LOCAL SPOTLIGHT Tony Galante

TONY GALANTE

BY KARA GALANTE

“Money certainly doesn’t define my success.” Anthony Jay Galante goes by Tony around town. He was born and raised in Webster, NY – and never left! Tony was born with community service in his blood. His 89 year old grandmother recalls him playing fireman when he was about 4 years old, making sure his toy trucks had gas. “It was so funny, he was so young and already thinking about how he would be able to help his community. Nobody had ever seen anything like it!” At age 14, Tony joined the explorer program through the West Webster Fire Department. “In a sense, I was lucky I just always knew community service was my calling. I wasn’t sure at first if I was more drawn to firefighting or law enforcement, but soon realized I didn’t have to choose.”

Tony devoted all of his spare time to the West Webster Fire Department as a teenager. “I never felt like I gave anything up, no way. There was such a strong sense of family at the fire department, there was nowhere I’d rather be. Yeah, I would be playing Monopoly on a Friday night waiting for the tones to go off, but it was where I was supposed to be.” After high school, Tony attended MCC but was quickly picked up by the Monroe County Sherriff’s Department as a jail deputy. “The jail teaches you how to deal with people – and teaches you quickly!” By 1999, Tony had joined the Rochester Police Department, then transferred “home” to the Webster Police Department in 2001, where he retired from last year. While enjoying a career in law

enforcement, Tony and his wife, Kara, opened a steam cleaning business in 2012. Kara recalls, “His beloved dog had cancer and the treatment was making her so sick. I was finally forced to tell him he had to find a different way to clean up after her. Little did I know, our family business would come out of that conversation!” Tony researched several different cleaning methods and quickly decided on steam cleaning, or hot water extraction. Kara, a Registered Nurse, researched chemicals; together, they devised an amazing steam cleaning business! The Steam Police, LLC, caters to anyone needing residential or commercial cleaning of carpet, tile, upholster, hard wood floors; flood remediation and restoration – and is now opening a biohazard division. “The most important part of this business is the science. We follow evidence based science to make sure we have state-of-the -art equipment - and amazing people to maintain it.”

In 2012, Tony was the only steam cleaner. He would get out the door by 8am, clean all morning, rush home to shower and leave at 2:15 for his 3pm11pm shift as a police sergeant. Because of his commitment to quality and reliability, the business quickly grew. By 2020, The Steam Police has 18 employees, and provides services to Rochester and Buffalo. “Our secret is commitment. We are committed to treating our employees like family and we don’t take their hard work for granted. We are also committed to making sure our customers are so happy, they become

“Our secret is commitment. We are committed to treating our employees like family and we don’t take their hard work for granted.”

our biggest cheerleaders. We have so much repeat business and get so many referrals, it’s humbling.” Humbling. That’s actually a good word to describe Tony. While working as a police officer and then police sergeant, Tony received countless awards and letters of recognition for his distinguished service. “Those are all part of the job. Every good cop gets and gives hugs and gets recognized around town. That’s the benefit of being a small business owner in the same town, I guess!” wife are raising six kids ranging from 23years to 11 months, and rescue mini-pigs. “I truly feel like the best gift we gave the kids is each other. We are a built in team and this family business is for and about all of us. As for the pigs, they are good for me because nobody tells me what to do or talks back!”

“Usually it’s a difficult transition to go from working a full-time law enforcement career to a more traditional type of job. The Steam Police has afforded me a transition most aren’t lucky enough to have. Actually, raising 6 kids is a bit like law enforcement as well!” All joking aside, Tony expressed his gratitude to his platoon for continuing to keep in touch both personally and professionally. “As we open this new biohazard division, it’s invaluable to have the support of my brotherhood. It’s not a pleasant, happy time for a property owner, let alone a family member who needs this type of clean-up. I’ve helped people through a traumatic time more times than I can count and a few cases just stick with you. There are a few victims and families I’ll just never forget.”