The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection is mourning the passing of James M. "Skip" Thomas, who dedicated his life to public safety in Connecticut.
"Skip Thomas was a true leader in our profession, from law enforcement to emergency management to criminal justice," said Ronnell A. Higgins, Commissioner of the Department of Emergency Management and Public Protection. "Skip's impeccable credentials and deep knowledge of law enforcement and homeland security helped to make Connecticut a safer and more secure state during his lifetime of public service,"
A former chief of police in Vernon and Glastonbury, Thomas served the state of Connecticut in the Office of Policy Management as the Director of Justice Planning before he became the first Commissioner of the Department of Emergency Services and Homeland Security in 2005. Gov. M. Jodi Rell later selected Thomas to serve as Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, saying that his "integrity is respected by all.”
The General Assembly later created the current Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, consolidating the different public safety departments into a single agency.
"We are indebted to Skip," Higgins said. "His commitment and belief in Connecticut serves as a model for all of us at the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection."