New Canaan Police To Swear In 2 New Officers

NEW CANAAN, CT — The New Canaan Police Department will swear in two new officers Thursday morning at Town Hall, according to police.

In a news release, police said Stamford resident Michael Schnell, 23, and New York resident Mairee Castro, 32, will both be sworn in at 11 a.m.

According to police, Castro is married with two children. Prior to owning her own child care facility, she was a head teacher at a nursery school.

She graduated from The Mary Louis Academy and went on to earn her bachelor's degree from Molloy College, where she majored in interdisciplinary studies and business management.

Schnell was previously employed as a cadet with the Brea Police Department in California. He graduated from Woodbridge High School and went on to earn his bachelor's degree from the University of North Texas, where he majored in speech pathology and communications, according to police.

Both candidates participated in the summer 2023 recruitment process for police officers with the New Canaan Police Department. They were two of over 80 candidates that submitted eligible applications for employment, police said.

They both successfully endured an intensive testing and selection process including a written examination, physical agility testing, interview panel, polygraph, psychological evaluation, background investigation, medical testing and a police commission interview, according to police.

Castro and Schnell will begin their recruit training Oct. 5 at the Connecticut Police Academy's 380th training session in Meriden. The tentative graduation date for that class is during the week of April 15, 2024.

After completion of the academy, they will undergo a minimum of 400 hours of field training with the New Canaan Police Department before being certified as probationary police officers.