ALBANY -- Three State Police officers who helped end a January 2009 winter shooting spree in East Greenbush were honored Wednesday by Gov. David Paterson.

The governor described their actions as heroic and extraordinary acts that allowed fellow police officers and citizens to return unharmed to their families even though a Connecticut gunman lay dying.

Paterson paid tribute to Troopers Ian E. Henry, 33, of Albany; Steven J. Borbee, 47, of Glenville; and Investigator Rodney Livolsi, 44, of North Greenbush during a ceremony in the Red Room of the Capitol.

The three officers worked together to end a dramatic shootout that began after Henry stopped a speeding cab carrying Darrel O. Brown, 23, of Hartford, Conn. Brown began shooting using a high-powered .223-caliber rifle. Off-duty, Livolsi was a few cars away from the cab on I-90. He picked up the cab driver and Henry, and backed them out of range; Brown fired 28 times during a 43-minute confrontation.

Borbee, a marksman, arrived from Princetown, got within 75 yards of the shooter -- well within the 145-yard range of Brown's rifle -- and felled the gunman with one shot. Brown later died at the hospital.

Paterson said Borbee's action saved other lives, and that all of the men went beyond the call of duty and were deserving of the 2009 Police Officer of the Year citations.

The 2008 citation, also announced by the governor, was given posthumously to Mount Vernon Police Officer Christopher Ridley.

The 23-year-old was killed by police in Westchester County on Jan. 25, 2008 after he responded to an incident while off-duty. During an attempt to break up a fight, Ridley was killed by police after he dropped his service weapon and was mistaken for an aggressor.