SEYMOUR – Three Seymour police officers – one fresh out of the police academy – were honored this month for locating, pursuing and apprehending a man accused of fatally shooting a Bridgeport firefighter.

Sgt. Kevin Saksa, Officer Andrew Satkowski and Officer Megan McFarland, who graduated from the police academy two weeks ago, were honored Wednesday (April 8) during a meeting of the Seymour Board of Police Commissioners.

According to Seymour Police Chief John Bucherati, Seymour police received word on March 28 that a suspect wanted for the alleged murder of a Bridgeport firefighter earlier in the day in Stratford was in the area.

Bucherati said Saksa saw the suspect around 4 p.m. entering Route 8 south and attempted to make a motor vehicle stop. The suspect allegedly fled, speeding down Route 8 toward Derby. Satkowski and McFarland joined Saksa in a vehicle pursuit. Bucherati noted that Satkowski is a field training officer and was training McFarland at the time of the incident.

After a brief chase on Route 8, the suspect exited the highway in Derby and entered the Home Depot parking lot on Main Street, according to Bucherati. Saksa, Satkowski and McFarland were then able to apprehend the suspect and take him into custody.

The suspect, Jabari Bush, who is accused of killing Bridgeport firefighter and father-of-two Terrence Cramer, was then charged with murder, home invasion and criminal possession of a firearm by Stratford police.

During Wednesday’s police commission meeting, Bucherati presented both Saksa and Satkowski with a distinguished service award, and McFarland with a commendation letter.

The distinguished service award, Bucherati said, can be awarded to any member of the department who affects the arrest of a dangerous felon where the officer performed their duty in an exemplary fashion.

“This was an excellent example of good police work, from the initial observation, the pursuit, and the apprehension of the suspect,” Bucherati said. “Everyone involved performed their duties in an exemplary fashion. I am very proud of our officers and the job that they did that day.”

Satkowski, the son of former Seymour Police Chief Paul Satkowski, said word of the suspect possibly being in Seymour came over his cruiser’s radio.

“We heard there was a murder suspect in town and learned Sgt. Saksa located the car on Route 8,” Satkowski told the Valley Indy after the meeting. “Sgt. Saksa attempted a motor vehicle stop, but the suspect fled. We were ahead of him (the suspect) on Route 8 and joined in the pursuit.”

Satkowski said the suspect was detained in a Seymour police cruiser until Stratford police arrived to take him into custody. Officers from Derby, Shelton and State Police were also on scene at that point, Satkowski said.

“He (the suspect) complied with all verbal commands and was cooperative with us,” Satkowski said.

The incident happened just about an hour into the 3 to 11 p.m. shift for all three officers, who went right back to work afterward.

Satkowski, Saksa and McFarland expressed their gratitude for being honored, but said they were just doing their job.

“It’s nice to be recognized but it’s part of our job,” Satkowski said. “At the end of the day we took a felon off the street and went back at it that night.”

McFarland said she didn’t anticipate a chase so early into her police career.

“Personally, I never thought that would happen, but it was really an awesome experience, and I was glad to help out,” McFarland said.

Saksa, on the force for eight years, has been recognized for his actions before. He received an award for helping an unconscious man who fell off a piece of machinery at the Haynes quarry.