Recognizing Southington's Men and Women in Blue

When a patron at a local bar pulled a gun in the middle of a dispute on June 8, 2012, Officer Nathan Boislard jumped into action.

The Southington police officer confronted the man, who was visibly intoxicated, and attempted to get him to release the .45-caliber pistol but the man refused. Left with no other option, police said Boislard put himself in harms way to disarm the man and prevent an already dangerous situation from turning deadly.

The men and women of the Southington Police Department put their lives of the line every day, Police Commission Chairman Steve Pestillo said, and do so without seeking recognition or praise.

On Wednesday night, however, Pestillo and officials from throughout the community took a moment out of their busy schedules to honor those who have gone above and beyond to make Southington a safe place to live and work during the Fourth Annual SPD Awards Ceremony at Southington High School.

Let Patch save you time. Get great local stories like this delivered right to your inbox or smartphone every day with our free newsletter. Simple, fast sign-up here.

“These guys are out there everyday, putting their lives and bodies at stake for all of us,” he said. “That’s not something we should take lightly. These guys deserve the recognition and that’s what this program is all about.”

Dozens of officers were honored for going above and beyond the call of duty during the annual awards ceremony as police commissioners and department administrators took a moment to say thanks and provide them with recognition that Capt. Edward Pocock III said “they would never forget.”

Pocock said too often, the effort of Southington’s finest goes unnoticed, so the department developed the award program as a way of making sure they realized the public appreciated their efforts. The appreciation was apparent, as a crowd of local residents and town officials came out to say thanks.

Southington Police Chief Jack Daly said the annual ceremony is a great way to boost morale for a department that he called “one of the best in the state.”

“This is a special night, as it should be,” he said. “I have stated for years that I believe we have a great and proactive department, but in serving as the president of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, it has only strengthened my resolve that we have one of the best departments, if not the best, in the entire state. These guys deserve all the recognition they are receiving tonight.”

The following officers and dispatchers were recognized for excellence in police service on Wednesday:

Letter of Accommodation
Dispatcher Lester Bouchard

Education Achievement Award
Capt. Edward Pocock III

SPD Order of the Police Cross
George Trostel (Retired)

Honor Guard Achievement
Officer John Marenholz

Elks Public Safety Award
Sgt. Keith Egan

American Legion Officer of the Year Award
Sgt. Robert Wilson

Perfect Attendance Award
Capt. William Palmieri (3rd award)
Capt. Edward Pocock III (2nd award)
Sgt. Jason Watson (1st Award)
Officer Mark DiBattista (1st award)

Public Appreciation Award
Chief Jack Daly (6th award)
Capt. Edward Pocock III (4th award)
Sgt. Robert Wilson (4th award)
Officer Thomas Gallo (4th Award)
Det. Lewis Palmieri (3rd Award)
Officer Joseph D’Agostino (3rd Award)
Sgt. Ben Doerfler (1st Award)
Det. Karen Apicella (1st Award)
Officer Gerald Triano (1st Award)
Officer Jason Plourde (1st Award)

Excellence in Police Duty
Officer Thomas Gallo (8)
Master Sgt. Michael Kahn (6)
Sgt. Jason Watson (5)
Officer Thomas Gorr (4)
Det. Lewis Palmieri (6)
Det. Mark Beal (6)
Officer James Armack
Det. Kyle Dobratz
Officer Jeffrey Lowery (2)
Officer Nathan Boislard
Officer Kenneth Kizilski (2)
Officer David Carbone (3)
Officer John Mahon (3)
Officer Adam Tillotson (3)
Officer Jonathan Lopa
Officer Thomas Porter (4)
Officer Brian Leppard (3)
K9 Arno

Distinguished Service Award
Lt. Lowell DePalma
Master Sgt. Stephen Elliott
Det. Karen Apicella
Officer Thomas Petro
Officer James Armack

Meritorious Service Award
Officer Mark DiBattista
Officer Steven Cifone
Officer Stephen Salerno
Officer David Schneider

Police Purple Heart
Sgt. Jeffrey Dobratz
Officer Christopher Lamarre
Officer Dontatella Jones
Officer Chad Butler

Commendation
Officer Nathan Boislard
Officer John Mahon
Sgt. Jason Watson
Officer Thomas Gorr
Officer David Carbone
K9 Arno

Officials also took time on Wednesday to recognize officers who went above and beyond the call of duty during the October snowstorm that left much of Southington without power. Officers were recognized on different levels, including those who provided (1) 12 to 18 hours of service, (2) 18 to 27 hours of service, (3) 27 to 36 hours of service, and (4) more than 36 hours of service.

Make sure to like Southington Patch on Facebook or follow on Twitter for breaking news, daily updates and more!