Somerville Police Detectives Derrick Dottin and Kilsarys Leguisam were awarded citations of merit on Monday in recognition of their efforts to capture escaped convict James Morales.

By Jim Clark

On Monday, law enforcement officials, along with Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, honored the Somerville detectives and state troopers who captured James Morales, who escaped from a detention facility in Rhode Island in December, 2016.

Morales was apprehended on January 5, just a few days after he escaped from the detention facility. He allegedly made two attempts at robbing banks in the area in the days leading up to his capture.

Somerville Police Detectives Derrick Dottin and Kilsarys Leguisamon, along with State Police Troopers Brendan Cain and Joseph Merrick reportedly chased Morales through Somerville before apprehending him.

State Police Troopers Brendan Cain and Joseph Merrick received their citations along with Somerville detectives at a ceremony attended by Gov. Charlie Baker.

At the citation presentation, Gov. Baker referred to Morales’ escape as a “cause of significant concern for people around the region.”

Morales, a former Army reservist, was in the Wyatt Detention Facility in Central Falls, Rhode Island on charges of stealing 16 weapons from an army armory in Worcester in 2015.

Speaking to reporters after the law enforcement officers had been honored, Gov. Baker said, “The process through which they apprehended him was a wonderful example of collaboration and cooperation between local police department folks and two state troopers, and the chase that took place to actually capture him I think is just a great story.”

State Trooper Merrick said, “We do this every day. It’s nice to get recognized.”

“We were there at the end of our day when the call came in,” said Detective Dottin. “It just goes to show you sometimes your day never ends.”