Middletown Police Chief Announces Retirement: UPDATE

MIDDLETOWN, CT — Middletown Police Chief William McKenna will retire this week after eight years in the role, the Middletown Press first reported.

The Press reports that Middletown Mayor Ben Florsheim called the move “a surprise.” McKenna submitted his paperwork to Florsheim on Tuesday and told his department Wednesday afternoon, according to the Press.

Deputy Police Chief Michael Timbro will serve as acting chief while the city searches for a new chief, according to Florsheim.

“In the past seven months I’ve been in this role, Chief Bill McKenna has become a trusted partner and a true friend to me and my team,” Florsheim wrote in a post on Facebook. “His decision to retire brought mixed emotions for me—I’m sad I won’t get to work with him longer to continue building an accountable, forward-thinking police department, but I’m excited for him and his family as he embarks on a new chapter.

“Deputy Chief Timbro, who has co-led the department with Chief McKenna for eight years, will serve as Acting Chief, and I’m looking forward to working with him through a smooth transition and a search process for a new permanent chief.”

McKenna released the following statement on Thursday:

I am very saddened, yet at the same time very excited to announce my retirement from my position as Chief for the great City of Middletown. This decision was hard, yet after taking everything into consideration I feel that I am at peace with this decision and I am excited to pass the torch to the other great men and women of this department.

I gave the City my very best for 25 plus years, 8 of them as the Chief. To be a Chief means to be “all-in”… fully dedicated and willing to be on call at all times. The position demands full attention, and fine details need to always be examined whether it is during the course of your work day, or after hours when you are woken up from the sounds of your phone going off. I can say with 100% confidence that during my time spent as Chief, I gave every single second of my full devotion to my office, to the department and to the community. I was dialed in on making the best decisions to keep our department members free of harm, the community safe from the dangers and making the commitment to move the City in the right direction. I gave it my very best and I feel strong that we are in a better position today because of it.

For the past 8 years as Chief, and for the several years prior to that while serving in a Command position, my cell phone never left my side... never was out of sight. I took a deep pride in answering those calls and responding to the calls from home. I always answered the calls because it was a part of my responsibility to do so and to make decisions for the betterment of the department and city. Many times I stopped in my tracks to deal with situations that needed my input or direction. This commitment to the job comes with a cost. It took valuable time away from family and loved ones, and most of the times diverted my attention elsewhere when I could have been focused on more important things which included my time spent with family. I am now ready to let the calls go and focus my full attention on my family and the support group who were also “all-in” during those many years of my commitment as Chief. My mother, father, wife, sisters, brother-in laws, in-laws and my children all understood the time commitment that I made many years ago to serve as a leader in the MPD. Each one of them supported me and pushed me to be the best I could possibly be, and understood the sacrifices that it takes to be there for others (outside the family) when duty calls. They grew to understand that their son, Dad, husband or brother wasn’t constantly walking away from the family dinner or holiday because he was bored, he was leaving to take care of a brother or sister officer, or to handle a critical incident or to deal with a situation which I was expected and prepared to deal with. I am now ready to hand the phone over to other ready, willing and able members of the department. And they are prepared.

As you will see in my letter to the Mayor, the MPD is in great hands. We worked hard on building strong leaders who will work hard to continue the culture of building relationships in the community, serving with respect and honor and providing the best service we can possibly give to the community. They will strive for a dominance to make the MPD one of the most well-respected Police agencies in the state. They will work hard in making Middletown a great place to live and visit. Our citizens need to know that we have great, experienced men and women who strive to fulfill their oath of office to serve Middletown proudly with a commitment to excellence. As we work hard, I urge the citizens of Middletown to appreciate our men and women. They are great people, like you, who also have made many sacrifices in their lives to serve others. We have taken much pride in building a very solid foundation of dedicated officers who work hard in meeting the expectations of both the department, as well as the citizens who make up the great Middletown community. I will miss these officers deeply and they know I will always be there for them if they are in need.

Middletown has been great to me and the friendships that I have made with officers, stakeholders and citizens alike will remain in place for years to come. I will be leaving a part of me when I depart, yet those of you who I have come to love and respect will remain my friends, and will always be in my thoughts and prayers forever.

I always had a plan to leave in the month of July to reap the benefits of enjoying the warm weather and outdoor festivities. Well, here it is folks, although we are all dealing with some unusual times with social distancing, etc., I made the decision that July of 2020 is the July it’s happening. I am leaving on great terms with the City and I know I am leaving a department of remarkable leaders who will fill in the gaps. Deputy Chief Timbro will be sworn-in as the Acting Chief as the Mayor takes his time to fill my position with a full time Chief. DC Timbro will ensure the department moves full steam ahead and the transition period should be seamless. I gave it my all, and I am excited to pass the torch to DC Timbro and the other great members. I am so excited to give my 100% devotion to my family and loved ones moving forward… and I feel bad for the golf instructor who has to try to straighten me out!

Thank you to those in Middletown who I have worked alongside with for many years to make Middletown great. Thank you to Mayor Drew for having the confidence in me to lead our department. I wish Mayor Florsheim the very best in continuing to make our Middletown a better place and I am confident he will strive to support the department as he has done in our short 6-month relationship thus far. So many others to thank, yet I am sure we will be talking soon.

To the Middletown community… let’s stay strong. Good people working together can make huge positive strives. Great people will make a great future.

To the men and women (sworn and civilians alike) … my friends of the MPD… it is you who made my time as Chief a success. My send-off to you yesterday was very difficult, words can’t even express the emotions that overcome me. A lot to say, yet I love you. You are the best.

To my family and loved ones… thank you for letting me take this ride… I love you. Daddy’s coming home!

God Bless all of you!