Full Text:

Connor Tapped As New Chairman Of The Police Commission

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

In a 3-to-2 vote, Police Commission members have elected Robert Connor, Jr, as

their new chairman for a one-year term.

Mr Connor is the fourth chairman the five-member panel has had since late

1995, when Richard Sturdevant, who had been the commission chairman for five

years, did not run for reelection to the Police Commission in the general

elections.

Member Carol Mattegat served as chairman from December 1995 to December 1996.

Member William Meyer was the chairman from December 1996 until Tuesday.

In the voting for the chairmanship Tuesday night, Mrs Mattegat nominated Mr

Connor as chairman. The motion was seconded by member Gerald Frawley.

Member James Reilly then nominated Mr Meyer for another one-year term as

chairman. Mr Meyer seconded his own nomination.

In the voting on Mr Connor's nomination, Mrs Mattegat, Mr Frawley and Mr

Connor voted in favor, giving Mr Connor the three votes he needed to become

the chairman.

Mr Connor then nominated Mrs Mattegat for a one-year term as vice chairman.

Mrs Mattegat seconded her own nomination.

Mr Meyer then nominated Mr Reilly to be the vice chairman, but no one seconded

that motion, resulting in Mrs Mattegat becoming the vice chairman.

Mr Connor has been a Police Commission member for eight years, serving as its

vice chairman for seven years.

"I feel everybody on the Police Commission should get a chance to be

chairman," he said Thursday.

The chairman runs the Police Commission meetings, but the police chief runs

the police department, he noted.

Mr Connor said his top priority is seeing that town taxpayers get the best

police services possible for the amount of money they are willing to spend.

The safety of police officers and providing them with proper training and

equipment are high priorities, he said.

Bringing the police department up to full staffing should be done as soon as

possible, he said. There currently are four vacancies. Police Commission

members have been interviewing candidates for the posts.

The Police Commission creates and implements regulations for the police

department. The commission appoints, promotes, suspends and removes members of

the department. The police chief answers to the Police Commission.

Police Chief James E. Lysaght, Jr, who started as chief here in July 1996,

said of the new leadership: "It's just a natural progression within the Police

Commission."

Chief Lysaght said each of the five Police Commission members bring unique

qualities to the agency, adding that Mr Connor is an imaginative and creative

man who asks tough, important questions. He has a relaxed style and is a

"people person," according to the chief.

Chief Lysaght said Mr Meyer is a highly educated individual who is analytical

and conscious of time constraints. Mr Meyer has trained him about the value of

conciseness, Chief Lysaght said. A man who is confident in his decision-making

abilities, Mr Meyer also is a focused individual, according to the chief.

Mrs Mattegat is a highly intelligent and analytical person, who is also a warm

individual, Chief Lysaght said.

Mr Frawley is well-versed in the workings of the Police Commission, having

served as a member for many years, the chief said.

Mr Reilly, who retired as a lieutenant from the state police, is intelligent

and has broad experience in state police work, the chief said. Mr Reilly is a

highly valuable person who has an intimate knowledge of law enforcement,

according to the chief.

The change of leadership at the Police Commission comes after a tumultuous

period during which the police union publicly questioned Chief Lysaght's

competence and called for him to be removed from his job. In September, the

union issued a vote of "no confidence" in the chief. The union protests were

spurred by the Police Commission's reorganization of the police department on

the chief's recommendation. That reorganization increases the authority of the

captain and shifts some administrative duties previously handled by the

captain to a lieutenant. The reorganization also shifts the supervision of the

detective bureau from a lieutenant to a sergeant.

The town and the police union recently signed a settlement resolving a

grievance the union had filed protesting the reorganization. The union filed

the grievance because the union had not been notified that the organizational

changes were coming and because working conditions would be changing without

negotiations between the union and the town.