Police Chief Receives Major Award

It was a situation that even Greenwich’s top cop didn’t suspect.

Police Chief David Ridberg was selected as the Dr. John Clarke Award recipient for 2011 – the annual award given by the Greenwich Lions Club to acknowledge outstanding work by a town police officer.

Usually, the chief makes a recommendation – and this year Ridberg did. But what he didn’t know is that the department’s four captains thought Ridberg should be the top candidate and contacted award committee chair Griffith Harris.

“I am touched that they would do this,” the 49-year-old Ridberg said. He acknowledged he assumed the department’s helm at a difficult time and hoped to be able to create an atmosphere of professional camaraderie while raising expectations and service to town residents.

“I don’t want to be seen as a Third World dictator who pins on a badge,” Ridberg said prior to the ceremony.

As Capt. Timothy Berry explained, when Ridberg was appointed chief in spring 2007, there had been the departures of several captains. “He is dedicated in his leadership of the Greenwich Police Department. He came in during a tumultuous and difficult time and lead us to a Renaissance … a sense of restoration. … There was no one above the rank of lieutenant in a staff of 154 officers when he was appointed deputy chief,” Berry said.

Ridberg, who joined the force in 1984, rose through the ranks to deputy chief in May 2007, followed by his appointment as chief a few months later. He is expected to retire later this year.

Harris said that often times a police chief is appointed following an era of turmoil and faces great demands.  The chief “ … tries to right that ship. Clearly Dave, you have done something others have tried to do … you have pulled it off. It is an amazing tribute,” said Harris, whose family is one of the founding members of the 78-year-old community service organization.

The award is named for Dr. John Clarke, another founding Lions Club member who also served as the police surgeon for more than two decades until his death in 1944.

Ridberg said he was expecting to honor Det. Mark Solomon, the department’s officer of the year who has been honored for his financial crimes investigations that have netted the arrests of more than 20 suspects in an international fraud scheme.

“There was a lot of subterfuge here,” Ridberg said. “I didn’t know until I walked in and they applauded … somehow how they managed to pull of the surprise.”

Ridberg’s wife Amanda also attended the luncheon held at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich which drew retired police officers including former Chief William Anderson, selectmen Drew Marzullo and David Theis, and state Rep. Fred Camillo who presented a congratulatory proclamation from the Connecticut Legislature on behalf of the Greenwich legislative delegation.