STATE OF CONNECTICUT

Department of Emergency Services & Public Protection

Connecticut State Police

James C. Rovella Colonel Stavros Mellekas

Commissioner Deputy Commissioner
Division of State Police

STATE TROOPERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, CIVILIANS

RECEIVE SERVICE AWARDS
MERIDEN, CT (October 23, 2019) - At a ceremony today at the State Police Training Academy in
Meriden, State Police Troopers and others received awards for service.
The Connecticut State Police honors Troopers who demonstrate exceptional service in the line of duty.
The ceremony also honors men and women serving in local and federal law enforcement agencies, those
serving as first responders, and civilians.
Award winners received medals and certificates from Commissioner James C. Rovella and State Police
Colonel Stavros Mellekas. Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz also attended and addressed the recipients.

Awards were presented in eight categories:

 The Medal of Honor is awarded to a Trooper who peforms with gallantry and bravery at the risk of life,
above and beyond the call of duty, while engaged in combat with an armed and dangerous person.

 The Medal for Bravery is awarded to a Trooper who demonstrates exceptional heroism in the
performance of duty while exposed to life-threatening danger.

 The Meritorious Service Medal is awarded to those who render service with a high degree of alertness,
perseverance and superior judgment in the performance of a difficult task resulting in the protection of
life, recovery of property, the prevention of – or solving of – a major crime or the apprehension of an
armed or dangerous person.

 The Lifesaving Award is presented to those who save a human life or make a valiant attempt to save a life.

 The Outstanding Service Award is given to those who successfully perform an extreme, complex or
difficult investigation. The Trooper may demonstrate exceptional skill or ingenuity in the apprehension
of a wanted person, provide outstanding service to the public and/or continuously achieve excellence in
performance over an extended period of time.

 The Unit Citation is awarded to members of a department, a command or group who combine their resources
to achieve success in an investigation or event. The citation recognizes exceptional collective efforts.

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  The Commissioner’s Recognition Award is presented by the agency commissioner to a person who
has been instrumental in helping the State Police accomplish their job of public safety for all. This is
generally presented to civilians (non-law enforcement).

Awards were presented to:

MEDAL OF HONOR: TROOPER KYLE KAELBERER, TROOPER TOBY RUTKOWSKI,

TROOPER TIMOTHY BENJAMIN
UNIT CITATION AWARD: TROOP C, TROOP K
On Dec. 19, 2017, at 8:10 p.m., a domestic disturbance was reported in Mansfield. The male suspect was
brandishing a firearm and threatening to kill family members as well as any responding Troopers. Troopers
Kaelberer, Rutkowski and Benjamin arrived on scene and quickly set up a perimeter around the suspect’s home.
Desk personnel at Troop C and Troopers established a command post and responded to the scene.
Soon after, the suspect fled the home in his personal vehicle and intentionally rammed State Police
cruisers that had established the perimeter. The suspect then fired upon Troopers with a handgun.
In response, Trooper returned fire to neutralize the threat. The Troopers provided medical aid
immediately thereafter and the suspect was transported to a local hospital. Thanks to the courage,
professionalism, and training of these three Troopers, other potentially serious injuries or deaths were avoided.
The heroic and swift actions of Troopers Kaelberer, Rutkowski and Benjamin and Troop C Troopers and
desk personnel prevented loss of life among the public and responding law enforcement.

MEDAL FOR BRAVERY: TrooperJARED BARBERO, SGT. CHAD GOMEZ, TFC JEFF POACH,
Trooper JOHN BRESTER, Trooper GORDON LESLIE, Trooper JEFFERY DUNSHEE * Trooper
MICHAEL GRABOWSKI
UNIT CITATION AWARD:EMERGENCY SERVICES UNIT TACTICAL TEAM
On Jan. 9, 2019, at 8 p.m., Groton Town Police requested the State Police Tactical Team for a
barricaded subject who fired at his wife during a domestic disturbance. After exhausting all communication
attempts with the suspect from outside the home, the Tactical Team instituted an entry plan that divided the
team into two elements.
Once inside, one of the two elements found a locked door on the second floor. An interior gas plan was
prepared and several gas rounds were deployed through the door. Another attempt was made to elicit a response
from the subject but failed.
A mechanical breacher and cover operator attempted to breach the door as other Troopers assumed a
tactical formation. While the door was being breached, the suspect fired a shot, forcing Troopers to take cover
in an adjacent room. This room was hazardous, as it shared a wall with the suspect’s room and the only egress
was crossing in front of the barricaded door. They conceived a diversionary plan to cover their movements with
a distraction device and a mutual tactical cover technique to move past the barricaded door, allowing the team
to move back to the residence entry point. The Emergency Services Unit Tactical Team formed a perimeter
around the residence and utilized a ramp system and robot to locate the suspect.
Troopers Barbero, Brester, Leslie, Dunshee and Grabowski, as well as TFC Poach and Sgt. Gomez were
part of the element that was in direct proximity of this life-threatening danger. Their efforts during this 16-hour
barricade, as well as those of the Emergency Services Unit Tactical Team, are in the highest tradition of the
Connecticut State Police.

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MEDAL FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE:TROOPER FIRST CLASS DAVID MISENTI
On Oct. 5, 2018, at 6:00 p.m., Troop H at Bradley International Airport was notified of a reported
kidnapping in Plainville. The victim was an 8-year-old male who had been taken by a female relative;
information about the suspect, vehicle, and last known location was disseminated.
Upon receiving the descriptors, Trooper Misenti began aggressively patrolling the perimeter of the
airport in an effort to locate the suspect. He maintained a meticulous watch of each vehicle in the area. Soon, he
saw the suspect vehicle as it turned into the parking garage and he covertly followed it. After the car stopped in
a parking stall, he approached the suspect who was positively identified and detained. The suspect was turned
over to Plainville Police and the victim was safely returned to his legal guardian. Trooper Misenti was expedient
in his efforts which allowed the victim to be reunited with his family.

MEDAL FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE: NEW HARTFORD OFFICER PATRICK

BERARDINELLI, TROOPER WILLIAM VERAS, NEW HARTFORD OFFICER DANIEL JANCO
On July 26, 2017, at 10 p.m., Troop B dispatch received a call regarding a male actively assaulting a
female in New Hartford. Officers Janco & Berardinelli and Trooper Veras met with the caller, who had been
with a male and female at a wooded campsite. The male had beaten the female and was holding a knife to her
throat, threatening to kill her. The Trooper and Officers located the campsite and found a highly intoxicated,
agitated male holding a female hostage with a large knife to her throat and head.
The male repeatedly threatened to kill the woman if law enforcement came any closer and used the
female for cover. Officer Berardinelli ran to his vehicle to request additional resources and retrieve his shotgun.
Officer Janco and Trooper Veras established a dialogue with the male, who continued threats to kill the female
and told them to shoot him before he killed her.
Officer Janco and Trooper Veras maintained a calm demeanor while they encouraged the male to
surrender. After 14 minutes of tense negotiations, the male suddenly threw the knife and gave up. The officers
and trooper treated the victim for her injuries & secured the scene.

