East Hampton Town Police Officer Dave Martin received the department's Police Officer of the Year award at the annual Kiwanis Club dinner and awards ceremony in Aquebogue on Friday.

Town Police Chief Ed Ecker said Martin was chosen to be the 2011 recipient because of his actions when he responded to call where a mother of three was shot and stabbed by her estranged boyfriend in front of her children in February.

Martin was first to arrive at the Squaw Road house in Springs after the brutal attack, according to Ecker. The woman, who had been shot in the head with a high powered air rifle, was still in the house with her three children. Her estranged boyfriend, Sabas Martinez, was brandishing a knife in the kitchen and attempting to cut himself.

"Can you imagine the fright of that?," Ecker said. "Fortunately, our officers don't encounter that type of situation that often, but when he did, it's fortunate his training kicked in."

Martin was able to get the wounded woman and her children out of the house while subduing Martinez after a brief struggle.

"You did a good job," the chief said to the officer.

Captain Mike Sarlo, who presented Martin with the award on Friday night while Ecker attended a ceremony for the newly appointed Suffolk County Police Commissioner, said Martin also received some help that night. East Hampton Village Police Officers Chris Jack and Steve Niggles responded as back up, as did Town Police Officers Chris Brown and John Clafflin.

Martin, a former Marine, has been on the force for nine years. He was born and raised in East Hampton.