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NORWALK, Conn. – Police Lt. Susan Zecca, a member of the force since 1988, has been promoted to deputy chief of the Norwalk Police Department by the Board of Police Commissioners, the second woman to hold the title.
Zecca will share duties with Deputy Chief David Wrinn, with Wrinn concentrating on the operations side and Zecca overseeing the administrative side, according to Chief Thomas Kulhawik.
“We have an excellent group of lieutenants, and I am sure it was a difficult decision for the commission,” Kulhawik said. “However, given the role that we are looking to fill, the commission and I felt that Lt. Zecca is the right person for the position at this time.”
Zecca is scheduled to be sworn in during a brief ceremony at 9 a.m. Friday at police headquarters. Retired Deputy Chief Rosemary Arway was the department’s first female deputy chief.
Sgt. David O'Connor has been promoted to lieutenant to fill Zecca's vacancy, and Officer Joseph Dinho was made a sergeant to fill O'Connor's vacancy, according to Kulhawik.
Mayor Richard Moccia, who supported the commission’s decision, called Zecca the “logical choice.” She has worked on numerous projects and divisions in the department and knows how things are run, he said.
“Lt. Zecca has had involvement with so many aspects within the department, and she works well with everyone,” said Moccia.
Comments (16)
How many felony arrests has she made? Or is this just more affirmative action for desk-jockey females?
Those that are saying the construction company's insurance company requires a police officer at construction sites you are totally incorrect.
What the insurance company requires is traffic control which includes traffic agents and construction company flag man. which cost about 15 per hour. It is the police union that vigorously fights anything that will take away the ridiculous overtime pay of their members. Also let us not forget that old timer actually has a vested interest in the police. Each and every penny of the 65 + per hour comes directly from the taxpayer in one way or another do not be fooled.
Mr Norwalk CT
Are you suggesting that all the people running construction companies are so stupid that they eagerly spend the overtime rate for a police officer when they could get the same job done for a lot less money ? If you look around a bit you will see that not all construction sites have police officers, some have laborers with signs. A lot depends, apparently, on what insurance company a particular contractor uses, how busy the street is that they are working on, and the kind of barricades used to protect the site. Sometimes, the contractor asks for an officer and doesn't get one and has to resort to using laborers with signs. The construction site jobs are not assigned, all officers working them are volunteers and there are frequently more jobs than volunteers.
As to my "vested interest" in the police, it would be interesting to hear you explain that one. I do not work for the police dept and nobody in my family works for the police dept. I don't even know if your numbers are accurate, I suspect you don't either and have exaggerated the savings when laborers are used.
I am sure Mayor Moccia will be doing his best to win the Police Union endorsement, as will all of the candidates. Let's hope that doesn't involve spending money in ways that run counter to our best interests.
Speaking of spending money in ways that run counter to our best interests, it's hard to forget the recent embarrassing fiasco that had Matt Miklave, David Watts and company arguing that the solution to our crime problem was high-paid, unionized Police Captains. Coincidentally their position was exactly the same as that of the Police Union. Either Miklave and co. were looking to curry favor with the Police Union for themselves, or perhaps drive a wedge between Moccia, Rilling and the other candidates who will be seeking the endorsement.
Yup, Moccia is trying to buy the police union endorsement....3 people got promoted yesterday. Dont forget he now has 6 commander appointments with the elimination of the captain's position. Plus the 75 paving projects coming up that will all need overtime police presence...the police union was all about Rilling before. let's see how strong that blue allegiance is. Money vs brotherhood. I think that money will trump the blue brotherhood...
"3 people got promoted yesterday."
So, what's your point?
The Police Department has promotion almost every year. The officers take the test and then the appropriate officers are promoted to positions when others retire or leave the department. As I understand it, the Police Chief makes a recommendation to the Police Commission as to who is promoted. It's all done by union rules.
So True Jane So true
Moccia has been sucking up to the police union ever since promoting a chief with ZERO search for the best candidate. Its all about Moccia taking care of the police while the police do ZERO for Norwalk which is clear by the out of control crime,.
We have a 4 percent Moccia tax increase coming while we are paying cops 65 plus per hour,with a city car and city gas to read the newspaper at a hole in the ground. Other towns cities and Moccia urban center have gone to traffic agent s at 15 per hour without a city car and without city gas. Maybe is we did this in Norwalk we would not need the tax increase sicne
Tim T you are a top notch idiot. You are grossly incorrect in what you state about the costs affiliated with cops working traffic jobs. Perhaps you should go put your head back in a hole in the ground where it belongs!
Ok John,
What's it cost to pay an officers overtime, benefits, gas and maintenance for a car left idling all day? My guess is $65/hr is low balling it. And before you say we don't pay for it guess again. Where do you suppose the money comes from if we don't pay it? I don't agree with Tim on much, not even this really since its the police union to Moccia who dictates this crapola, but we do pay for it and we certainly buy the cars that are doing nothing but burning gas and getting old. We need them at some sites yes, but not at every one and not two or three per site, and they don't need cruisers.
Of course we pay for it, but indirectly, as it's added to the bill for any road paving projects. I used to think the Union dictated this rule but oldtimer has claimed that it's the construction contractor's insurance companies that demand a cop and cruiser at every construction site.
Whatever the case, I hope someone in the media will write an article so that we can know the facts of the matter. If it's within the City's power to change this rule while achieving an adequate level of safety, it should be changed.
Did we always have two deputy chiefs?
No. In the history of the dept there has rarely (once before ?) been a second Deputy Chief. There were Captains, at a lower pay grade, handling the responsibilities, but they have now eliminated Captains. There have been other ranks created and filled, from time to time, above Captains and below Deputy Chiefs called Inspectors. Now, everything above the rank of Lieutenant. is an appointment and there are few, if any, requirements for appointment expect possibly being a Lieutenant.
It's amazing that they can get by with only two deputy chiefs. They need at least four or five to ensure public safety.
Not for years
Moccia needs to spend our tax increase.
yet more wasted tax dollars