Farmington To Have New Police Chief, Fire Administrator

FARMINGTON, CT — The town's public safety units will have two new faces leading their respective departments.

Earlier this month, it was announced Farmington will have a new police chief as well as a new director of fire and rescue services.

At last week's Farmington Town Council meeting, Farmington Town Manager Kathy Blonski announced the appointment of longtime local officer Colin Ryan to be the new police chief.

He will replace Paul J. Melanson, who took the police chief's position in Avon recently, according to June 7 council meeting minutes.

Melanson starts in Avon on July 2.

Blonski told council members Ryan has worked for the Town of Farmington since 1999, when he was a police officer and he "has taken on progressively responsible positions over the last 23 years," reads meeting minutes.

Since 2017, he has been a captain in the department.

Blonski said a reception is being planned for June 29 at 6 p.m. at the Farmington Police Station, 319 New Britain Ave., Unionville, with all residents and town employees invited.

Meanwhile, Blonski said "after an extensive recruitment process," the town has hired a new director of fire and rescue services.

She said Farmington has hired Thomas Fitzgerald, who has spent the past 23 years in the New Haven Fire Department, starting out as a firefighter and, eventually, becoming a captain.

Blonski said, for the past three years, he's also been the commissioner of the Newtown Volunteer Fire Department.

She said Fitzgerald and Ryan will be at the council's July 12 meeting for a formal introduction to the town's top governing board.

For the minutes of the June 7 Farmington Town Council meeting, click on this link.