New Canaan Police Present Awards, Honor Retirees, Mark Promotions at Ceremony                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

New Canaan Police during a June 20 ceremony recognizing promotions, awards and retirements within the department honored their longtime maintenance man at headquarters. 

Fred Tiani passed away suddenly in April, having “faithfully served as head of maintenance for over 35 years,” according to a citation read out at the ceremony, held at Waveny House and led by Chief John DiFederico.

“Fred was dedicated to his job and our department,” the citation said. “He came in on weekends, evenings and holidays. Whenever we called, he answered. We are forever grateful for his valuable service to our officers and the pride he took in his work. We are all better because of his efforts and having him on our team. We will never forget Fred.”

Here’s a summary of the citations presented for awards, promotions and retirements.

Retirements—Lt. Carol Ogrinc, Sgt. Scott Romano, Officer Thomas Swindon, Jean Cross, and Animal Control Officer Allyson Halm 

 

“Lt. Carol Ogrinc joined the department in 1988, Sgt. Scott Romano joined the department in 1997 as did our Property and Evidence Clerk, Jean Cross. Officer Thomas Swindon joined us in 1979, and Allyson Halm, our Animal Control Officer, came on board in 2015. 

“Lt. Ogrinc, you were assigned many positions throughout your career with us. You gave 100% to each assignment and never hesitated to take on new roles. You worked hard to rise through the ranks and implemented many initiatives such as Project Lifesaver, and the medical drop box which will remain part of our department for decades to come. 

“Sgt. Romano, your career here is one to be very proud of. You were promoted to Sergeant in 2017 and held many leadership roles including SRT Team leader, lead sniper, and medical supplies coordinator. 

 

“Officer Swindon, you saw many changes in our department over the last 43 years, and I’m sure you have countless stories. 43 years in one career is something to truly be proud of. You always came to work with a calm demeanor and a smile. In fact, that calming voice answered countless 911 calls and helped to ease the nerves of many who called looking for help. Our Dispatch Center won’t be the same without you. 

“Jean Cross, your conscientious work ethic is second to none. You brought 100% effort to work every single day for over 25 years. Your responsible nature and dedication to your work served our department well as our Property and Evidence manager. You fingerprinted countless individuals throughout your career with a smile and friendly demeanor. We thank you for everything you did for our department and to make our jobs easier. 

 

“Allyson Halm, you are respected and adored by both the two and four legged residents of our town. Your commitment to the wellbeing of animals and wildlife in our town is commendable. The knowledge and experience you brought to our department is very much appreciated by our officers. You never hesitated to answer your phone after hours or come in at a moment’s notice. Thank you for being a member of our team. You all will be missed beyond measure. 

 

Awards

Stephen W. Wood Officer of the Year – Officer Owen Ochs 

“The 2022 Stephen W. Wood Officer of the Year award is being presented to Officer Owen Ochs. This award is named after the late Lt. Stephen W. Wood, known to many of us as “Woody.” Lt. Wood joined the New Canaan Police Department in 1977 and spent the next 33 years serving our department and the community. Even though Officer Ochs never had the chance to work with Woody, I believe the two would have gotten along well. Aside from their shared enjoyment of the law enforcement profession, Lt. Wood, a proud Marine would have respected and appreciated Officer Ochs’ service in the US Army. Officer Ochs joined our department in 2017. His self-initiated activity, determination, persistence, and relentlessness in seeing every investigation through to the end are just a few reasons why he is deserving of this award. His self-initiated activity and persistence makes him a great asset to our department and very deserving of this award.

 

Chief’s Award of Excellence for Physical Fitness and Commissioners’ Award for Physical Fitness

“Officer Christopher Dewey and Officer George Caponera participated in the department’s fitness test which consists of a one and one-half mile run, bench press, agility course and a flexibility test. The Chief’s Award of Excellence for Physical Fitness for 2022 is being awarded to Officer Dewey and the Commissioner’s award for physical fitness is being awarded to Officer Caponera. 

 

Commissioners’ Shoot and Perkin Award

“Each fall our officers have the opportunity to test their shooting skills. In the fall of 2022, Chief John DiFederico won the Commissioners’ Shoot for his marksmanship and Officer Shane Gibson won the Perkin Award. 

 

Medical Service Awards

“Sgt. Thomas Callinan, Officer Clinton Jarvis, Officer Jake Somma, Officer Nicholas Falbo, Officer Sebastian Obando, and Officer Idelissa Lluveres. 

“Each of these officers used their medical training to save a life. Our officers are first responders on all medical calls and the first on scene to administer lifesaving medical attention. 

“On December 28, 2022, Officer Falbo was the first on scene to apply a tourniquet and provide medical attention to a severely injured male who had been struck by a motor vehicle on Old Stamford Road. Officer Falbo’s quick actions and medical training were instrumental. 

