Deputy Police Chief Candidates Selected

Three of the four captains heading divisions in the Greenwich Police Department have been selected as finalists for deputy chief.

With the expected retirement in February of Chief David Ridberg, First Selectman Peter Tesei said, “It is the intention that the deputy chief will become chief, subject to meeting performance standards for the position.”

Tesei told Greenwich Patch, “the finalists, in alphabetical order, are Jim Heavey, Mark Kordick and Mark Marino.” They along with Capt. Timothy Berry, head of the department’s operations division, took a written exam and were interviewed by an outside assessment firm on May 25 – the same day they all participated in the funeral for Chief William Andersen.

Heavey heads the patrol division; Kordick, the professional standards division, and Marino, the detective division.

Tesei said the decision on who will be appointed is “by charter … the recommendation made by the chief to be approved by the Board of Selectmen.” Because of that, Tesei said the selectmen will interview the finalists with Ridberg. “Since it is up to the board to vote, why not be involved in the interview process,” Tesei said.

The selectmen will hold a special meeting June 21 to vote to hold an executive session and conduct the interviews, Tesei said. The board likely will vote on Ridberg’s recommendation later that week, he added.

Ridberg, 49, became chief in 2007 – a few months following his appointment to deputy chief. He took the helm amid a tumultuous era that found him leading a department with the highest ranking officers being lieutenants. After a series of lawsuits and appeals over promotions were resolved, Ridberg implemented the current departmental structure in March 2010.

It is expected that once a deputy chief is appointed, the department’s upper echelon will be restructured and some duties reassigned among the three captains and deputy chief.