Published December 15, 2025
2025 Winter Meeting Highlights Strong Leadership, Recognition, and Collaboration in Bristol
The Connecticut Police Chiefs Association’s 2025 Winter Meeting & Mini Expo was a tremendous success, bringing together approximately 400 law enforcement leaders at the Bristol Event Center, Bristol, CT on December 9. Hosting Chief Mark Morello of the Bristol Police Department, highlighted the Association’s continued commitment to strengthening leadership, fostering collaboration, and advancing excellence in policing.
The mini Expo’s diverse range of exhibitors not only highlighted new products and solutions but also created strong networking opportunities for attendees. The exhibit hall added significant value to the event, encouraging meaningful discussions, collaboration, and access to resources that support law enforcement professionals across the state.
A day centered on professional development, recognition, and statewide collaboration, Attorney Eric Daigle led the featured training session, titled Command Excellence: Leading Through Legal Compliance and Training Standards. The program delivered a high-value curriculum designed for police executives and senior supervisors. Attendees were briefed on key operational mandates, including legal compliance obligations, officer certification processes, audit readiness, and performance measurement. The course emphasized the strategic integration of online training platforms to streamline department-wide readiness, as well as the leadership responsibilities associated with ethical decision-making, proactive policy oversight, and cultivating a culture grounded in professionalism and accountability.
A central moment of the meeting was the presentation of the 2025 Carroll J. Hughes Legislators of the Year Awards. This year’s honorees included State Representative Kathy Kennedy, State Representative Aimee Berger-Girvalo (not photographed), State Senator Tony Hwang, and State Senator Christine Cohen. Each was recognized for their support of public safety initiatives and constructive engagement with the law enforcement community.
The Association also celebrated the achievements of the 2024–2025 Luciano Award recipients, honoring outstanding recruits from academies across the state. The awardees included:
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 Trooper Hunter Humble, Connecticut State Police |
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 Officer Kyle Frappier, Derby Police Dept |
Officer Vasili Papanikolaou, Hartford Police Dept |
Officer Darien Riley, Southington Police Dept |
 Officer Arthur James Fontaine, UCONN Police Department |
Their recognition underscored the Association’s ongoing efforts to support emerging talent, celebrate exemplary performance, and promote the next generation of law enforcement professionals.
With strong attendance, substantive training, and moments of meaningful recognition, the 2025 Winter Meeting further reinforced the value of statewide partnership and leadership development within Connecticut’s policing community.
The Connecticut Police Chief Association is grateful to all the chiefs, partners, and exhibitors who made this year’s event a success.