In wake of ‘ambush,’ Bristol still needs support
The sincerity of the outpouring of gestures honoring two slain Bristol police officers can’t be understated. There are signs, and flowers and cards. There are stuffed animals, balloons and photos. Almost $1 million in donations have poured in to help the slain officers’ families.
This massive collection of items has been displayed outside the Bristol Police Department in the days since police Lt. Dustin DeMonte and Sgt. Alex Hamzy were fatally shot on Oct. 12, answering what they thought was a domestic dispute.
The death of the men, and the shooting of another officer, brought widespread shock and grieving across Bristol, Connecticut and beyond.
The tens of thousands who attended the joint funeral for DeMonte and Hamzy were evidence of this mass outpouring of support for the two men and their families, as well as the appropriate anger and frustration over young lives lost so cruelly.
The killing of the officers remains under investigation, and the shooter is dead, but part of the horror many feel stems from the fact this has been described by officials as an “ambush attack.”
At Bristol police headquarters the sheer amount of what was left to be part of the memorial also shows the need for residents and others to share in the mourning, sadness that goes beyond trying to understand why the men were killed.
Amid the torture that it must be for those on the Bristol force to bury two of their own, Police Chief Brian Gould has shown strength and deep caring for his team.
Now, as the city works to heal, Gould has said the department is looking to recruit as many as 20 additional officers; he and Bristol Mayor Jeff Caggiano have said there is a need to expand the city’s police force.
Gould noted the recruitment effort targets certified officers who can begin work less than six weeks after they are hired and that his goal is to hire at least 10 officers but as many as 20. Caggiano said that he hopes the sacrifice of Hamzy and DeMonte will inspire others to join the force.
We understand why Gould is seeking to hire already certified officers, but it won’t necessarily be easy.
Many departments around the state are seeking to hire officers, amid a drop in interest nationwide in going into policing that followed high-profile police shootings and retirements that can often be precipitated by unfavorable changes in union contracts.
But Gould and Caggiano are right. The city does need people willing to protect and serve its residents, now more than ever.
While acknowledging he is aware of the recruitment issues facing many departments, Caggiano correctly noted that “the need for police officers is obviously very pressing to us here in Bristol.”
Gould said he expects Officer Alec Iurato, who was shot the night DeMonte and Hamzy were killed, will return to the department once he fully recovers.
Iurato fired the shot that ended the gunfire, as it killed the man who shot his brother officers.
Iurato’s return to the force should be a boost for the department.
While the department awaits Iurato’s return, police officers in Connecticut who are thinking about making a change would do well to have a conversation with Gould and his team.