Daniel Wasson Memorial

On Sunday April, 12, 1987, Officer Daniel Wasson who was serving the Town Of New Milford, 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 routine motor vehicle stop, Officer Wasson was fatally shot by the vehicle's operator and was found at 2:45 a.m. lying on the side of the road by a passing motorist with a single gunshot wound to the chest. He had been gun down with a 44 magnum and was pronounced dead at Yale New Haven Hospital shortly after 3:00 a.m. 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. Officer Wasson is buried in Kings Highway Cemetery in Milford.

In 1993, The Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, in cooperation with the Connecticut Police Work Dog Association, 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.

	2009
Officer Matthew Galante IV and K-9 “IKE”	New London Police Dept. 2008
Officer Todd Mona and K9 “Primo”	East Hartford Police Dept. 2007
Officer Matthew J. Lima K9 “Judge”	Milford Police Dept. 2006
Officer Eric A. Rocheleau and K-9 "Kora"	West Hartford Police Dept. 2005
Officer Huberto Morales and K-9 "Niko"	New London Police Dept. 2004
Officer Huberto Morales and K-9 "Niko"	New London Police Dept. 2003
Sgt. David M. Dubiel and K-9 "Luke"	West Hartford Police Dept. 2002
Officer Henry Minor and K-9 "Veko"	Manchester Police Dept. 2001
Officer Frank McDermott and K-9 "Hero"	Hamden Police Dept. 2000
Officer Gregory Williams and K-9 "Nero"	New London Police Dept. 1999
Officer Gregory Williams and K-9 "Nero"	New London Police Dept. 1998
Officer Alberto Higuera and K-9 "Erst"	Newington Police Dept. 1997
Officer Jeffrey Angell and K-9 "Niko"	Windsor Locks Police Dept. 1996
Trooper Todd Lynch and K-9 "Uriah"	Connecticut State Police 1995
Officer William Proulx and K-9 "Bruno"	East Hartford Police Dept. 1994
Officer Raymond Humphrey and K-9 "Evo"	East Windsor Police Dept. 1993
Officer Bruce Bertram and K-9 "Falk"	Danbury Police Dept. 1992