| Groton Town Police Promote 2, Hire 3 TheDay.com |
| Groton— The town police department recently promoted two officers to the rank of sergeant and swore in three new officers who are currently attending the Municipal Police Training Academy in Meriden. Police Chief Kelly Fogg said he was pleased to be able to hire new officers at a time when candidates are getting harder to attract. “Over the past three years we have hired 22 new officers,” Fogg told the audience at the swearing-in ceremony held in February at the Town Hall Annex. “Many departments have had to lower their standards to fill ranks. We are fortunate. We continue to get good, high-quality candidates wishing to join our department. “Our department's professional reputation and great support from our community are the greatest recruiting tools.” Before the new recruits were sworn in, two officers were promoted to sergeant. Kathleen Pendleton was hired in 1985 after graduating first in a class of 36 officers from the training academy. She is a graduate of Erie Community College and Buffalo State College in New York, where she earned associate's and bachelor's degrees, respectively, in criminal justice. Pendleton became a master patrol officer in 1995. She served the department on the Special Operations Group for 12 years and was treasurer of the patrolmen's Benevolent Association for 22 years, helping to plan every event the association sponsored. She also was the department's union treasurer for 20 years and is currently in her second year as union president. As a union leader, she has been on several negotiating committees for collective bargaining agreements and retirement contracts. Pendleton and her husband, Gary, have four children. Sgt. Tony Garcia, the first certified motorcycle operator in the town department, is a 23-year veteran with 15 years experience in special operations. Garcia is a certified police officer standards and training (POST) instructor in firearms, baton and driver-safety simulator training. He has trained officers at the town department as well as the Connecticut Police Academy and the Law Enforcement Council. He is a certified field training officer for the town, helping new patrol officers apply the skills they develop in the academy and teaching them the standards by which the department operates. Garcia has served on the marine-patrol and traffic-enforcement units and is involved in the community-policing program. “The sergeant is the first-line officer in charge of day-to-day supervision of patrol officers,” Fogg said. “It is up to the patrol sergeant to set high and constant standards for both report preparation and officer conduct.” The three new recruits, all attending the police training academy, include: Kerry Crawford-Davis, a 1993 graduate of Norwich Free Academy and former supervisor at a neurology practice. Her husband, Scott, pinned her new badge on her. Richard Sawyer, a graduate from Hamden High School in 1984. He attended Southern Connecticut State University, Lee Strasburg Theater School in New York, then lived in Los Angeles for 15 years. Sawyer also served as a snowboard and ski guide in the United States and Europe. He also conducted white-water rafting tours in Costa Rica. Justin Chapman, a graduate of Amity Regional High School in 2002. He then earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice at Norwich University In Vermont. |