Letters of Appreciation for New Canaan Police

New Canaan Police Department Chief John DiFederico shared the following letters of appreciation for officers at a recent Police Commission meeting.

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Officer Nolan Heintz

“Chief, I wanted to inform you of the work that Officer Heintz put forth in an investigation regarding an assault at the high school. This case began on March 12th when Officer Heintz responded to a basketball game to assist officers working an extra duty detail. The crowd had become hostile and there was a high amount of tension in the room. At the end of the game a fight broke out between several parents of the visiting team against the visiting teams coaching staff. Officer Heintz called for additional units, and order was restored. Multiple officers including myself arrived and Officer Heintz began to interview all the parties involved in this case. He worked with SRO Vartuli in securing surveillance footage, conducted multiple interviews with the victim, and the suspects in this case. Finally, Officer Heintz was able to write an arrest warrant for the suspect in this case for Assault 3rd and Disorderly Conduct. Officer Heintz never had to be reminded to conduct his follow ups in this case. He took the initiative and kept me apprised of the case status. I feel this is a good example of the professionalism that Officer Heintz has demonstrated with New Canaan Police and would like to recognize his work in this investigation.”

—Sgt. George Caponera (May 31)

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Chief John DiFederico, Deputy Chief Andrew Walsh and Capt. Joseph Farenga

“Chief DiFederico, I wanted to thank you for all of the support that you, Deputy Chief Walsh and Captain Farenga have shown for the Torch Run each year. The fact that you all have shown up to multiple events over the years is greatly appreciated. The staff at Special Olympics always compliments our department as a whole and how well represented we are. This e-mail also serves as a thank you to everyone that helped make this event happen, both sworn and civilian staff. We had 9 runners and 1 bike officer leading the charge and the day shift was instrumental in helping the procession along as well as assisting with traffic at numerous intersections. 

“Jenny [LaFond] and Jen [Mardorf] helped with so many things behind the scenes as well as assisting during the run. Our SROs did a great job getting the student/staff runners involved so that we could honor them and it showed by how large of a crowd there was at South Ave/Farm Road. This event has continued to be a great tradition in our department that represents the strong ties we have with our community and I wanted to make sure that everyone involved was recognized for their involvement and hard work.”

—Officer (now Sgt.) Kelly Coughlin

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Officer Daniel Gulino

“Dear Chief DeFederico, I wanted to formally acknowledge the outstanding actions of Sergeant Daniel Gulino during a recent medical emergency in Wilton. On May 12, 2026, Sergeant Gulino, while off duty, immediately rendered aid to an elderly male at the Wilton High School track who was unconscious, not breathing, and in cardiac arrest. Sergeant Gulino promptly initiated CPR prior to the arrival of Wilton Police officers and continued providing lifesaving assistance until additional responders arrived on scene. The quick actions taken by Sergeant Gulino played a critical role in the positive outcome of this incident and directly contributed to the patient’s survival. His professionalism, composure, and willingness to act without hesitation are a credit to both himself and the New Canaan Police Department. Based on his actions during this incident, Sergeant Gulino has been recommended to receive a Life Saving Award from the Wilton Police Department. We will reach back out when our awards ceremony is scheduled in early 2027 to ask Sergeant Gulino to attend. Please extend my sincere appreciation and congratulations to Sergeant Gulino for his exceptional efforts and dedication to public service.”

—Chief Thomas Conlan, Wilton Police

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Lt. Marc DeFelice and Officer (now Sgt.) Kelly Coughlin

“Lt. DeFelice and Officer Coughlin, I can’t thank you enough for hosting Staying Put members at the Police Station last Thursday. The information about protecting your home and vehicles from burglaries, the process of investigations and the tour of the new building was helpful and well received. Our members gave us positive feedback following the event! Thank you for the coffee as well. Look forward to another talk about financial scams and protecting your assets. Thank you for serving the New Canaan community.”

—Kim Herr, Staying Put in New Canaan (undated)