Froehlich Named Police Detective Sergeant

By Andrew Gorosko

Following discussion at an April 6 session, Police Commission members endorsed Police Chief Michael Kehoe’s recommendation that Patrol Sergeant Darlene Froehlich be assigned to the position of detective sergeant, a job in which she will oversee the seven other officers who work in the police detective division.

The Police Commission’s endorsement came in a split vote, in which three commission members backed the police chief’s recommendation and two members did not.

Patrol Sergeant Douglas Wisentaner also had applied for the detective sergeant’s post.

Voting to endorse Chief Kehoe recommendation of Sgt Froehlich for detective sergeant’s post were Chairman Duane Giannini, Bruce Walczak, and Keith Jacobs. Voting in opposition were Brian Budd and James Viadero.

Det Sgt Froehlich starts her new duties in the detective division on May 1.

Before discussing the appointment, Police Commission members reviewed documents submitted by the those seeking the detective sergeant position.

Chief Kehoe told commission members, “They’re both highly qualified candidates. They’ve been here for a long time.”

Both patrol sergeants would be able to perform the duties required of a detective sergeant, the police chief said.

“I’m happy that I have two people to choose from,” he said, adding that he would prefer that three or four people competed for the post.

“This is a key leadership position,” Mr Giannini said.

The detective sergeant supervises three detectives, one undercover narcotics detective, two school resource officers, and one youth officer, Chief Kehoe said.

Chief Kehoe said that Ms Froehlich worked as a town police dispatcher before becoming a police patrol officer. She also worked on narcotics investigations, served as a detective, and then became a patrol sergeant, he said.

Mr Viadero, who became a Police Commission member in December, said he wanted to meet the two candidates for the post before voting. Similarly, Mr Jacobs, who also became a commission member in December, said he would like to meet both people before voting. Neither candidate was present at the April 6 commission meeting.

Chief Kehoe explained that the post of detective sergeant is an “assignment,” and does not constitute a “promotion.”

Mr Walczak endorsed Chief Kehoe’s recommendation of Ms Froehlich for the post.

Mr Giannini said commission members have to trust the chief’s recommendation for such a job assignment.

The five commission members then voted on naming Ms Froehlich to the detective sergeant’s post, resulting in the 3-to-2 split.

Mr Viadero stressed that he does not oppose Ms Froehlich becoming the detective sergeant, but reiterated that he simply wanted to talk to both candidates for the job before acting on the matter.

Mr Budd explained that he does not oppose Chief Kehoe’s recommendation for the post, but was uncomfortable in making a decision on the matter on April 6.

Following the vote, Mr Giannini thanked Detective Sergeant John Cole for his work heading the detective division since October 2006. Det Sgt Cole will return to his prior post of patrol sergeant on May 1.

Ms Froehlich, 51, joined the police department in 1984. She was the first woman to become a town police officer. She became a patrol sergeant in May 2001. She is fourth person on the department’s seniority list of 47 officers.

Mr Wisentaner, 43, became a police officer in 1994. He became a patrol sergeant in October 2001. He is 13th on the department’s seniority list.