Police Commission Announces Three Promotions

By Andrew Gorosko

On Tuesday night, the Police Commission promoted three men to higher ranks in the department, naming one to the new position of lieutenant and assigning the others to fill vacancies as a sergeant and as a detective.

Commission members promoted James Mooney from the rank of sergeant to the position of lieutenant, elevated Doug Wisentaner to the post of sergeant, and named Robert Koetsch to the position of detective.

Lt Mooney, whose promotion took effect immediately, becomes the department’s second officer in that position. The other lieutenant is David Lydem.

The police department had had two lieutenants until 1997. In the past, one lieutenant had supervised the patrol division and the other had overseen the detective bureau. In 1997, the Police Commission cut one of the two lieutenant’s posts, to the chagrin of the Newtown Police Union, which objected to that change, charging that the elimination of one of the two lieutenant posts greatly reduced the career advancement path for police officers.

In a department reorganization approved by the commission for the 2001-2002 fiscal year, the two lieutenants’ duties will be differentiated by function. One lieutenant will handle administrative duties. The other will handle police department operations, including the supervision of the patrol division and the detective bureau.

Police Chief Michael Kehoe said Wednesday he will be considering which lieutenant will be assigned to which of the two positions.

Lt Mooney, 36, who lives in town, started as a town police officer in June 1985. He had become an auxiliary police officer at age 18, and then became a police dispatcher in 1984.

Lt Mooney has served as the department’s youth officer and DARE officer. He also has served a stint with the state police’s Statewide Narcotics Task Force. He has been the department’s systems administrator for its 911 emergency call system and also has managed the department’s fleet of vehicles.

Until his promotion to lieutenant, Lt Mooney had been the department’s senior patrol sergeant. He said he will employ his diverse background in police work to provide service to the public.

In another promotion, Police Commission members Tuesday night named Mr Wisentaner, 34, to the post of patrol sergeant. That vacancy was created by the promotion of Mr Mooney.

Sgt Wisentaner has been with the police department since July 1994. The holder of a bachelor’s degree, Sgt Wisentaner has served as the department’s youth officer and DARE officer. He has worked as a field training officer, providing training services for recruits. Sgt Wisentaner is certified as a child safety seat expert.

Sgt Wisentaner said he is looking forward to his new duties as sergeant and will strive to maintain officer safety and ensure that patrol officers have the proper training to accomplish their jobs.

In a third promotion, Police Commission members named Mr Koetsch to the post of detective. Det Koetsch, 35, has worked as school resource officer at Newtown High School. He joined the police department more than eight years ago.

Det Koetsch recently passed the state bar examination, becoming certified as a lawyer. He is the first town police officer to also be a lawyer. He is also the president of the Newtown Police Union, representing union members in grievances and also negotiating work contracts on their behalf. He also is one of the police department’s two motor vehicle accident reconstructionists.

Det Koetsch has a master’s degree in forensics and a bachelor’s degree in law enforcement. Det Koetsch has said he would eventually like to work as a private criminal defense attorney.

Of the three promotions, Chief Kehoe said, “It’s a great day for the police department [when] we can promote three people. I have full faith and confidence that they will perform their jobs with dignity and professionalism.”

Police Commission Chairman James Reilly said commission members faced difficult decisions in selecting who would be promoted to the posts of lieutenant and sergeant.

Lt Mooney was selected from among a field of four candidates; Sgt Wisentaner was chosen from a field of three. Det Koetsch was the only candidate from among an original field of three who was determined to be qualified for the promotion to detective.