Darien Police Chief Announces Retirement, Stevenson Offers Praise

DARIEN, CT — After 35 years at the department, Darien Police Chief Ray Osborne announced this week that he is calling it a career and will retire from the Force, effective Sept. 1.

Osborne began his career with the Darien department in 1983, following a two-year stint with the Easton Police Department. He moved into the Detective Division in December of 1996, and was promoted to Sergeant in September of 2000.

He became a Lieutenant in September of 2008 and Captain in July of 2016, and upon the retirement of Chief Duane Lovello, Osborne was named the department's 10th Chief of Police in February 2017.

In a statement, First Selectman Jayme Stevenson thanked Osborne for "exemplary leadership" and dedication to the department and community.

"On behalf of the Town of Darien, I want to thank Chief Osborne for 35 years of dedication to the Dairen Police Department. We are fortunate to have professionals like Ray and many others who have chosen to spend nearly their entire law enforcement career in Darien," Stevenson said. "This speaks volumes about our community and how highly we value our law enforcement and first responder professionals. While Ray's departure is sooner than I anticipated, he's accomplished much in his two years at the helm including his support for the Juvenile Review Board which has been a tremendous success in helping our kids say out of the juvenile court system for first/minor offenses. Additionally, Ray has helped develop a department filled with highly skilled police officers, some of whom will become our new department leadership. Ray has provided exemplary leadership at a time when societal and technological influences make the job very challenging. We wish Ray all the best in his retirement and are deeply grateful for the sacrifices he and his family have made in his 35-year service to the Town of Darien."

Chief Osborne stated "after a total of thirty eight years in Law Enforcement, I really feel it’s necessary to move on and do something else at this point in my life.

"I'm certainly going to miss working with all of the great men and women of the DPD, but it is just time to make plans to move on later this year."

During his tenure Chief Osborne approved the formulation of the department’s Juvenile Review Board, an idea presented to him by members of the department's Youth Division. He also encouraged the creation of Darien's "Coffee With A Cop" program, a successful community policing endeavor. Chief Osborne is a former supervisor of the department's Domestic Violence Liaison Unit and has supported the expansion and additional training of that unit.

Osborne will continue to work as an adjunct instructor at Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport where he has taught Criminal Justice classes for 18 years on a part time basis.