New London ― New London Police Officer Daquan Stuckey was walking along the Ocean Beach Park boardwalk during Tuesday’s National Night Out festivities when he spotted a young boy crying.

”I did what any one of our officers would do. I asked him why he was crying,” Stuckey said. “I saw an opportunity to be a good community police officer.”

What Stuckey learned was that while police gave away 22 bikes during National Night Out - purchased in part by the local police and fire unions - the boy was not among the lucky recipients.

The next day, Stuckey went to Walmart, purchased a bike and delivered it to the boy at the beginning of his shift. The boy’s reaction, Stuckey said, was pure joy and one of the reasons he loves working in the city and why he became a police officer.

The bike delivery is captured in a Facebook post titled “You got caught doing something awesome,” that has gained some positive attention for the department.

“It was an awesome thing to do,” said Police Chief Brian Wright.

“This is the quintessential definition of what it means to be a community police officer and being involved in the community. He’s a true asset to the City of New London,” Wright said.

Wright said the National Night Out was also a success and allowed police to mingle with children and their families while local organizations and businesses joined together to help promote relationships between the community and the police department.

Stuckey, who is originally from New Jersey, is a graduate of Quinnipiac University where he majored in journalism. He worked most recently as judicial marshal in Connecticut, including at New London Superior Court, before he was hired as a police officer. Stuckey also holds the honor of being the first new officer sworn in by Wright. That happened on June 3, 2021, when Wright was acting chief.

In an interview with The Day in June, 2021, Stuckey commented on his role in New London, saying, “I want to change the relationship between civilians and law enforcement one interaction at a time.”

On Thursday, Stuckey credited his fellow officers, especially the veteran officers, for their mentorship and leadership at the department.

“He’s a solid young man,” Wright said.

g.smith@theday.com