Contract solidifies deputy chief’s appointment

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NAUGATUCK — The borough and Deputy Police Chief C. Colin McAllister reached an agreement on a contract last week.

The Board of Police Commissioners appointed McAllister, a 34-year-old Middlebury resident, deputy chief in May. The contract cements the appointment.

The contract runs through June 30, 2022. Under the deal, McAllister’s base salary is $114,000 in the first year of the deal. The salary will be reviewed in the subsequent years of the contract.

The borough will offer McAllister a high deductible health plan with a $2,000/$4,000 annual deductible. McAllister doesn’t have a cost-share contribution toward his premium for the plan this year, according to the contract. His share increases each year of the deal to 6% on Jan. 1, 2022.

Under the contract, the borough will provide McAllister with a vehicle to use at all times along with other benefits, including a $1,300 equipment and uniform allowance.

The contract stipulates that McAllister must live within an 8-mile radius of the Naugatuck Police Department on Spring Street or move to Naugatuck within a year.

The Board of Mayor and Burgesses approved the contract, 7-1, during a special meeting June 26. Burgess Jack DeOliveira voted against it, saying he disagreed with language in the contract, not McAllister’s appointment. McAllister signed the deal the next day.

“I’m glad to see the borough board has ratified my contract and formalized my appointment to the rank of deputy chief,” McAllister said. “With the recent promotions, Chief (Steven) Hunt and I will now continue to move toward implementing his vision for the department.”

The contract approval solidifies the top two spots at the police department after significant turnover this year. Former Police Chief Christopher Edson retired in early March and the commission appointed Hunt, who was the department’s captain, as chief. Former Deputy Chief Joshua Bernegger subsequently resigned to take a job with the Watertown Police Department.

The department held a ceremony June 21 at which McAllister, Capt. Bryan Cammarata, Lt. Ryan Burns, Lt. Antonio Bastos, Sgt. Nicholas Kehoss and Sgt. Alexia Castro were promoted to their new ranks. The promotions filled in several vacancies in the department’s Administrative Division.

One more vacancy is expected soon. Lt. Brian Newman, who has been with the department for 21 years and oversees the Detective Division, submitted his retirement letter to the borough in May. His last day is expected to be July 12.

McAllister said the position will be filled through the department’s internal promotion list. Sgt. Mark Pettinicchi is next in line for lieutenant and Officer Otis Baskin is slated for to move up to sergeant, he said.

The salaries for the captain, lieutenant and sergeant positions are covered under the police union’s contract. According to the contract, the base salaries in the 2019-20 fiscal year are $108,460 for the captain, $98,600 for lieutenants and $89,637 for sergeants.

1 COMMENT

  1. Expect him to clean up the dope & crime in Naugatuck for 114k year, and not just look important like the last character.