North Haven Police Chief McLoughlin Retires

NORTH HAVEN, CT — After more than 40 years with the department, North Haven Police Chief Thomas McLoughlin retired on Wednesday.

McLoughlin started his career as a police cadet and rose to the rank of lieutenant by the time he was 29 – a rise that officials said is “practically unheard of.”

McLoughlin was remembered as the “type of Chief you would want to work for,” according to a post on Facebook.

The North Haven Police Department posted the following tribute to McLoughlin on Facebook:

September 1978 - 42 years ago. The average cost of a new house was 54k. The average annual income was 17k, gas was 63 cents a gallon, there was no 911 system, and 28 of the current officers were not born yet.

At that same time, future North Haven Chief of Police, Thomas J McLoughlin, was rolling into No.HPD to start his career as a Police Cadet. He met the criteria, some of which back then consisted of being at least 5’8, weighing 150lb or more, and being a man.

Two years later, Cadet McLoughlin became Patrolman McLoughlin. 7 years after that, at the age of 27, he was Sgt. McLoughlin. At age 29 he was a Lieutenant. For those who may not know the ins and outs of policing and rank structure, this is practically unheard of. For those who personally know Chief McLoughlin, you know this isn’t surprising either.

Chief McLoughlin has held every rank in the North Haven Police Dept., and commanded almost every division and a variety of assignments including Patrol, SWAT, Division Commander of Uniform Services and Investigative Services, Public Information Officer, Training, Internal Affairs, Budgeting and Strategic Planning. He holds an MBA from the University of New Haven and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, Session #206.

Beyond the rank, education, command presence, and achievements, Chief McLoughlin was the type of Chief you would want to work for. He praised good work, held people accountable, and re-trained officers when they made mistakes. Chief McLoughlin genuinely cares about the men and women of the North Haven Police Department.

Today, after 42 years of service, the man who walked in as a Cadet is walking out as a Chief. We can only hope that as he leaves here today he realizes the impact and imprint he has left on this agency, and that we care for him as much as he cared for us. Because of his guidance and mentorship along the way, the future of North Haven PD is bright. We wish him well in retirement and thank him for his dedication to the men and women of the North Haven Police Department, and the North Haven Community.