Honoring heroes for their actions. The Bristol police officers and dispatchers who responded when a woman opened fire in police headquarters were recognized Tuesday.
There were cheers and applause for a group of Bristol police officers and dispatchers during Tuesday’s police commissioners meeting.
“It brings me a lot of joy to be able to publicly recognize all of them for the hard work that they do,” Bristol Police Chief Brian Gould said.
More than a dozen men and women were honored with distinguished service medals for their response to a shooting inside the police station in October.
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“From a grateful city for service and dedication to the ideals of the Bristol Police Department and the city of Bristol,” Gould said during the meeting.
Police said surveillance video shows 51-year-old Suzanne Laprise banging on the glass and then opening fire in the lobby. When officers tried to talk with her, they say Laprise fired shots in their direction, with one officer firing his gun.
Police say all of the shots were stopped by bullet proof glass. Gould said dispatchers and officers worked in tandem.
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“They identified everything through the camera system. They were able to get the necessary intelligence out. Inform the arriving officers of what was going on,” he said.
Laprise was taken into custody after officers used a stun gun. No one was hurt.
“That night, we got to save a life, and nobody was seriously injured and for that, we’re very grateful and that’s why they’re being recognized for their heroics,” Gould said.
Heroics Gould said stems from their commitment to being public servants.
“They are very humble because they’re professional and that’s their calling,” he said.
During that same meeting, other officers were honored for their response to different calls, including a Southington police officer for helping in the arrest of a robbery suspect this year.