MEDAL FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE: GRANBY OFFICER PAUL WALZAK, TFC

CHRISTOPHER VILLAR, SGT. MARK PUZZO, TFC MICHAEL EYRE, GRANBY OFFICER
JERRY DOWD
On Dec. 29, 2018, at 1:10 p.m., Trooper Villar, Trooper Eyre, Officer Dowd and Officer Walzak
responded to a Hartland residence for a report of an elderly man armed with a firearm, threatening to kill two
people.
Law enforcement learned that the man was armed with two handguns and was sitting in a vehicle,
threatening to kill himself. The Officers and Troopers arrived on scene and were joined by Sergeant Mark
Puzzo, who was off-duty but in the area.
Trooper Villar and Officer Dowd established communication with the individual, who stated he wanted
to kill himself. He was holding one revolver to his head and a second in his other hand, occasionally exiting and
returning to the vehicle. Sgt. Puzzo, Trooper Eyre, and Officer Walzak established a perimeter and provided
notification to impacted neighbors. Trooper Villar & Officer Dowd built a rapport with the man and after two
hours of negotiating, the man released the firearms, exited the vehicle, and surrendered without further incident.

MEDAL FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE: TROOPER MARTIN TARTAGLINO

On Dec. 1, 2018, Troop B received an open 911 call from a Goshen residence with a female voice
screaming and the mention of a gun. Trooper Tartaglino arrived on scene within minutes, heard screaming
from the interior of the residence and immediately made entry. He found a male actively assaulting an elderly
female and observed a second victim lying in the doorway, bleeding profusely from the face.

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 Trooper Tartaglino engaged the male and ordered him to the ground, but the man was acting irrationally
and screaming. He refused to comply with the Trooper’s repeated commands and began to approach Trooper
Tartaglino in an aggressive manner with clenched fist raised above his head.
Trooper Tartaglino deployed his Taser and, after a brief struggle, was able to take the male into custody.
The Trooper then rendered aid to both female victims until medical personnel arrived and transported them to a
local hospital.

MEDAL FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE: TFC CHRISTOPHER TANNER

On August 6, 2018, at 2:09 p.m., Trooper Tanner was dispatched to a construction site at Bradley
International Airport for an industrial accident, where he found an unconscious male who had fallen into an
excavated trench. The victim sustained a severe, life-threatening head injury and had visible compound
fractures to his right leg.
Trooper Tanner, along with EMS and Windsor Locks Officers, attempted to hoist the victim onto the
surface to be treated. However, due to the location of the injured man, it became necessary to employ
unconventional means to lift him from the trench. So Trooper Tanner lowered himself into the ditch and
instructed EMS personnel in the creation of a makeshift harness. He did this while maintaining his hold on the
victim from a risky position inside the ditch. He then coordinated the efforts of all involved to remove the
victim from the trench without exacerbating the victim’s critical injuries. The victim was later transported to a
local hospital.

MEDAL FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE: STAFFORD POLICE SGT. JAMES KODZIS

On Jan.18, 2019, while finishing his shift, Sergeant Kodzis volunteered to assist another town officer
with a call of a suicidal female actively cutting herself.
Sgt. Kodzis was first to arrive at the woman’s apartment and quietly approached the bathroom area
without being detected by the female. He saw that she was seated with her back to him, cutting herself with a
large knife. There were other knives next to the female.
Fearing that verbally confronting her might intensify her efforts or cause an escalation of the incident,
Sgt. Kodzis quickly performed a tackle maneuver while focusing on the hand holding the knife, causing her to
lose grip of it. As the female struggled and resisted, Sgt. Kodzis pulled her to a safe location away from the
other edged weapons. He then assisted Stafford EMS personnel in applying a dressing to her wounds before she
was transported to a local hospital.

MEDAL FOR LIFESAVING: TROOPER JOSEPH DeANGELO

On June 21, 2018, at 11 p.m., Troop F received a 911 call from a Killingworth residence regarding an
unresponsive male who had used heroin in the past. Trooper DeAngelo arrived to find the man blue with a
weak pulse. The Trooper immediately administered Narcan to him, followed by CPR. A second dose of Narcan
was administered. The man’s condition slowly improved while Killingworth EMS arrived and took over CPR.
Soon, the man had a strong pulse and normal skin color. He was transported to a local hospital for further
treatment.
The Killingworth Fire Chief noted that the improvement in the man’s condition clearly reflected the
excellent care provided by Trooper DeAngelo in his initial minutes on scene. His quick and skillful action saved
the patient's life and Trooper DeAngelo assisted firefighters in removing the patient from very cramped
quarters.

MEDAL FOR LIFESAVING: TROOPER JOSEPH HAMEL

On July 19, 2018, at 8:45 p.m., Troop L received a call from a man threatening to hang himself in his
Litchfield backyard. Troopers arrived on scene to search the large, wooded property for the suicidal man.

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Searching in the dark through difficult terrain, a brief loud noise was heard and Troopers responded to the
general area of the noise.
After an intense search, Trooper Hamel located the man hanging from a tree. The Trooper immediately
cut the noose and he and other Troopers commenced medical aid to the unresponsive man, who had slow,
shallow breaths. The man began breathing properly, slowly regained consciousness and started to respond to
external stimuli. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

MEDAL FOR LIFESAVING:TROOPER GARRETH OLLIVIERRE

COMMISSIONER’S RECOGNITION AWARD: ALZGHOUL OMAR MAHMOUD
On July 2, 2018, at 3:37 a.m., a motorist was traveling the wrong way on Interstate 84 in Manchester.
Trooper Ollivierre saw the vehicle approaching his location and positioned his cruiser into its path, with
emergency signals activated. The operator ignored the lights and maneuvered around the cruiser.
Moments later, the vehicle crashed head-on into another vehicle, causing the second vehicle to
immediately burst into flames. Trooper Ollivierre and two good Samaritans moved the operator a safe distance
away from the fully engulfed vehicle.
A third motorist, Alzghoul Omar Mahmoud, stopped to render aid and alerted the Trooper that the first
vehicle was also on fire and someone might be inside. Trooper Ollivierre was unable to see inside due to
deployed airbags; he cut away the airbags and observed a female operator to be lifeless. She had no pulse, was
not breathing and had a large open wound to her forehead.
Trooper Ollivierre and Mr. Mahmoud removed her from the burning vehicle and carried her a safe
distance away. Trooper Ollivierre immediately began CPR and the operator began to breathe. With medical
treatment, both operators were expected to recover.

