East Hartford Police Department adds five new officers among its ranks

Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant
·2 min read
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Five new officers will be joining the ranks of the East Hartford Police, the department announced.

“I am pleased to welcome these five new officers to the East Hartford Police Department. We wish them the best of luck as they protect and serve our community.” said East Hartford Mayor Connor Martin. “As a CALEA-accredited law enforcement agency, East Hartford is proud to provide our new recruits with high quality training, which will help them become a valuable asset to our community.”

Many of the new hires have backgrounds in criminal justice and some of them bring prior military experience, according to police. All five officers will begin their training immediately, police said in a press release.

Officer Alyssa Rivera, 25, is joining the department after receiving a bachelor’s degree in resource economics. Previously, Rivera worked as a security officer at Pratt and Whitney.

Officer Elenis Rodriguez, 24, is joining the department while serving in the Army National Guard. Rodriguez studied criminal justice at Tunxis Community College and has experience as a paralegal.

Officer Cristal Santiago, 27, is joining the department as a former member of the Hartford Police Explorers program. Santiago studied criminal justice at Manchester Community College and is a native of East Hartford.

Officer Akwasi Wiredu, 25, is joining the department after two years of experience in information technology for the town of East Hartford. Wiredu has a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Central Connecticut State University.

Officer Trey Ayotte, 21, is joining the department after spending the last three years serving in the Army National Guard.

“We are thrilled to welcome our new officers to the East Hartford Police Department family,” said Chief of Police Mack Hawkins. “Each of them bring unique skills and experiences that will enhance our ability to serve and protect the residents of East Hartford. We look forward to their contributions to our department and the community.”

With the new hires, the East Hartford Police Department now has 125 officers among its ranks, according to Public Information Officer Marc Caruso.

Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com