Orange Police Chief Robert Gagne takes the oath of office.

ORANGE - Former Police Chief Joseph Dooley had a serene smile as he watched former Assistant Chief Robert Gagne recite the oath of office at the High Plains Community Center Saturday afternoon.

Gagne and Koether are quiet, somewhat serious men, but both have proven to be strong leaders during their tenure at the Orange Police Department. Both are known for their moral and ethical values. Each has been with the department for 25 years.

Koether said he was proud and honored to have been chosen for the position.

"I have reached a goal that 25 years ago appeared only as a star beyond reach," he said.

He thanked Gagne and Dooley for mentoring him over the years and told residents, "under Chief Gagne's direction, I see your police department continuing on and moving ahead to greatness.

"My greatest honor and privilege is in being able to assist Chief Gagne in leading and working with the men and women of this department. The members of your police department are a dedicated, high caliber group and I am very proud of each and every one of them," he said.

Koether choked back tears as he acknowledged his parents. "I know that my mother and father are smiling down today and are proud of me," he said. Koether's mother passed away earlier this year.

The chief speaks

Gagne said he was proud and honored to have been chosen as Orange's tenth police chief. "You don't reach this level in your career without assistance and guidance from a lot of people. Thank you to everyone for the support that I have been shown throughout my career," he said. "I especially thank the Orange Board of Police Commissioners for their support and confidence in me."

He recalled how he and his former classmates, Dooley and the late Mark Greco, [who served as assistant chief for a short time and passed away after a routine surgery] attended the Police Academy and the University of New Haven together. They joined the department and served together for 20 years.

During his speech, Gagne also thanked the town department heads and their staffs. He singled out Fire Marshal Tim Smith with whom he works on matters of public safety.

"Fire Marshal Smith does the work of three people, and Orange is extremely lucky to have him," Gagne said.

He also said that the Orange Volunteer Fire Department and its chief and deputy chief are dedicated professionals who work hard for the community every day.

Gagne dedicated a lot of his speech to members of the police department, both civilian and sworn. He said the department has endured some difficult times but continued to function at a high level of efficiency. "This is a testimony to the dedication, professionalism and caliber of our personnel," he said.

Gagne said his goals include bringing quality personnel to the department, working together with town leaders, continuing the community policing initiatives, traffic safety issues and bringing a new K-9 unit on board.

"I look forward to working with Assistant Chief Ed Koether as we move the department forward," Gagne said. "He has proven himself to be an outstanding supervisor and leader, who is quickly adapting to his new role as assistant chief. I have the utmost confidence in his abilities."