ORANGE — Newtown Police Chief Michael Kehoe received a Distinguished Chief Award on May 28 from the Police Commissioners Association of Connecticut.

Chief Kehoe received the award at an association banquet held at the Grassy Hill Country Club in Orange.

Also receiving distinguished chief awards that night were Ansonia Police Chief Kevin Hale and Norwalk Police Chief Thomas Kulhawik.

A member of the Newtown Police Department since 1978, Chief Kehoe, 59, was named acting chief in 1999 and became the permanent chief in 2001.

Chief Kehoe has been the president of the Fairfield County Chiefs of Police Association and has been the vice present of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association.

Chief Kehoe graduated from the FBI’s Law Enforcement Executive Development Program and the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s National Law Enforcement Leadership Institute on Violence Against Women.

In 2013, the commissioners association gave distinguished chief awards to Watertown Police Chief John Gavallas, North Haven Police Chief Thomas McLoughlin, and Madison Police Chief John Drumm.