44 PROMOTED DURING

CONNECTICUT STATE POLICE CEREMONY

            The Connecticut State Police promoted 44 Troopers during a ceremony held in the Torp Theatre at Central Connecticut State University on Friday, March 28, 2008.

            Department of Public Safety Commissioner John A. Danaher III and Colonel Thomas Davoren, Commanding Officer of the State Police, formally promoted two Troopers to the rank of major, two to the rank of captain, 11 to the rank of lieutenant, six to the rank of master sergeant and 23 to the rank of sergeant during the ceremony.

The following persons were promoted:

Major Phillip Halibozek  Major Halibozek was promoted from Captain and will remain in his current assignment as Commanding Officer of the Bureau of Infrastructure and Communications. During more than 25 years as a Trooper, Major Halibozek has earned three Unit Citation Awards. A resident of Cromwell, Major Halibozek earned a B.S. from Charter Oak State College.

Major Mark Newland Major Newland was promoted from Lieutenant and has been assigned as Commanding Officer of the State Police Training Academy. Lt. Newland has been with the State Police for 24 years; he has received Meritorious Service, Outstanding Service and Unit Citation Awards.

Captain Brian Meraviglia  Captain Meraviglia was promoted from Lieutenant and will be the Executive Officer of Western District Headquarters. Capt. Meraviglia has been a Trooper for 22 years and has earned to Meritorious Service Awards and four Unit Citation Awards. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and lives in Stratford with his family.

Captain Patrick O’Hara  Captain O’Hara was promoted from Lieutenant and will become the Commanding Officer of the Criminal Justice Information Systems. A Trooper for 25 years, Captain O’Hara most recently served in the Eastern District Major Crime Squad. He lives in Mystic with his family.

Lieutenant William Baldwin  Lt. Baldwin was promoted from Master Sergeant and will be assigned to the Western District Major Crime Squad. Lt. Baldwin has been a Trooper for 21 years and has earned a Lifesaving Award and three Unit Citation Awards. He lives in Torrington with his family.

Lieutenant Edward Bednarz   Lt. Bednarz was promoted from Master Sergeant and has been assigned as Commanding Officer of Troop A in Southbury.  MSgt. Bednarz has been a Trooper for 23 years and has received two Meritorious Service Awards, four Lifesaving Awards, two Outstanding Service Awards and eight Unit Citation Awards.   Lt. Bednarz is a state-certified Fire Marshal and previously served as a Police Officer in Berlin. He lives in Middlesex County with his family.

Lieutenant Mark Cassista Lt. Cassista was promoted from Sergeant and has been assigned to the Special Licensing and Firearms Unit.  Lt. Cassista has been a Trooper for 22 years and has received a Bravery Medal in addition to two Meritorious Service Awards, a Lifesaving Award and a Unit Citation. The father of three, he lives in Westbrook with his family.

Lieutenant John Eckersley  Lt. Eckersley was promoted from Sergeant and has been assigned to the Statewide Narcotics Task Force.  Lt. Eckersley has been a State Trooper for more than 18 years and has earned three Meritorious Service Awards, one Lifesaving Awards and four Unit Citation Awards. The father of one, he lives in Ledyard.

Lieutenant Robert Eddy  Lt. Eddy was promoted from Sergeant and has been assigned to the Central District Major Crime Squad.  Lt. Eddy has been with the State Police for 20 years and has earned a Lifesaving Award.  He has more than 15 years of military service and earned a Masters Degree from UConn. He lives in Essex with his family.

Lieutenant Samuel F. Izzarelli Jr.   Lt. Izzarelli was promoted from Sergeant and will remain in his present assignment as Executive Officer of the Sex Offender Registry Unit. As a Trooper for 21 years, Lt. Izzarelli has earned a Unit Citation. He attended Central Connecticut State University.  He lives in Hebron with his family.

Lieutenant William Kewer  Lt. Kewer was promoted from Sergeant and will serve as Commanding Officer of Troop D in Danielson. As a Trooper for 18 years, he has earned two Outstanding Service Awards, two Meritorious Service Awards, one Lifesaving Award and two Unit Citations. He lives in Oakdale with is family.

Lieutenant Timothy Kradas   Lt. Kradas was promoted from Sergeant and has been assigned to the Internal Affairs Unit. Lt. Kradas has been with the State Police for 24 years and has earned two Meritorious Service medals and two Unit Citations. He lives in Somers with his family.

Lieutenant Mark Panaccione  Lt. Panaccione was promoted from Sergeant and will become Commanding Officer of the Background Unit. Lt. Panaccione has been with the State Police for nearly 14 years and has earned a Lifesaving Award, an Outstanding Service Award and Unit Citation Award. He lives in Old Saybrook with his family.

Lieutenant Clanford Pierce  Lt. Pierce was promoted from Sergeant and will be Commanding Officer at Troop F in Westbrook.  During his 14 years as a Trooper, he has earned a medal for Outstanding Service and three Unit Citations. He lives in Enfield with his family.

