July 21, 2006

TWENTY SIX PROMOTED DURING

CONNECTICUT STATE POLICE CEREMONY

            The Connecticut State Police promoted 26 troopers during a ceremony at the training academy on Friday, July 21.

            Department of Public Safety Commissioner Leonard C. Boyle and Colonel Edward Lynch Commanding Officer of the State Police formally promoted one person to the rank of major, two to the rank of captain, eight to the rank of lieutenant, six to the rank of master sergeant and nine to the rank of sergeant during the ceremony.

           The following persons were promoted:

Major Paul Samuels  Major Samuels was promoted from Captain and has been assigned as Commanding Officer of the Western District. Major Samuels has been with the State Police for 27 years and has earned a Medal for Bravery and a Meritorious Service Award. He lives in Meriden with his family.

Captain Robert Corona Captain Corona was promoted from Lieutenant and has been assigned as Commanding Officer of the Support Services Unit.  Captain Corona has been a Trooper for 21 years and has earned four Unit Citation Awards.  He lives in Eastford with his family.

Captain Gene LaBonte Captain LaBonte was promoted from Lieutenant and has been assigned as Commanding Officer of the Selections Unit. Captain LaBonte has been with the State Police for 16 years; he has earned two Lifesaving and three Unit Citation Awards. He lives with his family in Deep River.

Lieutenant Shawn Boyne  Lieutenant Boyne was promoted from Master Sergeant and has been assigned to the Internal Affairs Unit. Lt. Boyne has been with the State Police for 19 years; he has received a Medal for Bravery and has also earned five Unit Citation Awards. He lives in Harwinton.  

Lieutenant Mark Newland Lieutenant Newland was promoted from Master Sergeant and has been assigned as Commanding Officer of Troop L in Litchfield. Lt. Newland has been with the State Police for 22 years; he has received Meritorious Service, Outstanding Service and Unit Citation Awards. He lives in Middletown.

Lieutenant Christopher Nolan Lieutenant Nolan was promoted from Sergeant and has been assigned as Commanding Officer of Troop H in Hartford. A Trooper for 20 years, Lt. Nolan has received Meritorious Service, Lifesaving and Unit Citation Awards. He received a Courage of Connecticut Award in 1997. A graduate of Eastern Connecticut State University, he lives in Portland with his family.

Lieutenant Wladimir Petruniw Lieutenant Petruniw was promoted from Master Sergeant and has been assigned to Statewide Narcotics in the Bureau of Criminal Investigations. A Trooper for 23 years, Lt. Petruniw lives in Canterbury with his wife.

Lieutenant David Rice Lieutenant Rice was promoted from Master Sergeant and will be assigned to the Internal Affairs Unit. Lt. Rice has been with the Connecticut State Police for 16 years and has received two Outstanding Service Awards, one Meritorious Service Award and two Unit Citation Awards.  He was a K-9 handler for four years and was recognized as “Police Officer of the Year” by the Sons of the American Revolution in 1995.  He also received the MADD DWI award for four years.  He lives with his family in Bethlehem.

Lieutenant Anthony Schirillo Lieutenant Schirillo was promoted from Master Sergeant and will be assigned to the Bureau of Identification. Lt. Schirillo has been with the State Police for 22 years and has earned an award for Meritorious Service. He lives in Stratford with his family.

Lieutenant Clifford Thermer Lieutenant Thermer was promoted from Master Sergeant and has been assigned as Commanding Officer of the Training Academy. A Trooper for more than 20 years, Lt. Thermer lives in West Hartford.

Lieutenant Nancy Vitone Lieutenant Vitone was promoted from Sergeant and has been assigned to the Internal Affairs Unit.  Lt. Vitone has been with the State Police for nearly 20 years. She lives with her family in Stratford; her husband is a lieutenant with the Darien Police Department.

Master Sergeant Steven Alvey Master Sergeant Alvey was promoted from Sergeant and will be assigned to the Office of Domestic Terrorism.  MSgt. Alvey has been with the State Police for nearly 19 years and has earned a Unit Citation Award. He previously served as Sergeant at Troops A and L and was Resident State Trooper in Oxford. He lives in Middlebury with his family.