MEDAL FOR LIFESAVING:TROOPER FIRST CLASS PIETER GROOT

On August 7, 2018, at 7:30 p.m., Trooper Groot & his K-9 Ugo were dispatched to search for a missing
suicidal female in Woodstock. He responded with urgency as the female’s family reported that she made
alarming statements before leaving her residence on foot. In a later phone call, the woman was slurring her
speech and became unresponsive.
Trooper Groot initiated a track at the woman’s residence, which was surrounded by acres of dark woods.
K-9 Ugo tracked into the woods and located some of the woman’s personal items. The K-9 team quickly located
the woman, who was unconscious from an attempted hanging. Trooper Groot immediately cut the woman down
and found that she had a pulse and labored breathing. Trooper Groot requested EMS and kept the woman in a
recovery position while closely monitoring her vital signs. The woman was soon transported to a local hospital.

MEDAL FOR LIFESAVING: TROOPER FIRST CLASS ENRICO MILARDO

On August 28, 2018, at 7:35 a.m., Trooper Milardo responded to a Chester residence for a reported
suicide. Upon arrival, the victim was found to be in cardiac arrest. Trooper Milardo immediately began CPR
and the victim was successfully resuscitated on scene. He was transported to a local hospital where he later died
from complications of his injury.
Trooper Milardo is commended for rapidly assessing the victim and providing CPR which led to the
initial successful resuscitation of the victim.

MEDAL FOR LIFESAVING: OXFORD POLICE OFFICER DARREN PAVLIK, OXFORD

RESIDENT TROOPER RYAN PFEIFFER
On August 18, 2018, at 6:30 a.m., Officer Pavlik and Trooper Pfeiffer responded to a reported cardiac
arrest at an Oxford residence. They found the victim lying on the kitchen floor unconscious, unresponsive and
without a pulse.

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 Officer Pavlik and Trooper Pfeiffer immediately began performing CPR, continuing for at least eight
minutes before EMS arrived on the scene. EMTs utilized an AED and, with the help of the officers, continued
CPR before transporting the man to a local hospital. It was later learned that the man had suffered a severe heart
attack and underwent emergency heart surgery.
The immediate intervention and response of Officer Pavlik and Trooper Pfeiffer and their quick
initiation of CPR saved the life of the unresponsive victim.

MEDAL FOR LIFESAVING: OLD LYME POLICE OFFICER KEVIN ROCHE

COMMISSIONER’S RECOGNITION AWARD: DANIEL HUTCHINSON
On the morning of Jan. 31, 2018, Officer Roche was approached by Mr. Hutchinson who reported a
suspicious incident in the Old Lyme exit 70 commuter lot. Mr. Hutchinson detailed that he saw a vehicle with
its engine running and one person inside. Through a partially opened rear hatch, a black hose ran from the
exhaust into the passenger area of the vehicle.
Officer Roche immediately requested an ambulance when he discovered a lone male seated in the
locked vehicle which was filling with exhaust. Officer Roche entered the vehicle through the rear hatch and
climbed to the front where he found the lone male alert but holding a knife in his hand. Officer Roche
persuaded the man to relinquish his knife.
An ambulance arrived to treat the man and it was later learned that the suicidal man feared he was going
to prison for an unrelated criminal matter.

MEDAL FOR LIFESAVING: TROOPER FIRST CLASS SEAN HICKEY

On Dec. 2, 2018, Trooper Hickey, was conducting motor vehicle enforcement on Route 44 in Ashford
when a male exited a church and ran towards Trooper Hickey’s vehicle. The man advised Trooper Hickey that
an elderly male parishioner just had a heart attack and was not breathing.
Trooper Hickey rushed into the church and located the unresponsive man who was not breathing and
had no pulse. He and a parishioner immediately began CPR on the victim. EMS arrived, an AED was applied to
the victim and CPR was continued by Trooper Hickey. During the ongoing treatment, the victim started
breathing and regained a pulse. He was transported to the hospital and was later reported to be doing well.

MEDAL FOR LIFESAVING: BEACON FALLS OFFICER PAUL MARKETTE

On Feb. 24, 2019, at approximately 11:39 a.m., Troop I received a 911 call of an unresponsive male at a
Beacon Falls residence. Officer Markette responded to the scene and found an unresponsive male lying on the
ground in his backyard. Officer Markette immediately commenced CPR. Beacon Falls EMS arrived a short
time later and an AED was utilized to assess the victim’s condition. Once stable, the man was transported to a
local hospital.
Further investigation on scene found several heart medications within the man’s residence. The victim
had survived due to the quick and steady work of Officer Markette.

MEDAL FOR LIFESAVING: TROOPER FIRST CLASS JAMES KING

COMMISSIONER’S RECOGNITION AWARD: JULIE ANN FALTER, R.N.
On Feb. 24, 2019, at 1:30 a.m., Trooper King was dispatched to a car vs. pedestrian on Interstate 84 near
exit 8 in Danbury. Upon arrival, he found Julie Ann Falter, a registered nurse who stopped to render aid,
working on a victim who was in dire medical distress.
Trooper King immediately administered a tourniquet on the victim. Trooper King and Ms. Falter
combined their efforts and skills with rapid intervention and outstanding pre-hospital care, giving the victim a
fighting chance. The victim was then transported to a local hospital for urgent care.

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 The following day, the victim succumbed to her injuries. The lifesaving efforts by Trooper King and
Ms. Falter gave family members time to respond to the hospital and allowed for a successful organ donation
that gave the gift of life to others

MEDAL FOR LIFESAVING: TROOPER DAVID THARAS, TROOPER JAMIE OLSOWY

On April 20, 2019, New Fairfield Police received a report of a missing man. A cell phone inquiry
positioned him in a heavily-wooded area on a steep embankment and cliff face adjacent to Candlewood Lake.
Trooper Tharas and Trooper Olsowy responded and located the man, who had suffered extensive blood
loss and as a result was too weak to move. He had been in the woods overnight and sustained self-inflicted deep
lacerations to his body. Troopers Tharas and Olsowy quickly began to treat the victim’s wounds.
The victim was medically prepared and carried to a boat, with the Troopers assisting in the transport.
While attempting to land the boat to load the patient, Trooper Olsowy seriously injured his knee, yet continued
to assist and load the victim without regard for his own injury

MEDAL FOR LIFESAVING: SERGEANT RYAN HENNESSY

On June 6, 2019, at 9 a.m., Waterbury Police contacted Troop A due to a suicidal juvenile female who
had walked away from a school adjacent to Interstate 84, stating that she wanted to kill herself by jumping off a
highway bridge.
Sgt. Hennessy was working a highway construction job nearby and responded to the area. He found the
girl walking on a roadway adjacent to the highway. Upon seeing Sgt. Hennessy, the girl fled across the gore
area onto the highway. Sgt. Hennessy turned his cruiser around and again located the girl walking eastbound on
the westbound side of the highway.
As Sgt. Hennessy approached the girl, she attempted to cross the highway into oncoming traffic and
motorists began to veer across lanes to avoid striking her. Sgt. Hennessy pulled his cruiser in front of traffic,
blocking all lanes. The girl fled back across the highway, where Sgt. Hennessy quickly detained her until
backup units arrived. The girl was transported to a local hospital.

