Westport Police To Promote Six

WESTPORT, CT — Westport Police will promote six department members Thursday. Lieutenants David Farrell and Ryan Paulsson will be promoted to the rank of captain. Sergeants Matthew Gouveia and David Wolf are to be promoted to the rank of lieutenant. Detective Sharon Russo and Corporal Erin Shaw will be promoted to sergeant and detective, respectively.

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Captain David Farrell was hired as a patrolman in 2001. He was promoted to Sergeant in 2009 and Lieutenant in 2012. In 2015, he was appointed to the rank of administrative lieutenant where he also served as the department’s Public Information Officer. Captain Farrell served as a hostage/crisis negotiator for the Southwest Regional Emergency Response Team and is a former member of the honor guard. He served as the vice president of both the Union Local 2080 and Police Benevolent Association. With this promotion to captain, he will be the Commander of the Department’s Patrol Division and Detective Bureau. Captain Farrell holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Connecticut. He resides in Fairfield with his wife, Alison, and two daughters, Olivia and Jocelyn.

Captain Ryan Paulsson was hired as a patrolman in December 2000. He was promoted to the ranks of sergeant in 2012 and lieutenant in 2014. Captain Paulsson’s most recent assignment was overseeing the Training and Emergency Services Divisions of the department. He is currently the Commander for the Westport Police/Fire Dive Rescue Team and serves as the K9 Unit Supervisor, Marine Division Supervisor, and served as a team leader for the Southwest Regional Emergency Response Team. He is a certified law enforcement instructor and teaches regular in-service training for the department and in the community. Captain Paulsson holds a Bachelor’s degree in Justice and Law Administration from Western Connecticut State University. He resides in Milford with his wife and two daughters.

Lieutenant Matthew Gouveia was hired in January 2008 and was a recipient of the Samuel J. Luciano Award after graduating first in his class at the Connecticut Police Academy. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2014. He has earned several awards including a Chief's Commendation and volunteered for numerous community activities such as the Special Olympics Torch Run and the annual police toy drive. He holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Roger Williams University. He then attended the Roger Williams University School of Law where he earned his J.D. He is currently a member of the bar in CT, RI, & MA.

Lieutenant David Wolf was hired in 2001 and served as a DARE officer and field training officer. He is currently the coordinator of the field training officer program, is a crisis negotiator with the Southwest Regional Emergency Response Team (Team Leader), coordinator of the department’s Crisis Intervention Team and a certified instructor of search and seizure, civil liability and eyewitness identification. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Franklin & Marshall College and received his law degree from University of Connecticut Law in 2015. He is currently a member of the CT Bar Association. He resides in Oxford with his wife and five children.

Sergeant Sharon Russo received a paralegal litigation certification from the University of Connecticut and worked as a paralegal for a family/real estate attorney in the town of Westport prior to becoming a police officer in 2008. Sergeant Russo was promoted to the rank of detective in 2016.

Detective Erin Shaw was hired in January 2008. She was promoted to the rank of corporal in 2015. She is a member of the Southwest Regional Emergency Response Team as a crisis negotiator and is a certified traffic crash reconstructionist. She has earned several unit citation awards and is involved in numerous community activities such as the Special Olympics and the Westport Police Youth Collaborative. She holds a B.S. in Therapeutic Recreation with a minor in Health Studies from the University of Southern Maine.

The ceremony will be held in the auditorium of Westport Town Hall, 110 Myrtle Avenue, at 4:00pm and is open to the public.

Images: Farrell, Wolf, Paulsson, Gouveia, Russo and Shaw via Westport Police