A New Officer Joins The Police Force

By Andrew Gorosko

Tuesday was a big day for Robert F. Daubert, as the 26-year-old Danbury resident took the oath of office as a Newtown police patrolman, carrying on a family tradition of law enforcement.

As his brother, Patrick, who is a Weston police patrol officer, held the Holy Bible, Assistant Town Clerk Sue Shpunt read the oath of officer to Robert Daubert, while Acting Captain Joe Rios looked on. Acting Captain Rios was in charge of the police department in the absence of Acting Police Chief Michael Kehoe.

Many family members and friends of Mr Daubert attended the ceremony, lending a festive air to the event in the police roll call room. They recorded the event on film and videotape.

Superior Court Judge Howard J. Moraghan was among those attending. In his previous job as a Fairfield County deputy sheriff, a post which is now known as a judicial marshal, Mr Daubert provided security in Judge Moraghan’s courtroom in Danbury Superior Court.

Mr Daubert worked at the courthouse for more than four years, providing building security and prisoner transport services.

Mr Daubert grew up in Naugatuck, graduating from Kaynor Regional Technical School in Waterbury in 1994. He now is a part-time student at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, where he is working toward a bachelor’s degree in justice and law administration.

The Newtown Police Department has a good reputation as a law enforcement agency and Newtown is a good community, Mr Daubert said, noting his interest in working in law enforcement here. He said he looks forward to working as a police officer in a town which has a “community policing” approach to law enforcement. Community policing encourages close cooperation between police and members of the community.

Besides his brother Patrick, who is a Weston police officer, Robert Daubert’s second cousin, Joe Collins, is a police lieutenant in Danbury.

Mike Daubert, a brother, works as a state police investigator attached to the New Haven courts.

The late Robert Daubert, who was Robert F. Daubert’s grandfather, was a deputy police chief in Danbury.

Mike Daubert estimates that about 20 members of the Daubert clan, living and deceased, have been involved in various aspects of law enforcement.

“I enjoy working with people,” he said. “I want to be in a position to help people. It’s a rewarding career.”

Mr Daubert said he would like to eventually become a police department supervisor.

“We’re obviously delighted to have him [Daubert] on board. He did very well in the [officer] selection process,” said Acting Captain Rios. “We expect good things from him,” the acting captain said, noting Mr Daubert’s experience in courthouse security.

“We are here to help him as he embarks on his career as a police officer,” the acting captain said.

The new recruit will be challenged by the curriculum at the police academy, which will be followed by a period of local field training, he added.

 Mr Daubert will start at the police academy on Friday, March 16. He is expected to return to Newtown for field training next summer. He is the town’s 41st police officer on staff.

Mr Daubert is the fifth new police officer that the Police Commission has hired since October.

The others are Thomas Bean, 25, of Watertown; Renee Forte, 21, of East Haven; Steven Santucci, 24, of Wallingford; and Michael McGowan, 27, of Middletown.