Heavey Named Greenwich Police Chief [UPDATE with VIDEO]

Updated: 10:40 AM:

The Greenwich Board of Selectmen has unanimously approved the appointment of Deputy Greenwich Police James Heavey as chief of the department, effective Nov. 1.

He will succeed Chief David Ridberg who will retire Oct. 31. Heavey will earn a salary of $146,413.

Original story:

Greenwich Deputy Police Chief James is expected to be nominated as the town's next police chief when the Board of Selectmen meet Thursday morning.

The 25-year department veteran would succeed Chief David Ridberg who announced he will retire Oct. 31, from the post he's held for 5 years. Heavey's appointment would be effective Nov. 1, according to First Selectman Peter Tesei.

"I can tell you that the Board (of Selectmen) met (Wednesday) in executive session with Deputy Chief Heavey. No other candidates were considered," Tesei told Greenwich Patch.

The selectmen will hold their bi-weekly meeting at 10 a.m. Thursday in the Town Hall Meeting Room on the first floor of Greenwich Town Hall.

The 50-year-old Heavey was appointed deputy chief in June. Heavey is a Greenwich native and has been active in the community. Since last year, he was commander of the department's patrol division with more than 90 officers.

Being appointed chief will be a capstone to Heavey's career. He has been a police officer since 1986, although he began his career much earlier. He became a police dispatcher in 1981 and then worked five years as a special police officer before his appointment to the rank-and-file.

Heavey was one of three finalists selected for the deputy chief post. The other finalists were Captains Mark Kordick of the professional standards division, Mark Marino, the detective division commander, and Timothy Berry, head of the department’s operations division.

Tesei said that after Nov. 1, it will be up to Heavey to initiate the process of appointing a deputy chief which will include interviewing any of the captains who apply for the post.

Heavey also is a veteran of 20 years service in the Army Reserves, having served in Operation Desert Storm, and retired in June as chief of the Glenville Volunteer Fire Department where he has been a member for more than 30 years. He is a graduate of Northeastern University and earned his master's degree in public administration from Bellevue University in May.

He, his wife and two children live in Glenville.