The Observer is happy to report that one of Suffield’s police officers has been promoted to sergeant, and that officer and one of the dispatchers have received community policing awards from the U. S. Attorney’s office for Connecticut. Beyond that, we must clarify and correct some information regarding new hiring reported in our October issue.
Officer Geoffrey Miner has become the new sergeant. A local boy who had “policeman” as a personal goal since childhood, he joined the Suffield Police Explorers at age 13 and became an Eagle Scout in Troop 66 as well. He has served three years as a patrol officer in the Suffield Department, and will be sworn in very soon as the department’s fourth sergeant.
Along with police dispatcher Nick Fasano, Miner has received a community policing award from U. S. Attorney for Connecticut Dierdre Daly in a New Haven ceremony on October 14. Twenty-two individuals from 15 towns were named. Miner and Fasano, together, were awarded for their effort implementing some of the recommendations of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. Specifically, they were cited for that delightful silliness in February, indicting Chuckles for a bad forecast on Groundhog Day, which turned into a productive fundraiser for the Lutz Children’s Museum (March Observer, Page 1). Also noted were the Suffield “Chill with a Cop” event, hosted at Scoop du Jour during the summer; and a well-attended Pokemon Go event on the Green in July (September Observer). Congratulations Nick and Geoff.
The clarification concerns Christopher McKee. In the last issue, on Page 4, this reporter incorrectly wrote that McKee (incorrectly identified as McFee) had come to Suffield as a newly hired police captain. His hiring is expected to be completed very soon, but in fact, though vetting was completed and the position had been offered and accepted, some final steps of the hiring process had not yet been completed as of mid-October.
Also, in the same article two new police officers were incorrectly reported to have been hired. Like McKee’s, their hiring had not passed its final steps. In fact, both of these chosen candidates failed to pass these steps. The two positions have been re-advertised, and the recruiting process is under way.