New Canaan Police Receive Officer Of The Year, Other Awards

Information via New Canaan Police Department

NEW CANAAN, CT — New Canaan police held their annual awards ceremony Thursday, during which officers were presented with Officer of the Year and other awards.

In a Facebook post, police congratulated the following New Canaan officers in their respective categories:

Stephen W. Wood Officer of The Year

The Stephen Wood Officer of the Year Award was presented to Officer Christopher Dewey. In 2023, Officer Dewey demonstrated an exceptional level of commitment to his duties. He willingly took on numerous responsibilities and tackled them with unwavering dedication, resulting in outstanding achievements. He possess instructor certifications in various areas of law enforcement and effectively utilizes them by designing and implementing specific training scenarios and exercises for our patrol officers, enhancing their skills and readiness.

His leadership and strong organizational skills were called upon during the department’s move to Locust Ave at the end of 2023. Officer Dewey ensured that all of our valuable and secure items such as firearms, ammunition, and SRT equipment were moved and stored safely at our temporary Headquarters. Officer Dewey approached this assignment with meticulous care and efficiency.

These accomplishments, coupled with Officer Dewey’s exemplary character, earned him the 2023 Stephen Wood Officer of the Year Award. His dedication, leadership and professionalism reflect the values upheld by Lt. Wood and embody the highest standards of service within our department.

Unit Citation

Pertains to an incident on Nov. 29, 2023. It exemplifies the unpredictable nature of law enforcement work and the swift transitions that can occur during routine calls. Our dispatch center received a call reporting two individuals who were unresponsive due to a possible overdose. This call escalated into a situation involving dangerous weapons and drugs. Lt. Payne, Ofc. Marzano, Ofc. Dewey, Sgt. Lopez, Ofc. Pollock and Sgt. O’Sullivan (not pictured) have received this award for handling the situation safely and professionally.

Marksmanship Skills

Each fall our officers have the opportunity to test their shooting skills. In the fall of 2023, the Annual Handgun Qualification and Perkin Shoot Competition was held. Lt. LaTourette scored a 398 out of 400 and won the Commissioners' Shoot for his marksmanship and Sgt. Lopez scored a 396 out of 400 and won the Perkin Award. The Perkin Family established this award over 60 years ago. We are thankful to the family for their continued support of the department and this award.

Physical Fitness Test

Sgt. Caponera and Ofc. Gibson participated in the department’s fitness test which consists of a one and one-half mile run, bench press, agility course and flexibility test. The Chief’s Award of Excellence is awarded to Sgt. Caponera and the Commissioners Physical Fitness Award for 2023 is awarded to Ofc. Gibson.