MEDAL FOR LIFESAVING: TROOPER TOBY RUTKOWSKI

On May 3, 2019, at 7:19 p.m., Trooper Rutkowski responded to Route 32 in Willington for a motorcycle
accident with injuries. Trooper Rutkowski arrived to find a female lying near the guardrail suffering from
serious injuries, including a poor airway and a catastrophic leg injury which was bleeding heavily.
Trooper Rutkowski and Willington Firefighters applied a tourniquet to her leg. Trooper Rutkowski then
retrieved a second tourniquet for the female’s severely injured left arm. The female was still conscious and
breathing as Trooper Rutkowski and the EMTs rendered aid. All responders moved the woman to a stretcher for
transport to a local hospital.

MEDAL FOR LIFESAVING: TROOPER FIRST CLASS GIANCARLO ARDOLINO

On June 29, 2019, Troop A received a report of an accidental shooting at a Sherman residence. Trooper
Ardolino arrived and found the victim had sustained a serious gunshot wound to his upper leg, which was
bleeding heavily.
Trooper Ardolino retrieved a tourniquet and immediately applied it to the victim’s leg, thereby
controlling the life-threatening bleed. The quick thinking and calm response by Trooper Ardolino resulted in the
victim surviving the incident.

MEDAL FOR LIFESAVING: TROOPER ANLLY DIAZ

COMMISSIONER’S RECOGNITION AWARD: EDWARD BELL, PATRICK DOHERTY

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 On June 14, 2019, Troop A received a report of a motorcycle accident on I-84 near exit 8 in Danbury. A
motorcycle operator went off the road and struck a guard rail resulting in a severe leg injury and causing heavy
bleeding.
Trooper Diaz arrived on scene, quickly retrieved a tourniquet and applied it to the leg to stop the life-
threatening blood loss. Two civilian Good Samaritans – Mr. Bell and Mr. Doherty – arrived just before Trooper
Diaz and helped with the injured operator.
The quick thinking and calm response by Trooper Diaz, Mr. Bell and Mr. Doherty resulted in the victim
surviving the incident.

MEDAL FOR LIFESAVING: SERGEANT BRIAN SANTA, TROOPER FIRST CLASS TIMOTHY
MERRILL, ELLINGTON POLICE OFFICER KEVIN FURBUSH
Commissioner’s Recognition Award: ELLINGTON PUBLIC WORKS DEPT., ELLINGTON FIRE &
RESCUE, ROCKVILLE HOSPITAL PARAMEDIC, LIFESTAR
On June 10, 2019, at 1 p.m., Troop C received a medical call regarding an Ellington public works
employee who was using a cut-off saw when the blade kicked back and impacted his neck, causing a life-
threatening laceration.
Public Works employees managed the injury by applying pressure and managing the scene until first
responders arrived. Officer Furbush provided assistance at the scene, as did Ellington Fire and Emergency
Medical Services and a Rockville Hospital Paramedic.
Sgt. Santa and Trooper Merrill arrived and made the critical decision to treat the injury with “quick clot”
due to the severity of the injury and the amount of bleeding. They pushed two “quick clot” packs directly into
the wound and personnel on scene continued to treat the injury. A third “quick clot” was added in order to
manage the bleeding.
The employee was stabilized at the scene, transported to a landing zone and airlifted by Life Star to a
local hospital. It was determined that that man’s carotid artery had been partially severed and his jugular vein
had been completely severed by the saw blade. The employee was released from the hospital a week later. The
combined quick-thinking efforts of all responders were exemplary and undeniably saved the life of the worker.

MEDAL FOR LIFESAVING: TROOPER GREGORY FASCENDINI, TROOPER FIRST CLASS

RYAN SAWICKI, NAUGATUCK POLICE DETECTIVE ANDREW MOUTELA, WATERBURY
POLICE OFFICER CEM MCAVOY
On August 7, 2019, at 4:30 p.m., Troop A was notified by an ambulance crew that they were with a
suicidal male on the Highland Avenue overpass on Interstate 84. Trooper Fascendini and Trooper Sawicki
responded and found a teenage male had climbed the safety fence and was threatening to jump into traffic on
Interstate 84. It was determined that the teen spoke only Portuguese.
Each side of the highway was closed to motor vehicle traffic, a monumental task during a busy rush
hour. Detective Moutela arrived and for more than an hour he engaged the teen in conversation in Portuguese.
Officer McAvoy offered the juvenile a bottle of water. The teen leaned down to take the bottle and both Officer
McAvoy and Trooper Fascendini grabbed him to bring him back over the fence into the arms of Trooper
Sawicki. The teenager was not injured, but was transported to a local hospital for observation.

MEDAL FOR LIFESAVING: TROOPER WAYNE TATE

On August 12, 2019, at 6:10 p.m., Troop A was notified of a woman struggling in the Housatonic River
near Long River Road in Sherman. This is an extremely wooded and remote area. The victim was in the water
with her husband, although neither of them could swim. The woman started to struggle and went under water,
as her husband attempted to rescue her and nearly drowned himself.

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 Trooper Tate, the Sherman Resident Trooper, responded and located the remote area of the distressed
swimmers. He entered the river and worked to pull both parties out of the water to safety. Trooper Tate
immediately began lifesaving measures, including CPR, on the unresponsive female victim. For more than ten
minutes, he conducted lifesaving measures by himself, as EMS was having a difficult time locating him and the
male victim, who was hovering between consciousness and unconsciousness. Despite his valiant and heroic
solo efforts, the female victim was later pronounced deceased. It is apparent that the male would not have
survived without the rescue efforts of Tpr. Tate.

MEDAL FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE: NORWICH POLICE OFFICER GREG McDONALD

UNIT CITATION AWARD: DEPT. OF CORRECTION, NATIONAL INSURANCE CRIME BUREAU,
CONNECTICUT STATE POLICE, NEW ENGLAND HIGH INTENSITY DRUG TRAFFICKING
AREA, CT NATIONAL GUARD
Officer McDonald is assigned to the Connecticut Intelligence Center (known as CTIC) as a Regional
Intelligence Liaison Officer. He began working on details and operation of a statewide sweep to eliminate a
large number of warrants from Connecticut’s system. He used intelligence as the backbone of the operation to
ensure a safe, efficient undertaking allowing law enforcement to cooperatively achieve their goals. His planning
and preparation began in the fall of 2017 and came to fruition on July 18, 2018.
Dubbed “Operation Praying Mantis,” the sweep commenced pre-dawn with more than 90 municipal,
state and federal law enforcement officers determined to serve warrants with more than 1,200 intelligence
packets prepared by CTIC members and partners. This operation netted 336 arrest warrants served, the most
prolific warrant sweep known to date in Connecticut. Officer McDonald worked with a team to organize and
ensure the successful execution of the operation through the tedious research and preparation of comprehensive
intelligence packets. All involved ensured that each police department, troop, probation office, marshal service
and courthouse were simultaneously synchronized and operating on the same plans. Their many months of
planning paid off with these wanted persons apprehended in a safe, timely, and accurate manner.
Officer McDonald spent countless days and nights, on and off duty, determined to persevere in the
performance of a monumental task, which resulted in the apprehension of a record number of persons who have
evaded capture for some time. The cooperation of other agencies brought about the success of this operation.

