Police Announce Officer Assignments, 'Prestigious Appointment'

GROTON CITY, CT — Police announced two new personnel assignments, and applauded an officer who has been named to a "prestigious appointment."

The Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act program seeks to improve the delivery of and access to mental health and wellness services for law enforcement through training and technical assistance, demonstration projects, and implementation of promising practices related to peer mentoring mental health and wellness programs.

The 2020 program will fund projects that develop knowledge, increase awareness of effective mental health and wellness strategies, increase the skills and abilities of law enforcement, and increase the number of law enforcement agencies and relevant stakeholders using peer mentoring programs. The grant team is tasked with making broad and sweeping recommendations for the Connecticut Law Enforcement Peer Program Council. They will seek to standardize existing training for Peer Support programs, and expand outreach to agencies who do not have one.

Groton City Police officer Bobby Harris was chosen as part of the team to help in its mission, police announced.

"It is an honor that officer Harris was selected in work that will benefit the profession and their loved ones," police wrote on Facebook.

Corporal Brittany de la Cruz was named as the Groton City Police department's Youth Officer. Cpl. de la Cruz is an agency veteran and FTO, volunteering with our Cadet Program. She was our 2019 Officer of The Year, and has been very active in agency public outreach and youth events. She is very popular with local youth due to her outreach efforts and is a former Fitch High School and UConn standout athlete. She will be DARE certified in the near future and excited to serve in the position.

Officer Scott Lesage, who currently serves as our Youth Officer will move to service as our Court/ Evidence / Accreditation/ Pistol Permit position. Officer Lesage is a Senior member of our agency and looks forward to the challenge. Our agency which has been Accredited and Re-accredited seeks to maintain accreditation yet again in an assessment to be conducted next year. Officer Lesage demonstrated during interview his knowledge and focus to meet agency goals. Officer Lesage is an LEC Instructor and decorated for a nationally recognized water rescue of an elderly entrapped operator at Eastern Point Beach in 2016.

"Great job by all three and please join us in congratulations and best wishes for continued service to the City of Groton, our region and state," police wrote.