"Meet Your Resident State Trooper" is a feature on Mansfield-Storrs Patch designed to help you get to know your local law enforcement. Each profile was submitted directly by the trooper.
Name: Richard Cournoyer
Rank: Sergeant
Year Graduated from Academy: Aug. 22, 1997
Year Joined Mansfield Resident State Troopers: Aug. 22, 2011
Prior Experience: Went to Academy in Meriden from 2/14/97-8/22/97; Assigned to Troop H Hartford 8/22/97-11/03/2000; Assigned to Traffic Services Unit 11/3/200-6/25/2001; Assigned to State Police Academy as Instructor 06/25/2001-8/25/2006; Assigned to Troop H in Hartford 8/25/2006-3/15/2009; Assigned as Liaison to Department of Corrections Hartford County 3/15/2009-11/06/2009; Promoted to Sergeant assigned to Troop C in Tolland 11/06/2009-08/22/11; Assigned to Mansfield Resident Trooper’s Office as Sergeant Coordinator 8/22/11-Present
Let Patch save you time. Get great local stories like this delivered right to your inbox or smartphone every day with our free newsletter. Simple, fast sign-up here.
What made you want to become a police officer? Members of my family were police officers in Massachusetts. Their involvement with policing led to my desire to pursue this career.
What do you like most about your profession? I come to work everyday knowing that no day is quite the same as the day before. It makes the job interesting and keeps you sharp.
Best experience you’ve had as a police officer? I was working the midnight shift in Tolland when a trooper called out stating that he observed a house on fire. I along with two other troopers were in the area of the house fire. Collectively we awoke the family and saved them from what most certainly would have been a tragedy. While the fire was sad, the feelings of the troopers on scene were that this is the exact reason we came on this job.
Worst experience you’ve had as a police officer? No one incident comes to mind; however anytime you have to notify a family that a loved one has been lost due to an incident makes for a long day.
What’s the best excuse you ever got for a traffic ticket? All time best: I observed an operator of a vehicle slow and then stop at a red signaled traffic light. The operator then proceeded through the intersection as the light remained red. The operator subsequently was pulled over. I explained what I had just observed. He stated that he understood but that he realized that the other light, going in the alternate direction which was green, was not being used and he did not want to see it go to waste so he used that green light. He did not receive a ticket!
How do you connect with the town? I strive to lead the Mansfield Resident Trooper’s Office towards a community-based policing system. Our goal is to lead by example, educate, partner with and maintain the highest quality of life possible for all citizens.
What’s one thing you would like Mansfield residents to know about you? When the Red Sox win I’m a much happier person.
