GREENWICH, CT — The Greenwich Police Department announced that Lt. Timothy Kelly has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 Dr. John Clarke Award for Officer of the Year, the department’s highest honor.
The Dr. John Clarke Award is named for Dr. John Clarke and recognizes individuals whose work reflects the values of integrity, professionalism and a commitment to public service, and whose contributions have a lasting impact on the department and the community.
Kelly was recognized for his role in leading the department to full accreditation under the Connecticut Police Officer Standards and Training Council, a multi-tiered certification process that evaluates operations against professional standards. Over a two-year period, Kelly led the accreditation effort, taking responsibility for Tier I standards while also completing the requirements for Tier II and Tier III. The process includes hundreds of standards related to policy development, training compliance, operational review and administrative documentation.
With the completion of all three tiers, the department is now fully accredited under the council’s standards, signaling to the public and law enforcement community that the department operates under the highest professional standard.
"What distinguished Lieutenant Kelly’s work was not only the result he achieved, though that result is significant and will benefit the Department for years to come," the department said in an announcement. "It was the manner in which he pursued it. He approached this task with quiet, steady determination, without seeking recognition and without cutting corners. He understood that the value of accreditation rests entirely on the integrity of the process, and he held to that standard even when no one was watching."
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