Jeffrey Silver, 36, who has been a town police officer for nearly 15 years, has been promoted to the rank of sergeant, in which capacity he will oversee the activities of patrol shifts at the police department.

After interviewing three candidates for the position, Police Commission members on January 28 unanimously selected Mr Silver for the post, according to Police Commission Chairman Paul Mangiafico.

“[Silver] has quite a ranking on his written/oral [test] scores,” Mr Mangiafico said.

“I think we have an absolutely superb person … He’s got 15 years of solid service behind him,” Mr Mangiafico said.

Commission members soon will consider filling another sergeant’s vacancy at the police department, Mr Mangiafaco said. The two sergeants’ vacancies were created by the recent retirements of Darlene Froehlich and John Cole.

“It’s still very fresh,” Sgt Silver said on the morning of January 29 of his promotion the preceding night.

In his new role, his police uniform now bears arm patches with three bright blue chevrons, signifying the rank of sergeant.

Becoming a sergeant marks a “logical progression” in his police career, he said, noting that he has received much specialized law enforcement training over the years.

Since 2006, Sgt Silver has specialized in commercial truck inspections for the police department. In that role, he would conduct thorough federally sanctioned inspections on all types of commercial trucks in seeking out safety violations. He estimates that he has made full written technical safety inspections on about 400 trucks, plus many more less detailed truck inspections.

For the past three years, Sgt Silver has worked as a member of the of the police patrol division’s traffic services unit. In that capacity, he and others would conduct traffic enforcement projects, as well as prepare reports on traffic issues, involving subjects such as traffic counts, motorist sightlines, and traffic signs.

In his role as a traffic accident reconstructionist, he would assist at investigations of fatal accidents.

Sgt Silver also has worked as a training officer at the police department, providing instruction to other officers on the use of force, including rifles, pistols, and tasers.

Also, the sergeant is a child safety seat technician who works to aid the public in properly installing such devices. He also instructs other police officers in the use of intoximeters in DUI cases.

Sgt Silver noted that working in the patrol unit teaches a person much about how to best handle various situations.

No two days in patrol work are the same, he said, noting that the variety of situations that are encountered keeps people fresh.

As a supervisor, Sgt Silver said he would work to aid patrol officers perform their jobs, making sure that their equipment is suitable and safe.

During his initial training as a sergeant, he would “shadow” another sergeant on the job, observing how that person performs their job, Sgt Silver said. He would later receive certain formal training on the supervisory work of a sergeant.

Of his role as a supervisor, Sgt Silver said, “I’d like to have the confidence and respect of the [police] officers in the agency, while bridging the gap between patrol officers and management.”

The police department’s full complement is 45 members, seven of whom are sergeants, including six patrol sergeants and one administrative sergeant.