Two Nassau police officers to be recognized Monday for nabbing gun suspect in crowded mall

Two Nassau police officers will be honored at Monday's Nassau County Legislature meeting as "cops of the month" after arresting a man carrying a loaded semiautomatic handgun at a Hicksville mall last December.

Nassau Police Benevolence Association officials said the duo -- Officer Robert Gibbons and Officer Edward Carlson -- nabbed a man who had a loaded semiautomatic handgun at the Broadway Mall in Hicksville last December, during the holiday rush.

The officers showed bravery after giving chase "in the busy mall parking lot, which had the potential risk of safety to local shoppers and residents," police union officials said in news release.

PBA President James Carver said the two officers were "paying attention for any suspicious activity" when they detected the smell of marijuana from the suspect and "soon they spotted a loaded gun on him."

The officers will be honored by the legislature, Acting Police Commissioner Thomas C. Krumpter and Carver at 1 p.m. at the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building, located at 1550 Franklin Ave. in Mineola.

By Laura Figueroa Hernandez

laura.figueroa@newsday.com@Laura_Figueroa

Laura Figueroa Hernandez is the White House correspondent and previously covered New York City politics and government. She joined Newsday in 2012 after covering state and local politics for The Miami Herald.