Police Officer McDonald Receives State Outstanding Service Award

NORWICH, CT — The Connecticut State Police honors troopers and other law enforcement officers who demonstrate exceptional service in the line of duty. Norwich Police officer Greg McDonald is one of those officers.

McDonald received the Medal for Outstanding Service, given to those who successfully perform an extreme, complex or difficult investigation where the officer may demonstrate exceptional skill or ingenuity in the apprehension of a wanted person, provide outstanding service to the public and/or continuously achieve excellence in performance over an extended period of time.

McDonald was so honored for his work as Regional Intelligence Liaison Officer for the Connecticut Intelligence Center.

McDonald's job was to plan and prepare for an operation that would include a statewide sweep of people wanted on outstanding warrants. He began work on the operation in the fall of 2017, and in July of 2018, using "intelligence as the backbone of the operation to ensure a safe, efficient undertaking allowing law enforcement to cooperatively achieve their goals, “Operation Praying Mantis,” was under way. The pre-dawn sweep involved more than 90 municipal, state and federal law enforcement officers and netted 336 arrest warrants served, the most prolific warrant sweep known to date in Connecticut.

"Officer McDonald worked with a team to organize and ensure the successful execution of the operation through the tedious research and preparation of comprehensive intelligence packets. All involved ensured that each police department, troop, probation office, marshal service and courthouse were simultaneously synchronized and operating on the same plans. Their many months of planning paid off with these wanted persons apprehended in a safe, timely, and accurate manner. Officer McDonald spent countless days and nights, on and off duty, determined to persevere in the performance of a monumental task, which resulted in the apprehension of a record number of persons who have evaded capture for some time."

Award winners received medals and certificates from Commissioner James C. Rovella and State Police Colonel Stavros Mellekas. Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz also attended and addressed the recipient.

Read all the stories behind the medals for bravery, honor, and meritorious service.

CSP Awards 2019 by Ellyn Santiago on Scribd

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