MEDAL FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE: TROOPER FIRST CLASS MATTHEW LOSH

In 2017, Trooper Losh was consistently and continuously one of the most proactive Troopers at Troop G
in Bridgeport. Between January and December of that year, he handled more than 2,130 calls for service while
on patrol. Of these, 1,530 were self-initiated traffic stops, including 77 commercial vehicles, for which he
issued 1,109 infractions and 457 warnings. He has been a Troop leader in proactive enforcement and criminal
interdiction, with 102 custodial arrests, including 50 for Operating Under the Influence, 16 for narcotics
violations, 19 executed PRAWN warrants, two weapons violations, two assaults, and three recovered stolen
vehicles.
Working with his fellow Troopers, as well as with local and federal law enforcement partners, Trooper
Losh seized a variety of illegal narcotics, including four ounces of cocaine, 10 ounces of marijuana, 10 grams of
raw heroin, 152 illegal prescription pills, 1.3 grams of methamphetamine, two illegal weapons, $9,651 in drug
proceeds, and five kilograms of fentanyl.

MEDAL FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE: TROOPER FIRST CLASS BRIAN SUMNER

Trooper Sumner, resident trooper in Sprague, observed signs of a burglary at a vacant commercial
building in that town. The building had been abandoned for four years, after which the town assumed
ownership of the property. The building had been slowly stripped of interior copper wiring.

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 On his own initiative, Trooper Sumner installed a camera at the building and captured one suspect on
video. He arrested this suspect and followed up on more clues. He obtained arrest warrants for three other
suspects who had conspired to steal more than $200,000 worth of copper, which was being sold to an Essex
scrapyard.
Upon interviewing the suspects, Trooper Sumner discovered possible collusion between them and an
employee at the scrapyard, who encouraged the suspects to commit the burglary. Trooper Sumner applied for
and received arrest warrants for the four suspects, who were arrested on burglary and larceny charges.

MEDAL FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE: TROOPER FIRST CLASS STEPHEN SORDI

Since 2011, Trooper Sordi has led the police cadets program at Troop L in Litchfield. The already-
successful program rose to new heights under his guidance and the cadet post has become an intricate part of
Troop L and the community.
During his tenure, Trooper Sordi spearheaded the holiday fundraising, food, and toy drives. In eight years,
the cadets have raised more than $100,000 in holiday monetary donations and have collected more than 2,000
turkeys and 15,000 toys. Every donation was distributed to towns, churches, and shelters in the Troop L area to
help families in need. The success of these drives is a direct result of Trooper Sordi volunteering to plan,
coordinate and supervise the cadets, often in frigid winter conditions.
Each year, Trooper Sordi and the cadets work many of the parades, road races, festivals, and fairs. The
work they perform garners donations to fund the program and pay for the summer cadet academy.
Trooper Sordi and the cadets were instrumental in the rededication of a fallen Troopers memorial at
Troop L, an event which was attended by the families of the fallen Troopers, command staff, and dignitaries.
The cadets performed many hours of service in the new Troop L workout room dedicated to a Western District
commander who passed away unexpectedly.
Trooper Sordi assists in the organization of the weeklong summer cadet academy for hundreds of
teenagers to experience life in a police academy setting. This experience led nearly two dozen past cadets to
become members of law enforcement and/or the military. The professionalism, leadership, and commitment of
Trooper Sordi serves as a guiding light for the Troop L cadets.

MEDAL FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE: TROOPER GREG KENNEY, JR.

On August 29, 2017, at 9:30 a.m., Trooper Kenney was dispatched to a reported home invasion in
Washington. The elderly female victim was woken up by two men in her bedroom wearing ski masks. They
rummaged through the house, removing several valuable items before departing.
The crime scene was documented and physical evidence was recovered that would later help link the
suspects to the scene. During the nine-month investigation, 12 search and seizure warrants were executed on
cell towers, cell phones, a residence, a vehicle, DOC records, social media accounts and the suspects.
Trooper Kenney developed the first suspect from pawn shop records, leading to search and seizure
warrants for a vehicle and the suspect’s residence, where physical evidence was recovered. Lab testing on crime
scene evidence provided a link between this suspect and the physical evidence. The suspect was arrested by
warrant on January 6, 2018.
A search warrant of DOC phone records and interviews with the suspect’s family provided ID of the
second suspect. Cell tower records put this suspect’s phone in the vicinity of the crime at the time it occurred
and phone records showed the two suspects had contact before and after the crime occurred. The second suspect
was arrested by warrant on June 5, 2018. In February 2019, the suspects entered guilty pleas. Trooper
Kenney’s perseverance and commitment helped to identify suspects and solve the crime.

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MEDAL FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE: TROOPER KYLE RAPP
On July 13, 2018, at 10 a.m., Trooper Rapp responded to a report of an untimely death in Litchfield. He
found a victim in his 30s with paper folds nearby, some still containing heroin, as well as a rolled up bill.
Trooper Rapp also located the deceased’s phone, which was very active with text messages.
Knowing the phone would be critical, Trooper Rapp seized it and completed a preservation letter in
anticipation of a search warrant. The deceased man’s sister identified a contact her brother texted regarding
drug activity. Since the deceased was a recovering heroin user, his sister was wary of the texts and confronted
her brother just prior to his death.
Trooper Rapp obtained a search warrant for the phone and reviewed thousands of text messages. The
written statement taken from the victim’s sister allowed him to develop another lead. He submitted another
preservation letter and drafted a search warrant for the suspect’s phone number. Trooper Rapp used online
resources to obtain identifying information which turned a nameless telephone number under an alias into the
proper name of his suspect, a crucial breakthrough in the investigation.
He cross-referenced multiple text messages from the victim and the suspect and developed information
linking the heroin dealer and drug transactions to his victim. Trooper Rapp arrested the second suspect,
successfully turning an overdose death into an arrest of a heroin dealer.