 

“On January 9, 2023, Officers Obando and Lluveres responded to a medical call at the YMCA. Upon arrival, Officer Obando and Lluveres were escorted to the fitness center where they found a female receiving CPR from two civilians. The female had no pulse and was unresponsive. Officers powered on the automatic external defibrillator (AED) and administered a shock. CPR was performed and EMS arrived on scene. A pulse was regained and oxygen was administered. Once again, the quick actions of our officers and their medical training helped save a life. 

 

“On April 20, 2023 Sgt. Callinan and Officer Jarvis were dispatched to a medical call involving an elderly male who was in cardiac arrest. Sgt. Callinan and Officer Jarvis administered CPR and connected the automatic external defibrillator (AED) while waiting for EMS to arrive. After several rounds of CPR, and receiving shocks from both the EMS and PD AED, the patient regained a strong pulse. 

 

“Officer Somma was called to the scene to assist in transporting the patient out of the home and into the ambulance. There is no doubt that these officers make our Department great and we owe them each a thank you for the good work they do each and every day. 

 

Meritorious Duty Awards

“Sgt. Rex Sprosta, Officer Daniel Gulino, Officer Annamaria Ceci, Officer Giancarlo Vincenzi, and Officer Nicholas Rienzi, please step forward. 

“On October 17, 2022, at approximately 3:10 a.m. Officer Vincenzi was on routine patrol when he observed two vehicles speeding and in very close proximity of each other. He correctly recognized that this behavior is typical of suspects who travel in groups to steal and break into cars. He observed the vehicles turn down a dead end road. Two of the occupants jumped out of one of the vehicles and fled the scene and other suspects ran towards the second vehicle. Officer Rienzi, Officer Gulino, and Sgt. Sprosta arrived on scene. Upon searching the vehicles a 9 mm handgun with a laser sight, and ammunition were discovered. A BB gun was also found. Two additional suspects were found hiding nearby and one was in possession of two stolen checks. One of the suspects also had an outstanding felony warrant out of Norwalk. A total of four suspects were charged in this incident. The charges included criminal possession of a firearm, weapons in a motor vehicle, and larceny. There is no doubt that Officer Vincenzi’s attention to detail and vigilance resulted in the arrests of several dangerous suspects on multiple felony charges as well as the recovery of a loaded firearm and a stolen vehicle. He is being honored tonight with a Meritorious Duty award for his actions. From the description of this incident you can see that police work is a true team effort and officers must be vigilant at all times. 

 

“Sgt. Scott Romano is being awarded a Meritorious Duty award for his long standing commitment, dedication, and contributions to the New Canaan Police Department’s Special Response Team. Sgt. Romano was a member of the team for 20 years. During his tenure, Sgt. Romano attended multiple training schools, responded to a variety of team call-outs, coordinated outdoor range time, and held the position of lead sniper. There is no doubt that Sgt. Romano’s leadership and contributions to the SRT team have made a lasting impact on the team and will not be forgotten. 

 

Promotions

“Promotion of John DiFederico to the rank of Chief. His promotion went into effect on January 1, 2023. Chief DiFederico has served our Department for over 30 years. During his tenure with the New Canaan Police Department, he has held numerous positions from Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer, Sergeant, Training and Recruitment Sergeant, Investigative Sergeant, Captain of Staff Services, Captain of Operations and Deputy Chief of Police. 

 

“Promotion of Andrew Walsh to the rank of Deputy Chief. His promotion went into effect on January 1, 2023. Deputy Chief Walsh has served the department for over 22 years. He was promoted to Sergeant in 2009, Lieutenant in 2015, and Captain in 2016. Deputy Chief Walsh has served in our Investigative Division and on the Special Response Team as Team Leader. Deputy Chief Walsh earned a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from Sacred Heart University. 

 

“Promotion of Joseph Farenga to the rank of Captain. His promotion went into effect on May 1, 2023. Captain Farenga has served the department for over 23 years. He was promoted to Sergeant in 2013, Lieutenant in 2020 and has been assigned to many divisions within the department such as Youth, Investigations, and 2 – June 2023 Ceremony SRT Team Leader. Captain Farenga holds a Bachelor’s Degree and is currently working towards his Master’s Degree in Organizational Effectiveness and Leadership. 

 

“Promotion of John Milligan to the rank of Lieutenant. His promotion went into effect on May 8, 2023. Lt. Milligan joined the department over 22 years ago and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 2010. Prior to becoming Sergeant he was assigned to the New Canaan High School as the School Resource Officer. Lieutenant Milligan earned a Bachelor of Science degree and a Paralegal Certificate and his working on his Master’s Degree. 

“Promotion of Roberto Lopez to the rank of Sergeant. His promotion went into effect on May 8, 2023. Sergeant Lopez joined the department 13 years ago. Sergeant Lopez has fulfilled many duties over the years such as Field Training Officer, Dispatch Trainer, Firearms Instructor, Intox Instructor and is a member of our SRT Team. He also serves as the Police Benevolent Association’s President.