In the late afternoon of a Wednesday in August of 1978, a tragedy befell the New Britain Police Department. Lieutenant Norman Allard, a 46-year-old White / Caucasian male and a respected 23-year veteran of the force, lost his life in a devastating accident. The incident occurred not on the dangerous streets he had patrolled for over two decades, but within the familiar confines of the police department itself.
On August 16th, at approximately 2:45 p.m., the sound of a single,
unintentional gunshot echoed through the station. Lieutenant Allard was fatally wounded by an accidental discharge of a firearm. The sudden and unexpected event sent shockwaves through the department and the community he had served for so long. There was no foul play, no suspect to pursue, only the heavy reality of a life cut short by a tragic mishap.
A United States Army veteran of the Korean War, Norman Allard was survived by his wife, two sons, and two daughters. His death was a profound loss, not only to his family but also to his fellow officers who remembered him as a dedicated and experienced lawman. The absence of a criminal element in his passing did little to lessen the grief felt by those who knew and respected him.
