[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Page 2321]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO REGINA RUSH-KITTLE

 Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise today to honor a dedicated 
public servant and a groundbreaker in her field, Lieutenant Regina 
Rush-Kittle. On March 3, Lieutenant Rush-Kittle will receive the 
Officer of the Year award from the Connecticut Association of Women 
Police.
  Regina Rush-Kittle's long and distinguished law enforcement career 
began in 1983. After graduating from the University of Connecticut with 
a degree in political science, Lieutenant Rush-Kittle served as a 
correctional officer at a high security correctional institution for 2 
years. She then joined the Middletown Police Department, becoming the 
first African-American female police officer on the force. She served 
as a patrol officer for 2 years prior to being accepted into the 
Connecticut State Police Academy.
  Regina Rush-Kittle has been a trailblazer for African-American women 
in Connecticut law enforcement. After serving as the first African-
American woman on the Middletown police force, she went on to become 
the first African-American woman to attain the rank of sergeant in the 
Connecticut State Police Department. Most recently, after scoring 
number one on both the lieutenants exam and master sergeants exam, 
Regina Rush-Kittle was promoted to lieutenant, the first African-
American female to attain that rank in the department's 100-year 
history. Her current assignment as commander of the Bethany barracks 
makes her the first African-American woman in State history to command 
a barracks.
  Lieutenant Rush-Kittle's tireless commitment to her community, her 
State, and her country extends beyond her achievements in Connecticut 
law enforcement. She is a long-serving Marine and Army Reservist. In 
2003, she was deployed to Kuwait for a year, serving with the 804th 
Medical Brigade out of Fort Devens, MA. Upon her return in February 
2004, she attained the rank of sergeant major, taking on 
responsibilities far beyond the normal obligations to serve 1 weekend 
per month and 2 weeks in the summer. Despite being eligible for 
retirement from the Reserves, Lieutenant Rush-Kittle continues to 
serve.
  Regina Rush-Kittle is an outstanding citizen who goes above and 
beyond to protect her fellow citizens, her State, and her country. I 
commend her for her continued dedication, and congratulate her, her 
husband William, and her two children Jorrell and Gianna on this 
wonderful occasion.

                          ____________________