Farmington Police Officer Honored by U.S. Attorney's Office

FARMINGTON, CT — To commemorate National Community Policing Week, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut hosted a Community Policing Awards Ceremony Friday in New Haven that recognized 22 law enforcement officers and community members from cities and towns across the state.

Recently retired Farmington police officer Joseph Capodiferro was among the honorees. His nomination read:

"Officer Capodiferro recently retired after 26 years of service to the Town of Farmington. He is a 3rd generation Farmington Police Officer and has remained with the Department as a Supernumerary Officer.
We hear so much today about the need to embrace community policing as a department wide philosophy in order to repair relationships with our citizens. At Farmington PD we have lived that philosophy for decades. It’s engrained in who we are as an agency and are proud of the close relationship we have with our community. Officer Capodiferro has been an integral part of developing that relationship; I can comfortably say that he exemplifies the face of community policing in Farmington. Officer Capodiferro truly understands how important it is to be up close and personal with the community he serves.

Officer Capodiferro’s personality, demeanor, and commitment to Farmington made him the perfect choice when we were looking to reintroduce our K-9 program that had been active for decades. It was a position where he truly perfected his community policing skills, carving out his legacy at Farmington PD. We knew we wanted someone who could seamlessly integrate a K-9 into our community. We wanted a dog that could perform all the typical police K-9 functions, yet be social enough to promote a positive feeling among our residents, especially the children, the elderly, and special needs individuals. Some handlers and trainers said it couldn’t or shouldn’t be done, but Officer Capodiferro took on the challenge and excelled. Side by side with his partner Drak, they spent years as a team, building strong bonds between the police department and the community."

“At heart, Community Policing is a philosophy that each of us, members of law enforcement and communities alike, have a stake in keeping our cities and towns safe and secure places to live,” said U.S. Attorney Deirdre M. Daly. “During National Community Policing Week, we celebrate our commitment to supporting the practice of community policing. Police can never solve public safety problems alone. We encourage active community collaboration to improve safety, build public trust and deepen understanding between police and the communities they serve. The officers and community members recognized today are excellent examples of the best in community policing and community relations. I am confident that their efforts are making meaningful and lasting progress, and it is my great privilege to honor each of them and to thank them for their invaluable work.”

Patch file photo