About 20 people, including, family, friends, and town officials, gathered late Wednesday afternoon at Newtown Municipal Center to watch as James Viadero, 56, took the oath of office from Town Clerk Debbie Aurelia Halstead to become Newtown’s fifth police chief.

The informal swearing-in event was held in the town clerk’s office. A formal swearing-in event is planned, but has not yet been scheduled.

Mr Viadero started work as police chief on Thursday morning, replacing Michael Kehoe, 60, whose last day of work before retirement was Wednesday. The town held a reception for Mr Kehoe on Tuesday. 

The brief swearing-in event for Mr Viadero took place in the town clerk’s main office, near the town vault.

Police Commission Chairman Joel Faxon presented Mr Viadero with a Town of Newtown police badge bearing “#1,” signifying his leadership of the 45-member police department.

Chief Viadero spoke briefly after the ceremonies.

“I’ve got big shoes to fill…I very much do appreciate your support and faith me,” he said.

“Thank you…I’m excited to be the chief in the town I live in,” he said.

Mr Viadero and his wife Kimberly are longtime Sandy Hook residents.

Mr Viadero, a Republican, served as a Newtown Police Commission member from late 2009 to mid- 2014, leaving that panel when he became Middlebury’s police chief. Before working in Middlebury, he had served as a Bridgeport police officer for 29 years, leaving that job at the rank of captain.

In remarks made at a Police Commission session in October after commission members had unanimously approved his hiring, a broadly smiling  Mr Viadero said, “I’m very, very excited…I look forward to the future.”

Mr Viadero then said he is well aware of the high quality of the staff at the Newtown Police Department.

In early June, Mr Kehoe, who worked as town police officer since 1978, announced that he would retire from his post.

Mr Kehoe headed the police department since 1999, with the Police Commission promoting him to the rank of police chief in 2001.

Soon after Mr Kehoe announced his retirement, the Police Commission named itself as a search committee to find a new chief.

In early October, the commission announced that after reviewing ten applications for the job, it had selected Mr Viadero. First Selectman Pat Llodra participated in the candidate review process.

In Newtown, a police chief answers to the Police Commission and works closely with the first selectman.