Master Sergeant Edward Bednarz MSgt. Bednarz was promoted from Sergeant and has been assigned as the Executive Officer at Troop W at Bradley Airport in Windsor Locks. MSgt. Bednarz has been a Trooper for 21 years and has received two Meritorious Service Awards, four Lifesaving Awards, two Outstanding Service Awards and eight Unit Citation Awards.  MSgt. Bednarz is an Emergency Services Crisis Negotiator and a Clandestine Laboratory Team Member on the DEA New England Team. He lives in Middlefield with his family.

Master Sergeant John Forst MSgt. Forst was promoted from Sergeant and has been assigned as the Executive Officer at Troop B in Canaan. MSgt. Forst has been with the State Police for nearly 20 years and lives in Southbury with his family.

Master Sergeant Martin Lane MSgt. Lane was promoted from Sergeant and has been assigned as the Executive Officer at Troop E in Montville. MSgt. Lane has been with the Connecticut State Police for more than 20 years. He has received two Meritorious Service Awards and one Unit Citation Award. He has received annual awards from MADD and was given the MADD Hilda Davis Award in 2000. MSgt. Lane was named “Police Office of the Year” by the Connecticut Exchange Clubs in 2002.  He is the father of three children and lives in Salem.

Master Sergeant Michael Spellman MSgt. Spellman was promoted from Sergeant and has been assigned as Executive Officer at Troop D in Danielson. He has been with the State Police for nearly 20 years. He has received a Lifesaving Award, three Outstanding Service Awards and two Unit Citation Awards.  He lives in Stonington with his family.

Master Sergeant J. Paul Vance MSgt. Vance was promoted from Sergeant and has been assigned to continue as the Commanding Officer of the Public Information/Media Relations Office. MSgt. Vance has been a Trooper with the State Police for 32 years and has been awarded two Meritorious Service Awards, one Lifesaving Award and two Unit Citation Awards. He previously served as a K-9 handler, an instructor at the State Police Training Academy, a Major Crime Detective and as the Resident State Trooper in Prospect. He lives in Waterbury with his family.

Sergeant Kenneth Albert Sergeant Albert was promoted from Trooper First Class and has been assigned to Troop D in Danielson. A Trooper for more than 13 years, Sgt. Albert has received awards for Meritorious Service and for Outstanding Service, as well as four Unit Citation Awards.  He lives in Somers with his family.

Sergeant Thomas Bennett Sergeant Bennett was promoted from Trooper First Class- Detective and has been assigned to Troop G in Bridgeport. Sgt. Bennett has been a Trooper for nearly 19 years; he has earned a Meritorious Service Award and a Unit Citation Award. He lives in Seymour with his family.

Sergeant Mark Grasso Sergeant Grasso was promoted from Trooper First Class-Detective and has been assigned to Troop I in Bethany. Sgt. Grasso has been a Trooper for more than 12 years. He has received a Meritorious Service Award, an Outstanding Service Award and two Unit Citation Awards.  He lives in Orange.

Sergeant John Kananowicz Sergeant Kananowicz was promoted from Trooper First Class and has been assigned to the Office of the State Fire Marshal. Sgt. Kananowicz has been a Trooper for nearly 19 years and has earned a Lifesaving Award. He lives in East Haddam with his family.

Sergeant Jonathan Montey Sergeant Montey was promoted from Trooper First Class and has been assigned to Troop F in Westbrook. Sgt. Montey has been a Trooper with the State Police for more than 15 years.  He lives in Norwich and has three children.

Sergeant Norman Nault Sergeant Nault was promoted from Trooper First Class and has been assigned to Troop E in Montville. Sgt. Nault has been a Trooper for nearly 19 years. He lives in Brooklyn with his family.

Sergeant James O’Rourke Sergeant O’Rourke was promoted from Trooper First Class and has been assigned to Troop C in Tolland. Sgt. O’Rourke has been with the State Police for 12 years and lives in Wethersfield with his family.

Sergeant Vito Savino Sergeant Savino was promoted from Trooper First Class and has been assigned to the Special Services Unit. Sgt. Savino has been a Trooper with the State Police for more than 22 years. He has earned Lifesaving, Outstanding Service and Unit Citation Awards. Sgt. Savino is a registered nurse, a state fire marshal and a graduate of Central Connecticut State University.  He lives with his family in Old Saybrook.

Sergeant Christopher Sharland Sergeant Sharland was promoted from Trooper First Class and has been assigned to Troop K in Colchester.  Sgt. Sharland has been a member of the State Police for more than 13 years and has received a Lifesaving Award. He is married and the father of two children.

-end-