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GREENWICH, Conn. The Greenwich Police Department will have a police chief come Nov. 1, after the town Board of Selectmen appointed Deputy Chief James Heavey to the position Thursday.
In addition to your professional capability and skills, Ive always admired your sense of community spirit and volunteerism that predates your work on the police force with the Boy Scouts and many other volunteer organizations, which I cant remember theres so many of them, Selectman David Theis said after the appointment. "You have also instilled in your children that sense of community spirit."
The selectmen voted unanimously to approve the appointment of Heavey. He will succeed Chief David Ridberg, who is slated for an Oct. 31 retirement. According to the selectmen, Heavey will earn a $146,413 salary, a 10 percent jump from his deputy chief position. The selectmen will soon begin the process of appointing a second-in-command deputy chief.
Heavey had served as police captain since 2010 and deputy chief since June. The position of deputy chief had been vacant since Ridbergs promotion to replace retiring Chief James Walters in 2007. At the time, a promotions freeze was forced because of a lawsuit filed by former Lt. Gary Honulik, who claimed he was bypassed unfairly for a promotion. The suit was dismissed in 2009.
Heavey began his career as a Greenwich police officer in 1986 and was promoted to sergeant in 1999 and lieutenant in 2003. Heavey holds a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice administration and a masters in public administration. He is an Army veteran and served more than 20 years in the Army Reserve. He was a military police officer and veteran of Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm.
In his time in the department, Heavey has held many assignments, including accident investigator, dispatch trainer, grant writer, civil disturbance coordinator, emergency management coordinator and police explorer adviser.
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