BREAKING NEWS: Town to Keep Chief Ridberg

Oct. 12, 4:11 p.m. — According to sources in Town government, First Selectman – Police Commissioner Peter Tesei is the one who orchestrated an agreement to keep Greenwich Police Chief David Ridberg in that post for two more years.  (This is something advocated in OurGreenwich.com in mid-September.)  The contract was announced by Chief Ridberg.

The GPD is positioned for a seminal reorganization, with the recent decision in the Honulik case probably leading to a lifting of the injunction preventing promotions in GPD, and with the November 1 technical retirement of GPD Capt. Michael Pacewicz.  (Using his own accrued vacation and personal time, Capt. Pacewicz has effectively been retired for some month).

Chief Ridberg has proposed four command officers at the rank of Major, instead of two Deputy Chiefs and two Captains, or one Deputy Chief and three Captains, as in the past.   It strikes me that the four-Majors plan will afford the Town a greater fieled of potential candidates to replace Chief Ridberg in November of 2011, when his new agreement expires.  It also may save the town on salary and other costs.