He was a police officer who could not wait to get back to work.
And the now late Officer Robert “Bobby” Garten also had loved meeting his friends and co-workers at Elicit Brewing Co. on his day’s off or after his shift, so his family is holding the Detective Robert “Bobby” Garten Memorial Fund fundraiser at the restaurant on Sunday.
The Garten family’s plan is to make this an annual event to benefit the Detective Robert Bobby Garten Memorial Fund. The event is this Sunday at the Manchester brewery starting at 1 p.m.
Garten died tragically in the line of duty just over a year ago on Sept. 6, 2023. His cruiser was hit by a driver allegedly fleeing a different traffic stop. He was an eight-year veteran on the Hartford Police Department force and a second-generation officer. He was a field training officer and a member of both the HPD Marine Division and the Street Crime Unit.
Courtesy of Hartford Police Department.
Officer Bobby Garten was an eight-year-veteran of the Hartford Police Department. Courtesy of Hartford Police Department.
“He loved his job. He would tell stories to me and my dad and couldn’t wait to get back to work,” Garten’s older brother Will said. “He would listen to people’s problems and keep a calm, cool demeanor. He cared about the community and about the citizens and he brought every day to work.”
Will Garten and his wife, Kimber, both of Wethersfield, are heading the fund and it has been in the works since shortly after Bobby Garten’s death.
“Bobby was such a nice person. He was a happy person,” Kimber Garten said. “He always wanted to be around other people and had a smile on his face. In the 13 years I knew him, I never saw him without a smile on his face. He loved being around people and helping people. He was generous and loved his family and friends and never missed a holiday.”
Garten said Bobby Garten was not a gala type of person and that Elicit Brewery was the place he loved and was the perfect venue. As one of the main organizers of the fundraiser, Garten said this event is for Bobby’s legacy and to help people he would have wanted to help.
“Two years ago, he was watching UConn (men’s basketball) winning a (NCAA) National Championship at Elicit and I went back this year and watched them win again and it was bittersweet,” Will Garten said. “At this fundraiser, you can still connect with Bobby and eat the food that he ate and drink the drinks he liked.”
Kimber Garten said the foundation will give to causes near to her brother-in-law.
“He loved the city of Hartford. He loved every part of the city, including the youth and The Hartford Police Athletic League. He loves Greater Hartford too. He lived in Newington and grew up in Wethersfield,” Kimber Garten said.
Will Garten the foundation also donated to Boy Scouts to offset summer camps and expenses.
“Bobby was also a member of the Fraternal Order of Police and we presented them with a check in May to help with their health and wellness fund,” Kimber Garten said. “We also helped give a $2,000 scholarship donation with the Hartford Yard Goats for a student pursuing a career in law enforcement.”
Will Garten said his brother also loved aquariums and the foundation plans on giving to those causes in the future as well.
“The main cause we are going to give is to help families of fallen officers with the Fraternal Order of Police and Gold Star families, but he loved aquariums,” Will Garten said. “They survive on donations and we want to help them financially. Any time we went on vacations the first step we would look for is finding the closest aquarium. One of the last things we did together on a trip to Virginia Beach was a trip to the aquarium.”
Kimber Garten said there is no financial goal for Sunday because it is the first fundraiser.
“The one-year anniversary of his death has just passed and this is about all of his friends and family coming together and just being around each other for Bobby,” Garten said. “It’s a way for everyone to come together in the spirit of Bobby. If we make money – great. But we just want to spread the word, and this even gets better and better.”
The event is for all ages. There will be a bounce house provided by Innovative Inflatables. There will also be a trio of mascots on hand from the Hartford Yard Goats, Hartford Athletic and the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Brad Horrigan/The Hartford Courant
Liam Garten, 6, top left, and Rory Garten, bottom left, are greeted by Chew Chew, top right, and Chompers, bottom right, at the Hartford Yard Goats home opener at Dunkin’ Donuts Park last May 11. File photo.
There will also be 30 raffle baskets up for grabs. A buffet will be provided by U.S. Foods and Freshpoint and the bar will feature some of Bobby’s favorite drinks.
“I anticipate a big crowd because it’s a Sunday and football is on and a lot of Bobby’s friends are going to be there,” Will Garten said. “He loved watching games with his family and friends.”
Amanda Fromerth, who has been the general manager at Elicit Brewing Co. for five years and knew Bobby Garten many years before that, said Garten was a regular at Elicit and she’s happy to do anything she can to help the Gartens.
“I knew Bobby since he started as a cop when I was working at a bar in Hartford. He was such a great person and was always smiling,” Fromerth said. “I am happy to help in any way. He was a good friend to me and many other of the workers here.”
Fromerth said the back patio will be closed off for those attending the fundraiser and that the buffet will be available for people who buy tickets. She added that five televisions will be showing the NFL games so attendees won’t miss any football action.
“It’s a good time to have some drinks and some food and celebrate Bobby’s spirit,” Fromerth said. “There will be plenty of Bud Light. That was his favorite.”
Fromerth said Garten would come in with big groups, sometimes with as many as 30 people.
Tickets for the event can be purchased in advance here. (https://shorturl.at/1dZH7)
If unable to attend and would still like to give, visit Garten Memorial Fund website at https://www.detectiverobertbobbygartenmemorialfund.org/.
