Off-duty and pregnant Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PAPD) Police Officer Chee Ying Yong did not hesitate when she heard the blood-curdling cries of a teenage victim suffering from multiple stab wounds. Her actions led the Port Authority Police Benevolent Association (PBA) to award her its highest honor at the annual PBA Cop of the Year Dinner on February 6 — making her the first female PAPD officer in PBA history to receive the distinction.

On October 2, 2025, Yong, who was four months pregnant with her first child, found the 17-year-old male hemorrhaging blood on a sidewalk in front of his home in Queens, New York City. Yong immediately went into lifesaving mode, attempting to stanch the flow of blood while relaying concise information to a 9-1-1 operator for a police and EMS response.

The incident changed dramatically when a frantic woman appeared at the front door screaming that her mother had just been stabbed to death and that the murderer was setting the house on fire.

Yong now found herself in a perilous situation, jeopardizing her life and the life of her unborn child, but she never wavered in trying to save the young man’s life. She informed the 9-1-1 operator that a homicide was committed and the suspect — who was now setting the house ablaze — was still on scene and to let responding police know the danger they would be confronted with.

EMS had difficulty reaching the scene. Realizing time was of the essence for the young man’s survival, Yong got him to his feet and supported him on the desperate journey to the ambulance. Once EMS took over critical care, Yong briefed arriving officers and firefighters, which led to the suspect’s apprehension and the extinguishing of the fire.

Port Authority PBA President Frank Conti stated, “Our off-duty officer responded to someone’s urgent need for help. She did so without hesitation, not being certain of what she was walking into, as police officers typically do. Unbeknownst to her, she was happening upon a tragic scene in which an armed perpetrator was still present. I am extremely proud of her actions, and I am also grateful that she was not injured, or worse, in the process.”

“It was a reflex reaction: someone was injured, and my experience and training kicked in.”

“It’s an honor to receive this award,” Yong told the New York Post, adding, “I didn’t realize I was the first woman to get it, which makes it an even greater honor.”

Recalling the incident, Yong said, “It was a reflex reaction: someone was injured, and my experience and training kicked in, and I reacted.” These were humble words from a woman who watched cop shows as a kid, saying, “I want to be the cop!”

Yong, whose nickname is Victoria, has served with the PAPD for three years, protecting the people of New York, New Jersey and the millions using Port Authority facilities daily. She previously served four years in the Midtown North Precinct with the NYPD.