The Award
The Guardian Shield Award is awarded to a New Haven Guardians member, past or present, whose actions reflect outstanding leadership, professional excellence, and a measurable impact that strengthens and advances the mission of the organization.
The Honoree
Bertram N. Ettienne was born and raised in the City of Hartford, Connecticut. He graduated from Bulkeley High School located in Hartford, CT, in 1995, and is an alumnus of Trinity College Upward Bound Program. He received his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Albertus Magnus College, and is currently enrolled in the graduate program. Becoming a police officer was a childhood dream of his; he is the son of a retired Hartford Police Department Lieutenant and the grandson of a Sub-Inspector of Police in the island of Trinidad & Tobago.In August 2001, Bertram entered the New Haven Police Department Police Training Academy, and during that time, he was appointed as a class leader. He began his career in the Uniformed Services Division as a Patrol Officer, working in the Beaver Hill and Fair Haven sections of the city. As a patrol officer, he worked on temporary assignments in the Street Interdiction Unit, Internal Affairs Unit-Background Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (D.E.A) Task Force.
In 2008, he was promoted to the rank of Police Detective and assigned to the General Investigations Unit in the Investigative Services Division. The Investigative Services Division would give him the challenge he was missing in the Uniformed Services Division. Some of his assignments have included robbery/burglary, assaults, fatal evading accidents, non-fatal firearm assaults, suspicious deaths, and homicides. Throughout Bertram’s investigative career, his most rewarding experiences were as a homicide detective bringing closure to survivors of homicides through murder arrests, which led to convictions in the court of law.
In 2010, Bertram lost his younger sister to gun violence in the City of Hartford, CT. She was the mother of two girls, ages 4 and 7. Bertram legally adopted his nieces, and he raised them along with his biological daughter. Being a single father of three young women now, 19, 20, and 22, has matured Bertram immensely in his personal life and professional career. His tragic loss has made him more passionate about solving violent crime and more compassionate, sympathetic, and empathetic when dealing with victims of violent crime and survivors of homicides.
In 2017, he was promoted to the rank of Police Sergeant and assigned to the Investigative Services Division. He supervised detectives in the Major Crimes Unit. Then, in July of 2019, he was appointed Officer in Charge (O.I.C.) of the Investigative Services Division, where he served as the commanding officer until April of 2021. He was responsible for coordinating, developing, and reviewing criminal investigations, bureau operations, and the supervision and evaluation of assigned personnel.
In July 2022, Bertram was appointed to the rank of Assistant Chief of Police. The Investigative Services Division, Training Division, Internal Affairs Unit, and the Background Unit were under his command. In January 2025, Bertram assumed command of the Uniformed Services Division.
Bertram has been a member of the New Haven Police Department Honor Guard Unit in various capacities since 2002. He has received letters of accommodation; the Officer of the Month award, the Medal of Valor, the Courage of Connecticut Law Enforcement award, and City of New Haven Altermatic citations. In November 2005, he was featured in the New Haven Independent as “Cop of the Week.” In 2006, he was featured as “Rookie” in the short film “Know Me,” produced by Youth Rights Media.
He is a former member of the New Haven Silver Shields, a founder/former member of the New Haven Guardians, and one of the first members of the New Haven Police Department Peer Support Team. He is a member of the University of New Haven, Tow Youth Justice Institute Cohort 10.