The following letters of commendation—submitted by Deputy Chief Andrew Walsh for New Canaan Police Officers Jeff Deak, Thomas Patten and Sebastian Obando—were shared at the last two Police Commission meetings by Chief John DiFederico.
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Officer Jeff Deak
I would like to commend Officer Jeffrey Deak for his decade-long period of service as a School Resource Officer for the New Canaan Police Department.
In 2015, as a twenty-year veteran of the police department, Officer Deak volunteered to take the role of the School Resource Officer at Saxe Middle School. In 2022, Officer Deak took on the role as the School Resource Officer at New Canaan High School.
Officer Deak’s professional resume and track record spoke for itself when it came time to choose a new SRO in 2015. As a former Special Response Team Assistant Commander and Certified Instructor in Defensive Tactics, Physical Fitness, Handcuffing, Firearms, and Baton, it was clear that Officer Deak was well qualified to keep the students and faculty at New Canaan Public Schools in a safe environment. However, what made Officer Deak even more qualified for the position of School Resource Officer was his ability to lead students and work collaboratively with faculty and parents through his superior interpersonal skills.
Officer Deak used his innate people skills and professional expertise to create a working relationship with the New Canaan School Community and the New Canaan Police Department Youth Office that allowed for the free flow of communication and teamwork. Officer Deak taught numerous students in various subjects during his tenure as a School Resource Officer, to include the Fourth Amendment, Social Media Dangers, DUI Laws and Vaping/Drug and Alcohol Safety.
Officer Deak was also very adept at decision-making through common sense and a strong understanding of the law. His tactical experience and cool demeanor during chaotic situations allowed for him to provide strong leadership in both training drills and real-life scenarios. He used these abilities to train the school community in lockdowns and intruder drills to not only test the readiness of the staff, but also teach how to improve safety procedures as well. Due to his experience, he was also called upon to teach other Town Employees these valuable life-saving skills.
Officer Deak was an influential spokesman for school safety concerns in multiple venues, to include the district’s Crisis Advisory Board and the Board of Education. Notably, he was invited as a featured speaker for the Communities for Action Group.
The department received multiple notes of appreciation for Officer Deak; faculty, former students, and citizens at large have consistently mentioned his name in praise over the years. His knack for creating an instant bond made his lessons and interactions especially impactful.
For these accomplishments, I formally recommend Officer Deak receive a Meritorious Duty Award and thank him for his outstanding dedication to the safety and wellness of the New Canaan School Community.
—Deputy Chief Andrew Walsh (Sept. 30, 2025)
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I would like to commend Officer Thomas Patten for his decade-long period of service as an Investigator for the New Canaan Police Department.
In 2015, Officer Patten was selected for assignment to the New Canaan Police Investigative Division. Officer Patten was chosen for the role due to his careful attention to detail in his work in both the Patrol Division and Special Response Team. He assisted the Investigative Division with various surveillance and enforcement operations. Officer Patten was especially adept at Identity Theft Investigations, SRT operations and logistics, and Interviewing; each of these skills made him the right choice.
Officer Patten took on the role of Investigator with vigor. His transition was seamless as he began to effectively investigate a multitude of crimes committed against citizens of New Canaan. During his tenure with the Investigative Division, he meticulously investigated crimes such as (not limited to) High-Line Burglaries/Larcenies, Money Laundering, Identity Theft, Motor Vehicle Theft, and most notably a High-Profile Murder Investigation. Officer Patten is known for his dedication to each case and following every possible lead that could help solve it.
As an Investigator, Officer Patten took on important additional roles with the State’s Attorney’s Technical Investigations Unit and an FBI Investigative Task Force. He was chosen for these specialized Details due to his abilities and motivation to succeed. He became highly trained through various channels in Fraud Investigations, Interview and Interrogation, Crime Scene Processing, and Technical Investigations.
Officer Patten became the “Go To” person for both investigators and patrol officers in all things Technology related during investigations. Using his expertise, he improved the practices, processes and technology in the Property Division to ensure that electronic evidence was properly stored and maintained; this is a crucial step more than ever in nearly every important police investigation.
During his time in the Investigative Division, Officer Patten never forgot about Community Service. He continued to educate community members in law enforcement matters by presenting Investigative Practices to several Civilian Police Academy classes, as well as numerous Fraud Prevention and other related topics to seniors and the youth. He also maintained the responsibility of assisting young parents as a Child Safety Seat Technician. Officer Patten displayed his heroism during this time period as he participated in pulling a severely injured and incapacitated driver from a vehicle that was thoroughly engulfed in flames.
The department received multiple letters of thanks and commendation from the public and other professionals regarding Officer Patten. He was commended several times by the State’s Attorney’s Office in recognition of his case work and professionalism. Officer Patten received multiple citations and awards, to include the Officer of The Year Award in 2019.
For these accomplishments, I formally recommend Officer Patten receive a Meritorious Duty Award, a Meritorious Day Off, and thank him for his outstanding work as an Investigator for the New Canaan Police Department.
—Deputy Chief Andrew Walsh (Sept. 30, 2025)
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Officer Sebastian Obando
Officer Obando, you are to be commended for a job well done as the New Canaan Police Department’s first Traffic Enforcement Officer in over a decade. Over the past several years, the department had been receiving increasing traffic complaints, mostly for speeding. To properly offer response to these complaints, it was decided to solicit volunteers to become the department’s Traffic Enforcement Officer (TEO). You were selected to serve the first six months of 2025 in this position.
During this six-month period, from January 1st to June 30th, you performed admirably. You showed a high- level of motor vehicle activity, setting up for selective enforcement 158 times and conducting 398 motor vehicle stops. The motor vehicle enforcement you conducted was strategic and effective. By targeting high offense areas and areas of concern, you were able to reduce complaints and hold violators accountable.
Just as important as enforcement, you served as a community liaison for the department. Your “people skills” were very apparent. You communicated manageable expectations, explained facts, and showed follow- though with appropriate enforcement where it was needed. I received positive feedback from local citizens.
And lastly, you developed a useful monthly report to be used for internal purposes and review. In the same vein, you effectively communicated with members of the Patrol Division, providing guidance on areas to conduct selective enforcement.
I thank you for your diligence, community service, active enforcement, and positive attitude. You have established that the TEO Position is an asset to the department and to the safety of the town roadways.
—Deputy Chief Andrew Walsh (July 24, 2025)