Police Commission Chairman Joel Faxon said Newtown Chief James Viadero broke the mold when he came in to transform the department into a more positive working environment — and he will do so again when he takes on a new role as chief inspector in the Connecticut Office of the Inspector General.

Viadero formally announced his resignation December 7 during a police commission meeting, leaving commissioners to wish him well and express how the town’s loss will be the state’s gain. Viadero will officially depart by the end of January.

“We are so impressed with you and what you’ve done,” said commission member Joan Plouffe. “These are big shoes to fill. The state’s gain is our loss.”

Commission member Scott Cicciari said the town has been “blessed” to have Viadero as a leader for the past six years.

“We were better off to have you,” Cicciari said. “The people around the state will continue to be blessed. It is difficult to let go and move on to greener pastures.”

Commission member Brian Budd said the town “greatly appreciates the direction” Viadero put the department in.

“It’s unfortunate to be losing you,” Budd said. “But we understand the value of your new position. We have to have a greater good mentality.”

Commission chairman Joel Faxon said the department was in a time of “great distress” following the 12/14 tragedy, but the town “came out of that unfortunate time with an extraordinary chief.”

“Under [Viadero], the department is in a new building, with a full staff that are well-trained and responsive, that get along with no grievances, in an environment that’s very positive,” Faxon said. “It’s a testament to his ability to lead, that he took a department that was somewhat unhappy and turned it into a comfortable place, working in a great environment.”

Newtown Police Captain Chief Vanghele, who will presumably fill an interim post as acting chief, thanked Viadero “from a personal standpoint,” as he “came in a dark time.”

“I’ve been in law enforcement for 20 years,” said Vanghele. “His ability to put people first helped me feel refreshed. He’s a law enforcement giant. I’m so completely grateful and humbled to have worked with him, I’ll take that with me wherever I go.”

First Selectman Dan Rosenthal said that he first worked with Viadero after being elected to the Police Commission in 2015, and was “pleased” to work with him on the commission for his two years there, and then in his years since as first selectman.

“This is bitter sweet, I consider [Viadero] a friend,” said Rosenthal. “While we are sad to see him go, there are reasons to be hopeful. We are not in a position where we have to raise the department from the ashes. We are well-positioned to bring in a new leader, whether it is internal or external. This is a department that someone would seek out [as a place to work].”

Viadero said that it took him a lot of “hard thought” to come to the “difficult decision” to leave the Newtown Police Department.

“It’s with a heavy heart that I leave,” said Viadero. “This was a great experience and a great town to work in, and an honor to serve in the town in which I live. All good things come to an end. It is good and healthy for the department to grow.”

Viadero was named Newtown’s fifth police chief in January 2016, replacing Michael Kehoe, who retired. He had served as a Newtown Police Commission member from late 2009 to mid-2014, leaving that panel when he became Middlebury’s police chief. Before working in Middlebury, he had served as a Bridgeport police officer for 29 years, leaving that job at the rank of captain.

According to the job listing on the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services website, the State of Connecticut Office of the Inspector General was created through the passage of House Bill 6004, “An Act Concerning Police Accountability.”

This independent office, within the Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ), will be responsible for conducting use of force investigations of peace officers, prosecuting cases where the Inspector General determines a peace officer used force to not be justifiable, and making recommendations to the Police Officer Standards and Training Council concerning censure and suspension, renewal, cancelation, or revocation of a peace officer’s certification.

Responsibilities for the position of chief inspector include: Directing DCJ special investigation programs, including planning, organizing and directing all investigation activities; formulating goals and objectives; training and evaluating staff; assigning inspectors to pre-arrest and post-arrest investigations; acting as liaison with State and local agencies on investigative matters; and personally handling the most complex, sensitive and/or internal investigations.

=====

Reporter Jim Taylor can be reached at jim@thebee.com.