Jim Gaudet

Lieutenant Jim Gaudet of the Litchfield Police Department shares a glimpse of his daily work activities, where he juggles various responsibilities, including his main duties as prosecuting officer and detective.

Gaudet’s first job in New Hampshire was working for the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office. He has also worked as a patrol officer and detective for the Amherst Police Department.

“Everyday brings a new surprise,” says Gaudet, who also serves as second in command of the police department. Gaudet is in charge of the Litchfield Police Department’s dispatch center, in addition to his administrative responsibilities, which include creating budgets and writing grants. Most of his time, however, is devoted to his role as prosecution officer.

“Working prosecution,” says Gaudet, “is an all consuming, six days worth of work when you include the trial period.” Litchfield’s prosecution hearings take place at the Merrimack Court House, where Gaudet typically spends two days a week doing prosecution hearings.

Gaudet explains that doing prosecution work in the state of New Hampshire is quite challenging. “It’s one of the toughest law enforcement jobs for a police officer because it presumes a certain level of expertise, in which the prosecutor must be able to meet and make motions and objectives, and answer legal pleadings all without legal training.” Gaudet says that the New Hampshire style of handling prosecutions is fairly unique to this state. In Massachusetts, the district attorneys handle prosecution hearings.

Gaudet has been working on prosecuting cases for over ten years. He also supervises criminal investigations, where he assists officers with misdemeanor investigations such as burglaries, sexual assaults, and forgery.

Gaudet says that even in a small town like Litchfield, there’s ample prosecution work to be done. Referring to documented cases between 1998 and 2001, Gaudet reported over 400 adult complaints on an annual basis. One hundred sixty-one juvenile petitions were recorded in 2001. He points out that the number of juvenile petitions has risen in the town of Litchfield since 1997. Gaudet attributes the increase in juvenile petitions to the implementation of a town high school. He says that juvenile offenses are being committed on school premises during student hours. Such offenses include drug possession, thefts and vandalism, to name a few. Juvenile petitions include both high school and middle-aged students.

Adult prosecutions in Litchfield include a high incidence of drunk driving, alcohol and drug related offenses, domestic violence, harassment, the destruction of property and violation of court orders.

Gaudet holds a BS in Criminal Justice. He attended the 66 NH Police Academy and has participated in various trainings throughout his career. He says that much of his knowledge comes through experiencing and dealing with various situations. More recently, Chief Iverson recommended Gaudet for the FBI National Academy, located in Quantico, Virginia. The National Academy provides various leadership and specialized training courses. It’s an opportunity for professional law enforcement officers to share ideas, techniques, and experiences.

Gaudet says that working in Litchfield has been a pleasurable experience. He holds to the belief that working in a smaller town allows him to make a greater impact. “You really get to know the people, and Litchfield is a very easy town to police,” says Gaudet. He says that the townspeople are very supportive and respectful of the police department, which makes for a more gratifying work experience. “It makes coming to work a lot easier,” says Gaudet.