Darien Police Department Promotes First Female Captain

DARIEN, CT — Alison Hudyma, a 21-year veteran of the Darien Police Department, has been promoted to captain, becoming the department's first female captain and division commander in its 97-year history, police announced Wednesday.

In a news release, Police Chief Don Anderson and the Darien Police Commission said Hudyma's promotion will be effective March 20.

The promotion marks the second time Hudyma has made history within the department. She previously became the department's first female lieutenant in 2019.

"Captain Hudyma has proven herself to be dedicated and valuable member of the Darien Police Department for over two decades," Anderson said in a news release. "Her promotion to the rank of captain is certainly well-deserved and I am highly confident in her ability to continue to provide professional service to all residents and visitors to the town of Darien in her new assignment."

Hudyma graduated from the Connecticut POST-C Police Academy in 2000. After serving as a patrol officer for 11 years, she was promoted to sergeant in 2011 and lieutenant in 2019.

Hudyma has served in the department's field services and training divisions, both as an officer and supervisor, and is currently serving as a training lieutenant.

According to the department, Hudyma acts as supervisor of both the Accident Investigation Unit and the Domestic Violence Liaison group. Over the course of her career, she has been a member of the department's marine and bicycle units and served as a field training officer.

Hudyma is a board member for the Darien Domestic Abuse Council, a non-profit group raising awareness for domestic violence victims in Darien, and serves on the Lethality Assessment Program Advisory Committee for the State of Connecticut.

She is also a member of Cops & Kids and helps administer "Respectworks," in conjunction with the Darien High School and Depot Youth Center.

Kim Huffard, chair of the Darien Police Commission, congratulated Hudyma on a well-deserved promotion.

"The Darien Police Department continues to attract, train and promote the highest quality officers, providing top notch service to our community," Huffard said in a news release. "Captain Hudyma follows in a long line of quality and dedicated officers, and I feel extremely confident the department is in good hands with the addition of Captain Hudyma to the administrative ranks."