Community Members Say Sgt. Dustin DeMonte Inspired, Saved and Changed Lives

One of the Bristol police officers killed in the line of duty was a dad of two young kids, his third on the way.

That child will never have the chance to meet Sgt. Dustin DeMonte, after his line of duty death.

DeMonte was hired by the Bristol Police Department ten years ago. The chief said at only 35-years-old, DeMonte had already received recognition and awards, including Officer of the Year. He received a live saving commendation in 2019.

DeMonte's impact on the community is evident.

In the day following his death, NBC Connecticut heard from a Bristol man who said DeMonte resuscitated him when he was struggling with drinking.

My drinking led me to get into trouble here when I moved to Bristol with the Bristol Police Department. DeMonte had came with another officer, and he actually revived me. He took the time to give me suggestions and help me, motivate me to stay sober.

-Jamie Perchiano

Perchiano said when he ran into the sergeant around town, DeMonte would check in on him.

“Because of his kind words and motivation, today I’m sober two years," Perchiano said.

“When I found out that it was him, my emotions, my heart was broken. I was in total shock. I was devastated," he continued.

DeMonte was a school resource officer at Greene Hills and West Bristol Schools.

A crossing guard said, “He would stop here, and he would open his window and say, ‘How are you? How’s your day going?’ He was just so pleasant.”

A Bristol mom said while her daughter didn’t attend one of the schools he patrolled, he’d answer her daughter’s million questions when they ran into him at the park.

She shared this picture with us and said DeMonte let her daughter sit in the front seat of his cruiser.

She wants to be a police officer, so he wanted to let her “feel it out for when it was her turn.”

The mother tells us explaining what happened to DeMonte will be a very tough conversation with her daughter, a difficult conversation for many other families in the community, too.

DeMonte was an advisor for the Bristol Police Explorer Cadets. He graduated from Middletown High School and Central Connecticut State University.

Now, a community grieves the loss of an officer, husband and father who was caring to so people, even those he barely knew.

“We’re going to miss him. It’s terrible. I feel for the family I really do. I am so sad,” Neill said.