Rep. Nardolillo Praises Coventry PD After Ride-Along

After riding along on a shift with a Coventry patrolman last weekend, Rep. Robert A. Nardolillo III (R-Dist. 28, Coventry) said he came away with a sharper understanding of what is faced by police officers on a daily basis. He was quick to praise the officers’ dedication and professionalism.

“What I wanted to accomplish by riding along was to witness first-hand what a police officer experiences every single day,” Nardolillo said. “You kiss your wife and family goodbye and head off to work. At that point, you never know what’s going to happen — a domestic situation that’s gotten out of hand or maybe an ex-con with nothing to lose — anything is possible.”

Nardolillo’s night included wearing a bulletproof vest, a constant reminder of what can happen to the law enforcement officer.

“At our first stop, when we stepped out of the police cruiser, it hit me just how uncertain each stop is,” Nardolillo said. “You have no way of knowing what might happen at an unknown trouble call or even at a routine traffic stop.

“Every time an officer makes an error in judgment, it makes headlines. And that accountability is important. What we don’t read about is the 99 percent — the cops who go their entire careers in a constant state of risking their lives just to protect and serve the community. The thought is staggering. As a legislator, I consider it of utmost importance that the community has a strong understanding of that commitment. It will only improve the relationship between officers and civilians.”

Nardolillo said he would love to see the Coventry Police be in a financial position where they could once again institute the Citizens Police Academy, an intensive training program where civilians are given first-hand knowledge of what it means to be a law enforcement officer.

“If they ever started it up again, I would be the first one to sign up,” he said.