Three New Police Officers Train On Patrol

By Andrew Gorosko

Occasionally when the town’s dark-blue police cars cruise by while on patrol, two uniformed officers can be seen sitting in the front seat. The driver is learning about law enforcement. The passenger is providing guidance.

Since early May, three 26-year-old police recruits have been receiving field training behind the wheel of patrol cars on all three police work shifts. The new police officers are Michael Riccio of Newtown, Amity Robinson of Danbury, and Leonard Penna of Trumbull.

The three officers’ current field training follows their graduation from a 20-week course on law enforcement at the Connecticut Municipal Police Training Academy in Meriden. By late August the three officers are expected to be on solo patrol.

In a recent interview, the three recruits described their training with obvious enthusiasm, explaining what they hope to accomplish in their coming law enforcement careers.

Mr Riccio moved to Newtown four years ago and is now making the transition from local civilian to peace officer. He grew up in Stratford. He formerly worked in financial services.

Becoming a member of the Newtown Police Department was his first choice among the departments that he had considered joining, he said.

“I’m happy to be on patrol,” Mr Riccio said, noting that he has already spent time in training on each of the three patrol shifts –– midnight to 8 am, 8 am to 4 pm, and 4 pm to midnight. He said he enjoys the variety that police work presents.

Mr Riccio noted his interest in eventually becoming a detective.

“I’m really happy to be here,” he added.

Ms Robinson said her first few weeks on patrol duty have been going very well.

“It’s a big town,” she said, noting Newtown’s broad expanse. She said she is learning the local highways and byways and becoming oriented to her new work environment.

Ms Robinson said she will prefer working a rotating shift, rather than the unchanging time schedule which she formerly had in banking. 

Ms Robinson described an interest in working as a school resource officer or as a detective in the future.

“It’s exciting,” Mr Penna remarked of the situations he has encountered so far while on patrol.

Mr Penna said he has long wanted to become a police officer, noting that the work is intrinsically “interesting.”

Mr Penna said he is learning the town’s geography in familiarizing himself with the lay of the land.

“I’m definitely happy with Newtown,” Mr Penna said, noting that he is in the process of learning what Newtown has to offer. The town appears to be an excellent place to practice police work, he said.

Sergeant John Cole is supervising the new police officers’ training. While in training, each recruit is accompanied by a field training officer while on patrol.

When the new police officers took their oaths of office late last year, Police Chief Michael Kehoe said the recruits would find a promising future in police work, where their abilities and skills would prove useful. The chief said police work is a difficult and challenging field, which requires skill, ability, and character for success.

The Police Commission hires people to become police patrol officers based on the results of a series of academic, physical, and psychological tests.

Last August, about 110 people interested in becoming police officers took a written test for the position. Job applicants who passed the written test proceeded to physical testing. Applicants who passed the physical testing took oral interviews, which were conducted by a panel of officers from other police departments.

The Police Commission then interviewed the remaining applicants. Extensive background checks, a physical examination, psychological testing, and lie detector testing are used to screen job candidates.