MEDAL FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE: DEA SPECIAL AGENT KEITH WARZECHA, NEW
LONDON POLICE OFFICER JEREMY ZELINSKI
UNIT CITATION AWARD: STATEWIDE NARCOTICS TASK FORCE, GROTON CITY POLICE,
NEW LONDON POLICE, STONINGTON POLICE, WATERFORD POLICE, UCONN POLICE, U.S.
ATTORNEY’S OFFICE, DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION
In June 2018, the DEA and the Statewide Narcotics Task Force East Office started an investigation targeting
heroin and cocaine traffickers in New London and surrounding communities. The lead investigators were Agent
Warzecha and Officer Zelinski, both Task Force Officers.
Two of the targeted violators had recently completed federal prison terms stemming from DEA arrests in
2009. Numerous violators had previous arrests for firearms offenses and were known to use violence in
conducting drug trafficking activities.
Agent Warzecha and Officer Zelinski coordinated the efforts of all investigators, including controlled
purchases, traffic stops, hours of remote and physical surveillance and more. The case progressed to federal
intercepts of cell phones used by the violators. The investigation identified three prolific poly-drug trafficking
organizations operating in the area.
On February 21, 2019, twelve federal search warrants and 13 federal arrest warrants were executed. Two
weeks later, 10 additional federal arrest warrants were served. Investigators seized
7 kilograms of cocaine, 2.3 kilograms of heroin, 1.6 kilograms of crack cocaine, 50 grams of fentanyl, 13
handguns, two vehicles and $230,000.00 in cash;. 22 arrests were made.
Ultimately, three significant Drug Trafficking Organizations responsible for bringing narcotics to
southeastern Connecticut were dismantled.

MEDAL FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE: TROOPER FIRST CLASS DANIEL GREENWOOD,

TROOPER FIRST CLASS DAVID PIELA
COMMISSIONER’S RECOGNITION AWARD: DISPATCHER JOANNE SAMATARO
On June 20, 2018, at 11:14 a.m., Willimantic Police advised area police of a bank robbery. The male
suspect did not show or imply a weapon and left the bank in a pickup truck, from which a partial plate was
seen.
The car was on Route 6 when Willimantic Officers lost it in pursuit. The suspect vehicle had a cracked
windshield and was reportedly occupied by a female operator and the male suspect.

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 Troop K Dispatcher Samataro, who added one letter to the reported partial registration, and the marker
plate came back to a vehicle identical to the suspect pickup truck. This information was disseminated to
Willimantic Police and Troopers in the area.
Troopers Piela and Greenwood took a post at a nearby intersection. Soon, the suspect vehicle was seen
traveling westbound on Route 6 in Coventry. The Troopers stopped the vehicle, detained the suspects and
reported that evidence of the robbery was in plain view. The suspects were taken into custody. It was learned
that the male suspect had been released recently from a correctional facility and had attempted numerous past
bank robberies. All involved showed vigilance and tenacity to apprehend the suspects and recover the stolen
money.

MEDAL FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE: DETECTIVE ANDREW KATRENYA

UNIT CITATION AWARD: OFFICE OF THE STATE’S ATTORNEY, MERIDEN POLICE
DEPARTMENT, WATERFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT, FAIRFIELD POLICE DEPARTMENT,
TORRINGTON POLICE DEPARTMENT
In May 2018, Fairfield Police informed the Statewide Narcotics Task Force South Central Office about
large-scale marijuana parties throughout central Connecticut. The next month, task force members and a
confidential informant attended a party in North Haven. Investigators found the informant provided an accurate
description of the festivities and that a motorcycle club was facilitating the event within its clubhouse.
Det. Katrenya and SNTF members made numerous controlled purchases of marijuana and marijuana-
based products at different clubhouses. With the informant, investigators also conducted controlled purchases of
cocaine from club members and associates. Det. Katrenya wrote several wiretap requests, search warrants and
arrest warrants that directly led to the resolution of this complex case.
With probable cause gleaned from controlled purchases, undercover operations and clandestine
electronic surveillance, search & seizure and arrest warrants were executed for nine residences and two
vehicles. Seven warrants were executed in March 2019; earlier that month, it was learned that one of the targets
was actively engaged in a road rage incident in which a gun was displayed. Det. Katrenya and others
immediately arrested the target, who was in possession of a handgun.
Three arrest warrants were served, six other arrest warrants are still pending and one on-site arrest was
made. Seize was $90,000 in cash, three cars, one motorcycle, 1.7 kilos of cocaine, 165 grams of MDMA, 25
suboxone strips, 2,142 Alprazolam pills, 1,900 steroid capsules, 135 bottles of steroids, 541 marijuana vape
cartridges, 224 packages of marijuana edibles, 110 pounds of marijuana, hundreds of rounds of ammunition,
high capacity magazines, 28 firearms, and a bulletproof vest.
Ultimately three significant Drug Trafficking Organizations responsible for bringing large quantities of
narcotics to northwestern and central Connecticut were dismantled.

MEDAL FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE: SERGEANT HEATH ERICSON, TROOPER FIRST

CLASS WAYLON KIMBALL, TROOPER FIRST CLASS DAVID MATTIOLI
During the period spanning January 1, 2016, to April 1, 2019, Sgt. Ericson, Trooper Kimball and
Trooper Mattioli were members of the Troop D Quality of Life Task Force, a community policing unit
committed to proactively identifying and aggressively combating criminal activity. QLTF members meet with
neighborhood residents, business owners and citizens to solve ongoing police issues perceived by the public as
most affecting their quality of life.
Task force members were challenged to combat crime such as illegal narcotic activity, burglary, larceny
and firearms trafficking. They carried out their duties in a superior manner by initiating multiple high-profile
investigations, utilizing confidential informants and coordinating resources between citizens, uniform patrol,
Resident Troopers, the Statewide Narcotics Task Force, the Statewide Firearms Trafficking Task Force and the
Eastern District Major Crime Squad.

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 The tireless efforts of Sgt. Ericson and Troopers Kimball and Mattioli yielded 57 controlled narcotics
purchases, 416 arrests, more than $158,224.00 in seized drug money, 132 recovered stolen or illegal firearms,
the service of 67 search warrants and 262 arrest warrants, the seizure of nearly 3.58 pounds of cocaine, 3.85
pounds of crack cocaine, 2.86 pounds of heroin, 2,800 ML of steroids, 345 units of narcotics, 233 grams of
synthetic marijuana, 1.27 pounds of THC oil and 48 pounds of marijuana. QLTF also investigated 15 Drug
Endangered Child cases involving 20 children and solved one armed robbery and four commercial burglaries.