Lieutenant David Rosado   Lt. Rosado was promoted from Sergeant and has been assigned as Commanding Officer of Troop W in Windsor Locks. Lt. Rosado has been a Trooper for ten years and has received awards for Outstanding Service and Lifesaving, as well as an award from MADD.  Lt. Rosado received a J.D. from the UConn School of Law and an undergraduate degree from UConn. Fluent in Spanish, he is president of the CSP Chapter of the National Latino Peace Officers Association. Lt. Rosado lives with his family in Glastonbury.

Master Sergeant John Albanese  M/Sgt. Albanese was promoted from Sergeant and has been assigned as Executive Officer of Troop H in Hartford. M/Sgt. Albanese has been a Trooper for 16 years and has earned four Unit Citation Awards and a Military Service Award.  M/Sgt. Albanese earned an MBA from UConn and a B.S. from the University of New Haven and is a veteran of the Marine Corps. He lives in Waterbury with his family.

Master Sergeant Richard Crooks  M/Sgt. Crooks was promoted from Sergeant and will become the Executive Officer of Troop E in Montville.  As a Trooper for two decades, M/Sgt. Crooks has earned two Meritorious Service Awards, a Unit Citation Award and an Outstanding Service Award. He has also received numerous awards for DWI enforcement and has served as an instructor. M/Sgt. Crooks lives in Groton with his family.

Master Sergeant David Delvecchia  M/Sgt. Delvecchia was promoted from Sergeant and will be the Executive Officer at Troop A in Southbury. A Trooper for 14 years, M/Sgt. Delvecchia has earned an award for Outstanding Service and four Unit Citation Awards. He lives in Plantsville with his family.

Master Sergeant James C. Dolan  M/Sgt. Dolan was promoted from Sergeant and will be the Executive Officer at Troop K in Colchester. With the State Police for 20 years, M/Sgt. Dolan has earned one Lifesaving Award and a Unit Citation Award. He earned a B.A. from Trinity College. M/Sgt. Dolan lives in Southington with his family.

Master Sergeant Paul Gately  M/Sgt. Gately was promoted from Sergeant and will become Executive Officer of the Emergency Services Unit. During his nearly 18 years as a Trooper, M/Sgt. Gately has earned awards for Meritorious Service and for Outstanding Service, as well as seven Unit Citation Awards. He also earned a Meritorious Service Award from the Pennsylvania State Police. He has been an active member of the State Police Dive Team for 14 years. He is also an active member of the Coast Guard.

Master Sergeant Michael Perry   M/Sgt. Perry was promoted from Sergeant and will be the Executive Officer at Troop F in Westbrook. He has been a Trooper for 11 years. He earned a BA from Providence College and attended the UConn School of Business Executive Education. He lives in Madison with his family.

Sergeant John Aiello   Sgt. Aiello was promoted from Trooper First Class and has been assigned to Troop E in Montville. Sgt. Aiello has been a Trooper for more than 18 years and most recently served at Troop D in Danielson. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Worcestor State College. He lives in Thompson with his family.

Sergeant Brent Aiken   Sgt. Aiken was promoted from Trooper First Class and has been assigned to Troop F in Westbrook.  Sgt. Aiken has been a Trooper for a decade and has earned two Meritorious Service Awards and a Unit Citation. He also received the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award from the Sons of the American Revolution (New Haven County) and an award from MADD.  Sgt. Aiken holds a B.S. from Southern Connecticut State University and lives in North Branford with his family.

Sergeant Shannon Belcher  Sgt. Belcher was promoted from Trooper First Class and has been assigned to Troop D in Danielson.  A Trooper for nearly 16 years, she has earned one Lifesaving Award and two Unit Citation Awards. She lives in Woodstock. 

Sergeant Chick Bistany  Sgt. Bistany was promoted from Trooper First Class and will be assigned to Troop B in North Canaan. As a Trooper for a decade, he has earned a Meritorious Service Award, a Lifesaving Award and a Unit Citation Award, as well as an award from MADD. Sgt. Bistany is trained as a pilot and as a Tactical Team sniper. He lives with his wife in East Granby.      

Sergeant Robert Boroski   Sgt. Boroski was promoted from Trooper First Class and has been assigned to Troop A in Bethany.  A Trooper for seven years, Sgt. Boroski has earned an Outstanding Service Award. He is a graduate of the University of New Haven and lives in Oxford with his family.       

Sergeant Richard Burgarella   Sgt. Burgarella was promoted from Trooper First Class and has been assigned to Troop E in Montville. Sgt. Burgarella has been with the State Police for a decade and hear earned a Meritorious Service Award and three Unit Citation Awards. He previously served as an officer with the Guilford Police Department and attended the University of New Haven. He and his wife live in Essex.

Sergeant Jeffrey Campbell  Sgt. Campbell was promoted from Trooper First Class and will be assigned to Troop C in Tolland. A Trooper for more than eight years, Sgt. Campbell has been a MADD award recipient each year for the years 2001-2007. He lives in Enfield.

