On
Sunday April, 12, 1987, Officer Daniel Wasson radioed a police dispatcher
that he and his K-9 "General" were conducting a motor vehicle stop on
the Boston Post Road in Milford, Connecticut. During this
motor vehicle stop, Officer Wasson was fatally shot by the
vehicle's operator. Officer Daniel Scott Wasson, age 25, was a
dedicated police officer and K-9 handler serving the Town of Milford, Connecticut.
Since joining the police force on March 1, 1985, he had been commended three times for outstanding
performance of duty. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran
and was engaged to be married at the time of his death. General was
retired from police service and adopted by Dan's family.
In 1993, The Connecticut Police Chiefs
Association, in cooperation with the Connecticut Police Work Dog
Association Inc., established The Daniel Wasson Memorial K-9
Award. These annual awards
are chosen from line of duty deployments submitted by
Connecticut police canine teams that exemplify the highest
tradition of police canine law enforcement.
Daniel Scott Wasson made the supreme sacrifice; it
is in his memory that this award is bestowed upon a K-9 team
each year for outstanding service. The
award plaque honoring Officer Daniel Wasson and the winners of
this prestigious award is proudly displayed in the lobby of the
Connecticut Police Academy in Meriden, Connecticut.
~ Award
Recipients ~
2003
Officer Morales & K-9 �Niko� of New London Police Department
were selected for responding to a robbery in progress by three
suspects at approximately 1:00a.m. at a local bar. When they
arrived the suspects had run into a wooded area where Niko had
tracked the suspects and was shot by one of them with a 9 mm
which passed completely through him missing all his vital
organs, but still continued tracking them. All three suspects
were later apprehended. Niko recovered fully from his wound and
faithfully still serves and protects his handler with the New
London Police Dept.
2002
Sergeant
David Dubiel & K-9 "Luke" of the West Hartford Police Department were
selected for assisting the Connecticut State Police and East
Hartford Police involving an exceptional two mile hard surface
urban track across several highways and city streets, leading to
the arrest of two men for evading a serious motor vehicle
accident. The team also tracked a subject who was taken at
gunpoint following a report of shots fired, as well an
apprehension of a fleeing suspect in a burglary in progress and
apprehension of suspects in a stolen motor vehicle taken at
gunpoint.
2001
Officer
Henry Minor and
"Veko" of the Manchester Police Department were selected as a result of a particularly violent encounter with an offender, where both Officer Minor and
"Veko" demonstrated unbelievable persistence, courage and bravery.
2000
Officer Frank McDermott and K-9 Hero, Hamden Police Department. Officer McDermott and K-9 Hero's outstanding achievements during 2000 included apprehensions of suspects wanted for; robbery, sexual assault, burglary, domestic assault, motor vehicle theft, felony narcotics possession, criminal mischief and weapons possession. The team also located several missing people including a suicidal person. They were also selected by their fellow Officer's as Hamden's Police Officer of the Year for 2000.
1998 & 1999
Officer Gregory Williams
and K-9 Nero, New London Police Department. Nero's efforts resulted in 13 felony apprehensions during his first year
of service. In 1999 Nero
engaged a subject and stayed engaged during an exchange of gunfire
in which Officer Williams was shot in the forearm.
 1997 Officer Alberto Higuera
and K-9 Erst, Newington Police Department. Erst located and apprehended several dangerous
felony suspects throughout the year and had multiple narcotic seizures resulting in arrests.
1996
Officer Jeffrey Angell
and K-9 Niko, Windsor Locks Police Department. Niko tracked and located a suicidal female who had fled after taking an
overdose of pills.
1995
Trooper Todd Lynch
and K-9 Uriah, Connecticut State Police. Uriah
sustained multiple stab wounds during the tracking and apprehension of an armed felony suspect. Uriah recovered
from his injuries and returned to duty.
1994
Officer William Proulx
and K-9 Bruno, East Hartford Police Department. Bruno distracted an
armed assailant, allowing Officer
Proulx to disarm the suspect, thus preventing the use of deadly force.
1993
Officer Raymond
Humphrey and K-9 Evo, East Windsor Police Department. Evo located 29 persons in his first year of service. He
successfully conducted a search & recovery of a loaded shotgun
abandoned in a school
yard.
1992
Officer Bruce
Bertram and K-9 Falk, Danbury Police Department. Falk sustained a serious gunshot wound to the neck
while apprehending an armed felony suspect.
Falk recovered from his injuries and returned to duty.
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