UNIT CITATION AWARD: EMERGENCY SERVICES UNIT TACTICAL TEAM

The Emergency Services Unit Tactical Team has participated in the Connecticut SWAT Challenge for
the last 14 years. The intrinsic value of the challenge can be measured on several levels: tactics, movement
techniques, equipment trends, fitness levels and shooting proficiency.
The Challenge consists of unique events such as Officer Rescue Challenge, Handgun/Patrol Rifle,
Sniper, Shoot House Scenario and Physical Fitness course. All of these challenges are an evaluation of a
Tactical Team’s grit, staunchness and teamwork. During the course of these events in the past 14 years, the
State Police Tactical Team has had a remarkable display of ability, spirit, enthusiasm, teamwork and intensity.
In 14 years, the team has amassed an impressive record: three First Place wins, five Second Place wins
and five Third Place wins. The dedication of the Tactical Team to this SWAT competition is noteworthy and in
the highest tradition of the Connecticut State Police.

UNIT CITATION AWARD: TROOP E, MONTVILLE

On Oct. 24, 2018, at 8:46 a.m., Troop E Troopers responded to a Lisbon residence for a report of an
unknown male forcing entry at gunpoint. Troop E dispatch maintained phone contact with the victim who
explained he and his infant son were alone in the residence when a man wearing a hooded sweatshirt fired a
pistol at him and fled into the woods.
Trooper Dwyer was working a construction project nearby and immediately responded to the scene. He
observed a vehicle traveling in close proximity to the residence; Trooper Sumner and Trooper Martin observed
the vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed. Due to the vehicle's erratic operation, and its proximity to the
residence, Troopers Sumner and Martin, along with Trooper Chamrin, conducted a felony motor vehicle stop.
Sgt. Trotter and Troopers Adams and Starkey arrived to provide cover and assistance with taking the
three suspects into custody within 10 minutes of the original call. This scene was supervised by M/Sgt. Peck
and Sgt. Trotter. Simultaneously, Trooper McCarthy, Trooper Dwyer and Trooper Goulart arrived at the
residence to secure the victim and scene. A short K-9 track was conducted to clear the wooded area; this scene
was supervised by Sgt. Bohonowicz.
Just after 9:00 a.m., Trooper Bohem located a handgun in the travel portion of the road of the residence.
The victim later described it as the one fired at him. Further checks revealed the weapon was listed as stolen by
Middletown Police.
Trooper Fitzgerald assisted Dispatcher Patel in the Troop E dispatch center, directing responding
Troopers to both scenes while also taking additional, unrelated calls for service. All involved demonstrated
alertness in a rapidly evolving situation with multiple crime scenes, resulting in the capture of three dangerous
felons and the recovery of a stolen weapon.

UNIT CITATION AWARD: WESTERN DISTRICT MAJOR CRIME SQUAD, EASTERN DISTRICT
MAJOR CRIME SQUAD, EASTON POLICE, WESTON POLICE, FBI
On Aug. 7, 2015, Easton Police began an investigation after an Easton couple had not been heard from
in three days. On Aug. 9, State Police located the wife’s truck in a Westport commuter lot. The vehicle
appeared to have been broken in to and ransacked. Suspecting that the missing couple may have met with foul
play, Easton Police requested the assistance of the State Police Western District Major Crime Squad.

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 In the ensuing weeks, Easton Officers and Western District Detectives conducted an intense
investigation into the couple’s disappearance, which indicated that their son was the last person to have contact
with them. Detectives discovered a crime scene within the son’s work vehicle and at his Bridgeport residence.
The search for the missing couple’s bodies spanned three months and included a 26-day search through 35,000
tons of ash at a state landfill by Western & Eastern District Detectives. The remains were eventually located and
recovered on Oct. 29, 2015, at an abandoned residence in Weston. The son and his girlfriend were arrested in
connection with the murders of the couple.
The investigation included members of the Easton, Weston and Westport Police Departments, the FBI,
the U.S. Marshals, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and members of the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office.
In November 2017, the son’s girlfriend accepted a deal, pleading guilty to hindering prosecution. On
April 16, 2018, the son accepted a deal, pleading guilty to two counts of murder. The successful resolution of
this case was due to a combination of investigative evidence generated by detectives and forensic evidence from
the crime scene, as well as the cooperation of the multiple agencies involved.

UNIT CITATION AWARD: WESTERN DISTRICT MAJOR CRIME SQUAD, FBI, DEPARTMENT
OF CORRECTION
On August 6, 2012, at 6 p.m., Troop B received a 911 call reporting a home invasion and shooting in
Sharon. Troopers discovered a bound female victim and a male victim, her son, who was suffering from
apparent gunshot wounds. The son was pronounced dead at the scene.
Following an intense 13-month investigation, four suspects were identified. One, a known marijuana
dealer in financial trouble following an arrest, constructed a plan to rob the male victim of a substantial amount
of cash. The dealer enlisted the help of his brother, cousin and another man in the scheme. Two of the suspects
donned masks and gloves, entered the victim’s home, tied up the mother and confronted the son. A struggle
ensued and one of the suspects shot the son twice, killing him. The pair fled into the woods and were later
picked up by another suspect; afterwards, they burned clothing to cover up their connection to the crime.
The investigative efforts proceeded with minimal forensic evidence linking anyone to the scene.
Detectives worked tirelessly to develop leads from scores of interviews, dozens of search warrants and
electronic evidence analysis. They established links between the perpetrators, their locations around the time of
the crime and physical evidence.
The investigation was aided by members of the Northwest SNTF Office, the Computer Crimes Unit, the
FBI and the Department of Correction among others. On Sept. 11, 2013, the four suspects were arrested for
murder, home invasion, robbery and other charges.

UNIT CITATION AWARD: EMERGENCY SERVICES UNIT, FBI, DEEP, DEPT OF PUBLIC
HEALTH
In the fall of 2018, state and federal agencies, police departments, public officials, banks, health care
professionals and private individuals received letters containing white powder. The letters stated that the
powder was Anthrax.
The Emergency Services Unit Bomb Squad, the Weapons of Mass Destruction Program of the FBI New
Haven office, FBI Special Agent Technicians, the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Emergency Response Unit of
the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the Department of Public Health responded to 14
locations over a three-day period mitigating the white powder potential hazards at each site.
Each location required technicians to practice a prudent and systematic approach to the white powder
contamination. The locations also required the orderly evacuation of civilians, the donning and doffing of
personal protective gear, rendering the location safe, securing the white powder/envelope, screening the white
powder material prior to transport to the Public Health Laboratory and mollifying any other potential hazards.

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 All agencies demonstrated an outstanding work ethic and professionalism, as their efforts complemented
each other and they completed their job in a model of cooperative effort.

UNIT CITATION AWARD: TROOP E - MONTVILLE, TROOP D - DANIELSON

Troop E and Troop D Troopers responded to a Jewett City residence for a report of an intoxicated male
threatening to kill his family and himself with a shotgun. Troopers located the victim and three juveniles who
were able to get out of the house as Troopers were arriving. The victim’s neighbor identified the accused and
provided a cell phone number for him.
Troopers secured the perimeter of the residence and made contact with adjacent residences to shelter in
place. The Jewett City Fire Department assisted in closing the street and all traffic was diverted around the
incident.
Troopers made contact via phone with the accused and negotiated the safe removal of the accused from
the residence. The accused complied with commands to walk out the front door unarmed with his hands up.
Once outside, he was taken into custody. A safety/victim sweep was conducted of the residence and a 12-gauge
shotgun and a handgun were located.

