2025 Officer Of The Year Announced By Stamford Police Association

STAMFORD, CT — The Stamford Police Association has announced Det. Michael Spinosa as the recipient of the 2025 Troy-McNamara Memorial Officer of the Year Award following a vote held Feb. 18.

The annual award, named for fallen Stamford police officers David Troy and William McNamara, is presented to an officer who demonstrates dedication and professionalism in all aspects of the job, according to the SPA. The selection is made by a committee of past Officer of the Year recipients currently serving in the department.

"Detective Spinosa takes on massive workloads and responsibilities, all while remaining a devoted and loving husband and father," the SPA said in an announcement. "Detective Spinosa’s work ethic, humility, and dedication to his profession exemplifies [sic] what it means to be a police officer."

Spinosa began his law enforcement career with the Wallingford Police Department in 2014 after serving in the United States Army. He joined the Stamford Police Department in July 2018.

In April 2020, he became a member of the department’s Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit, where he has worked on complex narcotics investigations involving physical and technical surveillance. His work has led to drug and firearm seizures and arrests, the SPA noted.

In recent years, Spinosa has coordinated investigations with local police departments, task forces and federal agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The SPA said those efforts contributed to several major cases, including one that resulted in the largest single fentanyl seizure in the department’s history.

In 2025, his investigations led to the seizure of nine illegal firearms, kilogram quantities of cocaine and fentanyl, and more than $500,000 in U.S. currency and assets, according to the SPA. The cases resulted in both state charges and federal indictments involving violent offenders in the Stamford area.

One investigation also led to the arrest of a street-level dealer accused of supplying fentanyl in a fatal overdose case. The suspect was charged with manslaughter, the SPA said.

The SPA noted Spinosa has also contributed to improvements within the unit, including serving as a lead investigator on search warrants involving electronic and financial evidence and helping secure grant funding for new undercover equipment. That equipment was later used in the arrest of a suspect accused of targeting smoke shops in Stamford and nearby communities, according to the SPA.

Spinosa will be recognized at the Stamford Police Association’s annual awards dinner on April 30.