Sergeant John Carter   Sgt. Carter was promoted from Trooper First Class and will remain in his present assignment in the Polygraph Unit. A Trooper for nearly 20 years, he has earned one Meritorious Service Award. Sgt. Carter is currently deployed in Iraq with the Air Force Reserve. He lives in Colchester.

Sergeant Jeffrey Dubuc   Sgt. Dubuc was promoted from Trooper First Class and has been assigned to Troop G in Bridgeport. As a Trooper for 11 years, he has earned the Medal of Honor, a Unit Citation Award and a Military Service Award. He lives in Wallingford with his family.

Sergeant Jeffrey Duda   Sgt. Duda was promoted from Trooper First Class and will be assigned to Troop D in Danielson. As a Trooper for six years, Sgt. Duda has earned a Unit Citation Award and is a member of the State Police Dive Team.  He lives in Enfield.

Sergeant Karen Gabianelli  Sgt. Gabianelli was promoted from Trooper First Class/Detective and will be assigned to Troop F in Westbrook. Sgt. Gabianelli has been a Trooper for 11 years and has earned an Outstanding Service Award and a Unit Citation Award. She lives in Portland.

Sergeant Marc Gelven   Sgt. Gelven was promoted from Trooper First Class and has been assigned to Troop I in Bethany. As a Trooper for more than eight years, Sgt. Gelven has earned a Meritorious Service Award and a MADD award for three years. He holds a B.S. from Northeastern University and an M.S. from the University of Cincinnati. He lives in Clinton with his family. 

Sergeant Christopher High   Sgt. High was promoted from Trooper First Class and has been assigned to Troop E in Montville.  Sgt. High has been a Trooper for eight years and has received an award for Outstanding Service and a Military Service Award. He lives in Mystic with his family.    

Sergeant Harold (Chris) Johnson  Sgt. Johnson was promoted to Trooper First Class and has been assigned to the Public Information Office. A Trooper for 13 years, he has earned a Military Service Award. Sgt. Johnson is a veteran of the Navy and holds a degree from Eastern Connecticut State University. He lives in Norwich with his family.

Sergeant Michael Kostrzewa   Sgt. Kostrzewa was promoted from Trooper First Class and will remain in his present assignment in the Special Licensing and Firearms Unit. A Trooper for more than a decade, Sgt. Kostrzewa has earned a Meritorious Award, a Lifesaving Award and two Unit Citation Awards.  He lives in Wethersfield.

Sergeant Benedict Liberatore   Sgt. Liberatore was promoted from Trooper First Class and has been assigned to Troop I in Bethany. As a Trooper for 15 years, Sgt. Liberatore has earned two Meritorious Service Awards and three Unit Citation Awards. He lives in Westbrook with his family.

Sergeant Seth Mancini  Sgt. Mancini was promoted from Trooper First Class and will continue in his present assignment in the Legal Affairs Unit of the Commissioner’s Office. He has been a Trooper for eight years.  He lives with his family in West Hartford.

Sergeant Stavros Mellekas   Sgt. Mellekas was promoted from Trooper First Class/Detective and has been assigned to Troop A in Southbury. He has been with the State Police for 14 years and has earned two Meritorious Service Awards and three Unit Citation Awards. He lives in Bristol with his family.

Sergeant Jong Park  Sgt. Park was promoted from Trooper First Class/Detective and has been assigned to Troop G in Bridgeport. As a Trooper for more than 10 years, he has earned a Meritorious Service Award and a Unit Citation, as well as a U.S. Attorney’s Office Service Award.  Sgt. Park previously served with the New Haven Police Dept. He holds a B.A. from the University of Connecticut. He lives in Northford with his family.

Sergeant Stephen Samson   Sgt. Samson was promoted from Trooper First Class and will remain in his present assignment in the Aviation Unit. Sgt. Samson has been with the State Police for 11 years and has earned a Meritorious Service Award. Sgt. Samson lives with his family in Ellington.

Sergeant Scott Smith   Sgt. Smith was promoted from Trooper First Class and has been assigned to Troop D in Danielson. As a Trooper for more than eight years, he has earned a Unit Citation Award. He lives in Tolland with his family.

Sergeant Patrick Sweeney   Sgt. Sweeney was promoted from Trooper First Class and has been assigned to Troop B in North Canaan.  Sgt. Sweeney has been a Trooper for more than eight years and has earned a Unit Citation Award. He most recently served as Resident Trooper in East Granby and he holds Fire Marshal certification. He lives in Suffield with his family.

Sergeant Patrick Torneo   Sgt. Torneo was promoted from Trooper First Class/Detective and has been assigned to Troop I in Bethany. Sgt. Torneo has been a Trooper for more than six years, has earned an Outstanding Service Award and is a member of the Motorcycle Unit. Sgt. Torneo is married and lives in Rocky Hill.   

                                   

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