2 Lakes Region police officers earn Congressional Law Enforcement Awards

An accident quickly sent a Gilmanton child into a life-threatening situation, but thanks to the work of two Lakes Region police officers, the young resident is alive to tell the tale.

The two officers — Officer Ainsley Bruno of the Franklin Police Department, and Officer Syntia Tine of Belmont Police — were recently given a Congressional Law Enforcement Award for their lifesaving efforts in May. The award was bestowed last week by the state congressional delegation Reps. Maggie Goodlander (D-NH) and Chris Pappas (D-NH), and Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH).

It was quite an honor to receive the award, Tine said in a phone interview on Monday, but just another day on the job.

“Coming back for this was just an honor, definitely not expected,” Tine said, explaining how the last time she was in the Belmont Police Department conference room for such an occasion was when she graduated from the police academy. “I would do the same thing everyday.”

Bruno previously told The Daily Sun, “It feels good to have helped, but I don’t think I did anything different than what any officer would do.”

Only a small percentage of New Hampshire law enforcement officers are selected to receive a congressional award, making this an especially meaningful and well-deserved honor, according to a press release from Belmont Police. The two received the Officer Richard W. Bateman Dedication and Professionalism Award.

“She’s one of the officers you want showing up to your call. She gets it,” said Belmont Capt. Evan Boulanger, of Tine, by phone. “That goes for all of our officers. We’re super proud of her.”

Franklin Police Department, while not her supervising department at the time of the incident, was proud of Bruno's response to the situation.

“She’s a great officer, super proud of her and good to have her back,” said Franklin Chief Daniel Poirier. “We’re proud of the call she went to and how she responded, using her quick thinking to make a tourniquet to stop an arterial bleed.”

While out in the field, serving in Gilmanton, and catching up with Tine in May, Bruno received a call about a mental health emergency. Tine offered backup, but Bruno refused, saying she knew the family.

It wasn’t much longer before a call requested assistance with a patient rapidly bleeding. During an emotional moment, a child acted in rage, injuring themselves when a piece of glass suddenly became lodged in their arm.

Bruno worked to create a makeshift tourniquet, which she couldn’t get fully tightened herself, while holding the patient.

That’s when Tine came.

“I heard over the radio [Bruno] had one bleeding out. I didn’t wait for dispatch to say anything, I just headed right there,” Tine said. “I saw her body camera and [the minor] would have bled out in 10 seconds if it had not been for Ainsley. We locked the tourniquet and [the minor] went into shock.”

The child was taken to Concord Hospital, in Concord, and made a full recovery.

“There’s two reactions you’re gonna have in a critical incident: freeze up, so fight or flight, or act and head toward it,” Boulanger said. “She was in go mode, she reacted to her training. She didn’t hesitate for a minute or a second.”

The call really highlighted the importance of mental health for first responders, Tine said.

“I’m really into first responders’ mental health, and out of that experience was to debrief with [Bruno], other officers, and the department,” Tine said. “The chief called me afterward, I was checked in on by friends and other first responders. That was the biggest thing, having that support and knowing it’s OK to struggle through difficult calls” as long as you get the support you need.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or substance use problems, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7.

“Officer Bruno did what she had to do to initially stop the bleeding, and simultaneously call for additional help,” Gilmanton Chief Matt Currier said in a previous interview. “She was professional and calm, and really just amazing.”

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Reporter Bob Martin contributed to this story.

Katlyn Proctor can be reached at katlyn@laconiadailysun.com or by calling 603-524-0150.