Administration

The administration is responsible for directing and initiating programs for public and personal safety within the Town of South Windsor. The division analyzes operational and service demands; develops, coordinates, and evaluates departmental operating programs; oversees the department’s role as a resource to the Town and other interested organizations; coordinates with other criminal justice agencies in matters concerning law enforcement and safety; confers with citizens and Town officials on law enforcement problems; selects personnel and enforces discipline and training requirements; directs and coordinates the assignment of personnel and equipment; and supervises special studies and the preparation of reports. The Chief of Police is designated as the Legal Traffic Authority for the Town and as the Municipal Animal Control Officer. The Police Department is also responsible for the operation and administration of the Tyler Regional Animal Care Shelter (TRACS) on Sullivan Avenue. The shelter provides animal care services for the towns of South Windsor, Manchester and East Hartford.

History

The agency was formed in 1968, taking over from resident state troopers.  The original headquarters was located in the basement of town hall on Sullivan Avenue.  There were 13 officers, including Chief Kerrigan, Lieutenant Ryan and Sergeant Jurgelas.  In the first annual report in 1969 (covering only 6 months) the department reported 2 aggravated assaults, 44 burglaries, 64 larcenies, and 6 auto thefts.

On June 3, 1983, the groundbreaking for the current location at 151 Sand Hill Rd was celebrated.  The current building originally housed both the police department and volunteer ambulance corps.  The department expanded into the ambulance areas in 2011 creating additional storage areas, garage space, offices and a new briefing room.  In March 2021, the voters of South Windsor approved a referendum to improve the womens locker room which was not sufficient as designed in the 1980s for our growing number of women officers. 

The agency has lost 3 active-duty officers since 2000.  Lt. Richard Bond succumbed to cancer in 2014.  Sgt. Matthew Mainieri died of injuries sustained while breaking up a fight off-duty in South Carolina in 2018.  Sgt. Mainieri was honored with his name getting placed on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington D.C. in 2020.  In July of 2021 Ofc. Benjamin Lovett died as a result of injuries sustained in an off-duty motorcycle crash.  He was hit on his motorcycle by a suspected drunk driver a month earlier.

As of 2022, the agency has grown with the town's needs to include an authorized strength of 46 sworn members and handles in excess of 30,000 calls for service a year.  

Chiefs:

1968-1980 John J. Kerrigan

1980-1987 William R. Ryan

1987-2010 Gary K. Tyler 

2010-2015 Matthew D. Reed

2015-2018 Timothy M. Edwards

2018-2020 Scott P. Custer

2020-         Kristian R. Lindstrom