State police academy graduates 33 troopers as Connecticut mourns slain Bristol officers

NEW BRITAIN — Together, they learned how to use a long gun, drive a cruiser and experienced being shocked with a stun gun and pepper-sprayed.

But the 33 members of the 132nd Connecticut State Police Training Troop who graduated from the academy Thursday at Central Connecticut State University’s Welte Hall were perhaps more aware of the dangers of policing than other classes as the state continues to mourn the loss of two Bristol officers ambushed while responding to a call last week.

“It’s just a reminder that our police and our state police are the best of the best,” Gov. Ned Lamont said after crediting wounded Bristol Police Officer Alex Iurato with firing the single shot that killed the assailant who had ambushed him and two others on Oct. 12.

Throughout the twohour ceremony on Thursday, speakers paid tribute to the fallen Bristol officers — Lt. Dustin DeMonte and

Sgt. Alex Hamzy — while celebrating the achievements of the graduating class.

“I know every day they go out there with our prayers,” Lamont said to the graduates. “And I can tell you, I couldn’t be more proud.”

James Rovella, who oversees the state police as the commissioner of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, told the training troop that he expected them never to tarnish the badge or the state. But he expressed pride in the group that they took his words to heart on Labor Day weekend.

“I told them, ‘Don’t blow it this weekend, I don’t want to have to explain to the governor that I blew $1 million on troopers,’ ” Rovella said. “Not one name showed up on my desk when the weekend was over.”

As videos played during the graduation demonstrated, the training was far from easy. At one point in the past 28 weeks, the trainees were required to enter a trailer filled with gas that made them gag and throw up as they exited. They also learned life-saving measures and became adept at hoisting sand bags over their heads repeatedly.

“Every state trooper has to be a leader, but you can’t be a great leader without being a great follower,” said trooper trainee Eric Baillargeon, who was appointed to speak for the class at the ceremony.

Baillargeon recalled the first day of the academy in April when the trainees could hear the “thundering clap” of their instructors boots. Since that time, they have dealt with meticulous inspections of their sleeping quarters and uniforms and went from hoisting sand bags 50 times in a row over their heads to more than 400 times in one stint.

The group came in as 33 individuals but graduated as one, he said. At every turn, they learned to say, “‘we got through this, we can get through that,’ ” Baillargeon said.

Another academy is slated to start in November, Rovella said after the graduation. The agency is expecting to make 60 offers, but he admits that 30 percent may not join the academy. Of those who accept the offer, 25 percent will either not show up on their first day or wash out before finishing, he said.

He’s lost 360 troopers to attrition since 2019, but has also graduated 341 during the same time frame, he said. His 2023 budget request will take into consideration that another wave of retirements is expected to occur in 2027.

“We’re still not even,” he said.

With the trainees who will not be on streets alone for another 10 weeks, he’ll have 880 sworn troopers. Reaching 1,000 troopers would put the agency on good footing, Rovella said. But he needs 1,100 to start putting people back in specialized units, he said.

“That would get us back to some real business,” Rovella said.