WILTON — A highly qualified applicant for the detective lieutenant position on the Wilton police force was approved by the Board of Selectmen on Tuesday. The board also approved hiring a new patrol officer, filling all vacant positions in the department.
Edward “Page” Reynolds, 42, of Hamden, Conn., will fill the vacant lieutenant position; Nathan Reid, 28, of Strong was hired as a patrol officer. Both will begin work on July 13, police Chief Dennis Brown said.
The town received 47 applications from all over the country for the lieutenant position, and Brown was surprised with the high qualifications of the candidates.
Reynolds retired from the New Haven Police Department in Connecticut this year after serving there since 1995. His background includes being a lead detective in the homicide division where he supervised and investigated more than 80 homicides. His investigative work included burglaries and robberies, narcotics, sexual assault and hate crimes.
Reynolds was hired at $40,000 a year to be paid with federal stimulus funds, Brown said.
He has expertise as an interviewer, with more than 2,000 hours of in-service training, and experience as a hostage negotiator, an instructor and a patrol officer.
An ordained minister, he has a master’s degree in education. While earning that degree he taught “at risk” children in middle and elementary schools, Brown said.
After retiring from the New Haven department, Reynolds apparently is looking for a place to use his investigative skills while gaining more administrative experience, Brown said. He would also like to get his children out of the city. He’s familiar with Maine and likes the area.
“It’s a great deal for the town,” board Chairman Terry Brann said.
Selectman Russell Black, who served on the community interview board with two resident, two police officers and the town manager, said they were all impressed with Reynolds and the qualifications of the candidates who applied.
Reynolds is a good communicator, a good listener and is family-oriented, Black said.
The newly hired patrol officer also comes to the town well-trained. Reid served with the Farmington Police Department from 2002 to 2007 before accepting a position as transportation administrator for SAD 9.
His experience includes being a school resource officer, a patrol officer and an instructor.
He worked for the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department from 2000 to 2002 in dispatch and as a detention officer and reserve patrol deputy.
He completed a course in criminal justice at the University of Maine at Augusta.
Reid will replace Officer Mark Przeslak who returned to Michigan for family reasons, Brown said.
abryant@sunjournal.com