already a senior commander with the Port Authority the first time the World Trade Center was attacked in 1993. When they were struck again on September 11, 2001, James had recently celebrated his 30th anniversary with the department. As Commander of the Headquarters Support Section, he knew right where he needed to be. |
| In his last moments, Chief Romito was on the 27th floor directing people to safety. Just before the tower he was in collapsed, he stood by the only clear stairwell and ordered rescue workers to leave. He then went in to retrieve a group of firefighters, and was never seen again. James, a father of two and son of a corrections officer, knew by age ten that he wanted a career in law enforcement. His son, a former Marine killed earlier in 2001 in a car accident, had earned a medal for valor while in the military for helping evacuate a dangerous area. | |