SOUTHBURY, Conn — The town of Southbury's Board of Selectmen hired its first police chief on July 18 after voting to establish a police force independent of the Resident Trooper Program, according to a release Wednesday.
Sgt. Chris Grillo, a Southbury Police Department veteran, is set to become chief on Aug. 1 as part of a "transition to an independent police force," police said.
The decision to separate the police department from the Resident Trooper Program was voted on last November.
According to police, Grillo began with the police department on Dec. 9, 2002 and received a TFC Tuskowski Award for "overall excellence in his Police Academy training class."
Grillo previously served as a field training officer, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force member, police instructor for firearms, Tasers, use of force, handcuffing and computer crimes, police said. During his time with the department, he received a medal for life saving, was a recipient of the FBI LEEDA Trilogy Award and graduated from the University of Louisville Southern Police Institute 93rd Command Officer's Development Course.
The release said, "Chris has immense respect from the officers in the department, our community, and town officials."
The Aug. 1 installation ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. at the Southbury Senior Center on 561 Main Street South and is open to the public, police said.
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