- To recognize Officer Jensen’s life and service, Buttenschon and Griffo have introduced legislation A8264/S7760 to ceremonially dedicate a portion of State Route 46 in Oneida County.
Legislation was introduced via a bipartisan effort to designate part of Route 46 in Oneida County in honor of Syracuse Police Officer Michael Jensen, a native of Rome who was killed in a standoff.
Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon, D-119, and Senator Joseph Griffo, R-53, made the announcement at the annual New York State Police Officers Memorial Remembrance Ceremony on May 6.
Each year, this ceremony honors those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. As of today, 1,908 officers’ names from across New York State, from 161 different police agencies, are now permanently engraved into the wall — including Jensen’s.
“Officer Jensen died protecting others,” Buttenschon said in a statement. “And [on May 6], New York paused to say: we will never forget. Michael was more than an officer. He was a son, a brother, a teammate, a protector. His loss has left a hole in our community, but his memory will continue to light our way.”
Jensen, 29, was killed in the line of duty on April 14, 2024, while responding to a violent standoff in Salina. Jensen was a graduate of Rome Free Academy and Le Moyne College. He was originally an accountant before he became an officer and had served with the Syracuse Police Department for two and a half years when his life was taken, alongside that of Lieutenant Michel Hoosock of the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office.
“We honor and remember these two heroes, remain forever grateful for their commitment to serve and protect, and keep their families and loved ones in our prayers,” Griffo said in a statement.
To recognize Jensen’s life and service, Buttenschon and Griffo have introduced legislation A8264/S7760 to ceremonially dedicate a portion of State Route 46 in Oneida County, from Prospect Avenue in Rome to Dixon Road in the town of Western, in honor of the fallen officer.
“This symbolic dedication honors Jensen’s legacy and will be seen by generations to come, carried forward in the very community that raised him,” a joint statement from Griffo and Buttenschon said.
Griffo said in a statement that Jensen and Hoosock were heroes, running towards danger and demonstrating “…remarkable courage while putting themselves in harm’s way.
“Dedicating a portion of this road in memory of Officer Jensen is one small way that we can honor him and his family, recognize his service to his community and ensure that his legacy will never be forgotten,” Griffo added.
The legislation is expected to take effect immediately upon passage.
