Meriden Police Off. Joseph Sordi Named 'Officer of the Month'

MERIDEN, CT - Local Police Officer Joseph Sordi has been selected as the Meriden Police Department's "Officer of the Month" for his exemplary actions in an illegal weapons arrest in March.

"Officer Sordi has taken the lead in many difficult investigations and has made many proactive arrests," the department wrote in a recent post on its Facebook page. "He can be trusted to handle tough investigations with little to no guidance. He is very thorough and methodical when it comes to policing. With numerous proactive arrests and exceptional cases to choose from, there is one recent case that rises above the rest."

The following is a description of Officer Sordi's actions that helped to diffuse a potentially dangerous altercation:

On March 20, 2016, at approximately 1:00 a.m., Officer Sordi was conducting surveillance at a local bar that has been a recent focal point for dangerous criminal activity ranging from serious assaults to a shooting that just occurred a week prior. As Officer Sordi was observing a crowd, he noticed several patrons acting disorderly, and it appeared that a physical confrontation was imminent. He asked for assistance from other officers. After a few short moments, an approach was made in order to disperse a potentially dangerous and escalating situation. During that approach, two males became the focus of the officers’ attention. Both males have an extensive and violent criminal history. During this interaction, and with the assistance of Officer Shedlock, an illegal firearm was found to be in possession of one of the males, who was promptly arrested. The male was a convicted felon and was intoxicated at that time.

If this situation went unnoticed without intervention, there is a high probability that this situation could have had a very different and violent ending. A potential shooting was averted due to Officer Sordi’s vigilance and alertness along with the assistance of other officers. This was an excellent effort and a job well done. A gun was removed off the streets, and a dangerous, convicted felon was locked up.

Officer Sordi is a true asset to this agency. Congratulations!