April 12, 2006              

Troopers from Troop D Receive Service Awards

State Police Troopers from Troop D in Danielson received awards for service during a ceremony Wednesday, April 12, at the Connecticut State Police Training Academy in Meriden.

Twice a year, the Connecticut State Police honors troopers who demonstrated bravery and outstanding service in the line of duty.  The ceremony also honors men and women serving in local and federal law enforcement agencies and those serving as first responders.  Award winners received medals and certificates from Department of Public Safety Commissioner Leonard C. Boyle and Governor M. Jodi Rell.

Awards are presented in four categories:

Ø      The Meritorious Service Medal is awarded to any person who renders 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.

Ø      The Lifesaving Award is presented to any person who saves a human life or makes a valiant attempt to save a life.

Ø      The Outstanding Service Award is given to any person who successfully performs an extreme, complex or difficult investigation. The person also may demonstrate exceptional skill or ingenuity in the apprehension of a wanted person, provide outstanding service to the public and or continuously achieves excellence in performance of duties over an extended period of time.

Ø      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.

Troop D barracks of the Connecticut State Police, located in Danielson, is proud have several individual award winners from the troop.   

Sergeant Clifford Labbe, Trooper James Nicholson, Trooper Michael Robinson. The Troop D Quality of Life Task Force (QLTF) was established 2002 to proactively address crime, primarily illegal narcotic activity, in the Towns of Killingly and Brooklyn.  Since September 2004, the QLTF has been comprised of Sgt. Labbe, Trooper Nicholson and Trooper Robinson.  In their first year, they made 164 arrests and 30 controlled narcotic purchases, and executed 14 narcotic-related search and seizure warrants.  The QLTF removed from the community numerous narcotics and firearms, recovered more than $35,000 in cash and two motor vehicles, all of which were associated with illegal narcotic activity.  They were awarded a medal for Outstanding Service.

Trooper First Class Robert Corradi. Last fall, Trooper Corradi began to develop information about a large-scale marijuana cultivation operation in the Woodstock/Eastford area.  Trooper Corradi located a marijuana grow field in Woodstock that had recently been harvested.  Continuing his investigation, he ultimately identified the person suspected of being primarily responsible for the operation.  Trooper Corradi located the suspect and seized approximately two pounds of marijuana and three rifles from an Eastford residence.  The suspect led Trooper Corradi to a location in Woodstock, where he located and seized approximately 30 pounds of marijuana and a handgun at that location.  The suspect was arrested and charged with multiple marijuana possession/sale and cultivation offenses.  Trooper Corradi received a medal for Outstanding Service.

Trooper Gary Cipolletta and Trooper Mark Juhola.  Last December, Troop D received two 911 calls from a female resident of Sterling who reported that her ex-boyfriend had telephoned her, threatened her and advised her that he was en route to her home.  The caller further advised Troop D that the accused is normally armed with handguns.  Trooper Juhola intercepted the accused as he was traveling in the direction of the woman’s home.  Trooper Gary Cipolletta was already at the woman’s home to ensure her safety.  The Troopers positioned their cruisers to block the suspect vehicle and conducted a felony stop as the vehicle pulled onto the victim’s property and arrested the accused. They were awarded a medal for Meritorious Service.

Trooper Scott Blair. In June of 2005, two masked men forced their way into an apartment in Danielson, held two adults and an infant child at knifepoint and robbed  them. Later that day, a vehicle occupied by the two suspects was spotted in Thompson.  One of the suspects was arrested without incident but the second suspect, a convicted felon with a history of violent crimes, fled from troopers and ran into a wooded area.  An extensive search took place and continued for more than two hours, during which time the suspect stole a vehicle, drove it a short distance and then continued on foot.  A resident reported that the suspect was observed stealing another vehicle and driving away from the area.  Trooper Blair spotted the stolen vehicle in Thompson.  He signaled for the vehicle to stop, but the suspect took off at a high rate of speed with Trooper Blair in pursuit.  Trooper Blair pursued the stolen vehicle through Thompson, where the suspect vehicle had a collision with a tree.  The suspect tried to drive away but was prevented from doing so by Trooper Blair, who positioned his cruiser’s front end against the suspect’s vehicle, preventing it from further movement.  The suspect then fled on foot with Trooper Blair in pursuit.  Trooper Blair caught the suspect and arrested him after a brief struggle.  Trooper Blair was awarded a medal for Meritorious Service.

Trooper Michael Robinson, Troop D, Emergency Services Canine Unit, Eastern District Major Crime Squad, Plainfield Police Department, Forensic Laboratory.   Early in the evening of December of 2005, Troop D personnel responded to a residence in Woodstock for a report of a woman who went jogging and had not returned.  A description of the woman was determined, along with several possible jogging routes.  A full-scale search immediately began, including K-9 teams and the State Police Helicopter.  At approximately 10:25 p.m., Trooper Michael Robinson was searching a road when he located fresh skid marks and other evidence, both of which were on the edge of the roadway.  This scene was secured and the Eastern District Major Crime Squad and K-9 teams were summoned to the location.  Major Crime Squad detectives determined that a piece of evidence contained the name of a male subject and an address associated with him.  K-9 teams and troopers searched throughout the night for the missing woman while Major Crime Squad detectives followed up on investigative leads.  About 6 a.m. the next morning, Major Crime Squad Detectives, supported by Troop D patrol personnel and members of the Plainfield Police Department, located the suspect at his home.  He was interviewed and eventually released but not before incriminating evidence was seized from the residence, including his vehicle and clothing.  The suspect was then arrested by Plainfield Police for a domestic violence-related offense and was transported to an area hospital under police guard.  By daylight on December 13, Troop D troopers, Major Crime Squad detectives, and K-9 teams, were still searching for the missing woman.  Troopers and K-9 teams searched the property linked to the suspect and found evidence that led to an outbuilding.  Major Crime Squad Detectives and Troopers responded and found the body of the missing woman in the outbuilding, the victim of an apparent homicide.  Later that same day, Major Crime Squad detectives arrested the suspect. Trooper Robinson received a Meritorious Award in this case.  All other personnel involved received a Unit Citation for their efforts.

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