Two New Patrol Officers Join Police Department

By Andrew Gorosko

The town has hired two new policemen, one of whom is now on patrol duty after having worked for more than four years as an Ansonia police officer, with the other man now studying law enforcement skills at the state’s municipal police academy in Meriden.

New to the police department are Officer Adam Greco, 28, and Officer Liam Seabrook, 23, both of whom were recently hired by the Police Commission. The commission chose the men from among a pool of candidates generated following a series of written tests and fitness tests jointly conducted by Newtown and Brookfield police last May.

Officer Greco is completing an abbreviated field training course in Newtown, learning the lay of the land as he accompanies training officers on patrol. Officer Greco is expected to be on independent patrol by September 1.

In an interview at the police station last week, Officer Greco said, “It was time to make a change” of his transition from Ansonia patrol work to Newtown police duty. The opportunity for police work in a different municipality arose and he pursued it, he said. The policeman said he is especially interested in conducting narcotics investigations.

Ansonia is a city of about 19,000 people. The urbanized area is only about one-tenth the size of Newtown at six square miles, compared to Newtown’s 60 square miles. Newtown’s population is about 27,000.

Officer Greco said it is different to be on patrol a town that that is so much larger than his former jurisdiction. “It’s ten times the size. The pace is slower here,” he said. “There’s so much land. There’s a lot of animal calls,” he said.

Although small, Ansonia is a densely built locale set amid the cities of Bridgeport, New Haven, and Waterbury, resulting in many police calls involving people passing through that area, he noted.

In Newtown, it seems most calls for service originate from town residents, Officer Greco noted.

Officer Greco said he is becoming acquainted with his new co-workers in Newtown.

A Derby High School graduate, Officer Greco of Derby is married and has two children. When not at work, family matters occupy his time, he said.

Police Chief Michael Kehoe described Officer Greco as a seasoned police officer. “We look [forward] to what he brings with his experience and training…He’s highly qualified.”

“He will be a tremendous asset,” Chief Kehoe said.

Officer Seabrook

Officer Seabrook started his law enforcement studies at the state’s municipal police academy in Meriden on August 27. He will study there for more than 20 weeks, after which he will return to Newtown for a three-month course of field training. By next May, he is expected to be patrolling Newtown independently.

Mr Seabrook of Bethel graduated from Bethel High School in 2002, after which he joined the US Air Force. While in the military, he was stationed in Oklahoma and South Korea. He currently is a staff sergeant in the Air Force Reserve.

Of his decision to pursue law enforcement, Officer Seabrook said, “I like the independence that the job affords.” He said he would like to rise through the ranks of the police department.

Town Clerk Debbie Aurelia gave the oath of office to Officer Seabrook in ceremonies at Town Hall South on August 23, as co-workers, family, and friends watched. Officer Greco had taken the oath in previous ceremonies at Edmond Town Hall.

Chief Kehoe spoke at Town Hall South.

Town police will provide guidance to Officer Seabrook as he learns law enforcement, because when he succeeds, the police department succeeds, Chief Kehoe said.

In presenting a police badge to Officer Seabrook, Chief Kehoe asked that he serve with honor and dignity because police officers hold the public trust.

Chief Kehoe said that those people whom police interviewed about Officer Seabrook during the background checks on his police candidacy had uniformly positive things to say about his character.

Officer Seabrook performed well in both the written tests and interviews conducted during the hiring process, the chief said.

Officer Seabrook’s personal qualities will serve him well as he works in the difficult field of law enforcement, Chief Kehoe said. Also, the officer’s military background will be an asset in law enforcement, the chief added.

Potential police officers are subject to medical examinations, psychological testing, polygraph tests, personal background checks, and multiple job interviews. The lengthy police hiring process is designed to find the people who are best suited for police work.