UNIT CITATION AWARD: STATEWIDE NARCOTICS TASK FORCE, BERLIN POLICE,

TORRINGTON POLICE, DEA, HOMELAND SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS
From October 2018 to January 2019, the Statewide Narcotics Task Force, DEA, HSI, Berlin and Torrington
Police worked collaboratively on a west to east coast operation trafficking hundreds of pounds of marijuana at a
time. Task force members orchestrated a collaborative investigation and gained cooperation from an informant.
After obtaining a search and seizure warrant for a vehicle, 142 pounds of marijuana, other contraband and
$74,276 in cash were seized. Investigators attempted to identify the organization’s two sources of supply.
In Oct. 2018, investigators orchestrated a controlled delivery from the first source and recovered an
additional 130 pounds of marijuana, as well as $114,000 and personal effects that included a key to a safe
deposit box in New York City. A search and seizure warrant was executed on the supplier’s bank and seized
$34,000 simultaneously to the DEA and Task Force officers, seizing $10,000 on a federal search and seizure
warrant on the safe deposit box in New York.
In Nov. 2018, investigators tracked containers and intercepted a delivery vehicle from the second source,
discovering 170 pounds of marijuana. The next month, Torrington Police arrested a subject in possession of
marijuana who appeared to have obtained it from the same trafficking organization. A warrant was executed in
New Hartford, seizing 11 pounds of marijuana.
In Jan. 2019, a warrant served in Canton resulted in the seizure of two pounds of marijuana and $35,470.
More search warrants were executed for records and proceeds for an individual identified as the financial backer
who was suspected of money laundering. Seized were financial records along with $14,000 cash and bank
accounts containing $23,000.
This investigation led to the combined seizure of 457 pounds of marijuana, 3,000 grams of THX “wax,”
several thousand THC vaping cartridges, 28 pounds of THC edibles, one pound of mushrooms, 2,500 Xanax
pills, 460 vials of liquid steroids, 106 grams of THC oil, 34 dosage units of LSD, $313,746 in cash and three
vehicles. A total of seven arrests were made.
This collaborative effort effectively dismantled a significant Drug Trafficking Organization.

UNIT CITATION AWARD: TROOP L, LITCHFIELD, BURLINGTON VOLUNTEER FIRE

DEPARTMENT, TROOP A, SOUTHBURY
On April 9, 2019, at 6:23 p.m., Troop L received a call from a Burlington resident who reported that her
elderly husband had wandered off and was missing. The man suffered from Alzheimer’s and had a history of
similar episodes.

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 Troopers from Troop L and the Burlington Resident Trooper’s Office as well as Burlington Fire and
EMS responded to the scene. Troop A sent a K-9 team to assist and SAR assets were requested from ESU. A
Silver Alert was issued and an intensive search commenced.
As heavy rain and hail fell, Burlington Fire utilized motorized quads to enter wooded areas along several
large bodies of water. At 8:24 p.m., a fire department member in the woods heard cries for help. The missing
man was located in a remote area, where he was unable to move in the thick brush and mud. He was wet,
freezing and suffered multiple scrapes and bruises. Rescue personnel moved him from the woods.

COMMISSIONER’S RECOGNITION AWARD: BENJAMIN CASILLAS, JEFFREY STAUFFER,

CHAD RAETZ
On Nov. 3, 2018, at 8 a.m., Troop L received multiple 911 calls regarding a one-car accident on Route 8
southbound in Thomaston. The car crashed through the wire rope guiderail and continued down an embankment
before striking a tree.
Benjamin Casillas, Jeffrey Stauffer and Chad Raetz stopped to see if they could help the operator who
was trapped inside as the vehicle caught fire.
The three men ran down the embankment to try to free the female operator. With the driver’s door
jammed, they entered through the driver’s side rear door. They pried back the steering wheel and worked
together to pull the operator over the driver’s seat and through the door.
They moved the operator up the steep embankment away from the vehicle, which became fully engulfed
in flames less than a minute after freeing her. They immediately commenced CPR and continued until an
ambulance arrived to take the operator to a local hospital.

COMMISSIONER’S RECOGNITION AWARD:DISPATCHER VINCENT D’ELIA

On Nov. 21, 2018, at 10:24 a.m., Troop I Dispatcher D’Elia received a phone call reporting a suicidal
male at a Prospect residence. He attempted to reach the man by phone, but the man would not answer his calls.

Dispatcher D’Elia used the phone of the man’s ex-wife to make contact with him. For more than 45
minutes, Dispatcher D’Elia spoke with the man, who was armed with a pistol. Dispatcher D’Elia effectively
kept the attention of the suicidal man and persuaded him to unload his pistol and place it on a desk.
The man had taken several oxycodone pills, causing him to lapse in and out of alertness. With teams
staged outside the residence, Dispatcher D’Elia – through his persistent determination –convinced the man to
leave the house. The man was taken into custody without further incident.

DISPATCHER OF THE YEAR: VICTORIA ZIMMITTI

Dispatcher Zimmitti has been assigned to Troop H for more than two years. Her supervisors describe her
as extremely professional, with an excellent manner while talking with frantic 911 callers. During busy evening
shifts, she ensures that shift supervisors are kept abreast of situations as they develop.
By quickly answering radio calls from Troopers and providing them with vital information, she works to
keep Troopers safe while in the field. As an integral part of the Troop H family, she was recognized for her
outstanding performance during critical incidents, including a wrong-way driver on Interstate 84.
During every shift, she exercises critical thinking and problem solving to address each situation,
knowing that seconds count in ongoing incidents. In the dispatch center, she is vital to carrying out the mission
of our agency.

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ADMINISTRATIVE EXCELLENCE AWARD: SABRINA HAILEY-KINDER

Sabrina Hailey-Kinder is the longest standing member of the Sex Offender Registry Unit and is
described as someone who sets a high standard of professionalism that few can match.
Sabrina was selected to analyze current practices and procedures within the unit, leading to the
installation of a document management system. Working with other agencies, she was instrumental in the
building phase of the project, helping to identify and index key documents.
This is just one example of how Sabrina challenges herself to take on new responsibilities while
overseeing daily unit functions, including the thousands of letters mailed annually to registered offenders.
Within the Unit, she has taught numerous supervisors, detectives and civilians as well as college interns.
The Registry has undergone three federal audits in the last six years. Our success is due, in large part, to
Sabrina’s organizational skills and the meticulous records she has kept for the unit.
Through the years, she has remained the one constant that pulls the Unit together. Her supervisor says
that she represents the best of the Connecticut State Police.

-end-

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