BRISTOL – Multiple members of Bristol’s law enforcement community were recognized with awards at the Tuesday meeting of the Bristol Board of Police Commissioners where three individuals were recognized with the Life Saving Award.
Officer M.J. Fisher, Dispatcher Amy Kish, Officer Mark Kichar were recognized with the Life-Saving Award.
On December 9, 2022, the Bristol Police Department received a call for an unresponsive male at in the driver seat of a parked vehicle at Walmart. Kish answered the call and began life-saving efforts to provide CPR efforts over the phone. Kichar and Fisher arrived on scene and took over emergency action efforts. No pulse was found with the individual. Officers continued to provide support as an ambulance squad arrived and an AED was applied to the individual. They were able to get the patient breathing again before he was taken to a hospital for a surgery placing two stints in his circulation system.
Dispatcher Amber Vargas received the Letter of Commendation for her efforts in organizing communication with nearby police departments also assisting in the investigation of reported gunfire.
On Sept. 12, 2022, the Bristol Police Department Communications Division received multiple 911 calls for shots fired in the area of Oakland Street and Farmington Avenue. Moments later, shots were reported near the intersection of Case Street and Jerome Avenue. A white vehicle was discovered in the area and when police attempted to engage a traffic stop, it accelerated and led them on a pursuit through Bristol and then Plainville and onto Interstate 84.
With public safety in mind, the pursuit was terminated by command staff.
“Incidents like these require many resources and a coordinated effort which begins with the Bristol Police Department Communications Division,” said Deputy Police Chief Matt Moskowitz. “In her role as a lead dispatcher, Amber Vargas was able to effectively coordinate those resources making sure detailed updates to surrounding police departments were provided while keeping the command staff informed as to the progression of the pursuit.”
Officer Monica Finkle and Sgt. Jace Deluca received the Silver Star Award and were named Officer of the Month of November 2022.
On Aug. 8, 2022, Finkle and other police were dispatched to Pine Street at a store due to a report of a robbery. Bristol Police Communications Division informed officers that the victim tried to stop a shoplifter and was struck by a fleeing vehicle. Before the suspects left the parking lot, the victim was struck again by the vehicle. The following day, Finkle and Deluca conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle matching the description of one used in the robbery. During the stop, Finkle and Deluca noted a driver matched the description of a suspect in the robbery. The pair interviewed the suspect and obtained a confession that led to the identification of another suspect.
“It was the thorough investigative effort of Officer Finkle and Sgt. Deluca as well as the proactive stop of the suspect vehicle that allowed this case to ultimately be closed by an arrest and the adjudication process to take place in the courts,” said Moskowitz.
