WHPD's Newest Police Officers Took Diverse Path To Jobs

WEST HARTFORD, CT — West Hartford's Finest grew by seven last month with the swearing in of seven new additions to the local police force.

The new men and women of the West Hartford Police Department took different paths to protect and serve, but their goal is all the same: keep the peace and maintain community safety.

The septet was sworn in during a special ceremony Dec. 20 at West Hartford Town Hall.

West Hartford's newest officers are:

• Officer Jacqueline Twiss , who was raised in Rhode Island and completed a bachelor's degree at Simmons College in Boston.

She was hired by the University of Connecticut Police Department in March 2015 and attended the Hartford Police Academy.

She was promoted to sergeant in 2018 and transferred to the Farmington campus, where she was a patrol supervisor.

• Kent Lee Jr. was born and raised in Hartford. He attended West Hartford schools and went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Goodwin College.

Lee worked with the Hartford Police Department as a police cadet for two years and was then hired as a police officer for the University of Connecticut Police Department in 2020.

He is a certified as a bicycle officer, a background investigator and a car seat installer.

• Nicholas Grasso was born and raised in Orange County, N.Y., where he graduated from Burke Catholic High School.

He then attended community college and went on to SUNY-Oneonta to complete his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and run track at the collegiate level.

After college he decided to pursue a career in law enforcement like his father and grandfather before him.

He started working in Savannah, Georgia, as a police officer where he lived and worked for two years.

• Gregory Peet was born and raised in Torrington. He enlisted into the Army National Guard after high school and served seven years as a combat engineer.

He transitioned into a civilian law enforcement career to pursue his lifelong dream of being an officer.

During his career, Peet has spent time in a part-time traffic division, became a field training officer, and has recently become certified as an instructor.

• Delionel Jimenez was born and raised in Harlem, N.Y., where he sang in the Boys Choir of Harlem and graduated from the Choir Academy of Harlem High School.

Jimenez was classically trained and has been singing since a very young age, in church and other venues.

He has sang in several places in the United States as well as overseas in Ankara, Turkey.

Jimenez has been in jobs that he enjoyed, however, he has always wanted to be in law enforcement, following in the footsteps of his uncle who has served in the NYPD for over 30 years.

In 2020, Jimenez moved to Georgia and served the city of Savannah for two years.

• Caleb Preato grew up in Barkhamsted and graduated from Northwestern Regional High School in 2018.

He then went on to complete his bachelor's degree in criminology at Central Connecticut State University with a minor in psychology.

After completing the Behind the Badge College Academy here at West Hartford, he wanted to pursue his career as a police officer.

• Alexis Marcelo grew up in Lima, Peru, and moved to the United States in 2010. He first lived in Salt Lake City, Utah.

In 2011 Marcelo moved to Newington. He graduated from Newington High School in 2013.

After graduating high school, he enlisted as a wheeled vehicle mechanic in the Connecticut Army National Guard.

Marcelo attended Manchester Community College and earned an associate's degree in criminal justice and completed his bachelor's degree in criminology at Central Connecticut State University with a minor in psychology.

As a result of completing the Behind the Badge College Academy, Marcelo chose a career as a police officer in the Town of West Hartford.

For the Town of West Hartford Police Department's website, click on this link.