To The Editor:

There is a principle in scripture that we are to render honor to whom honor is due (Rom 13:7), so it is with this in mind that I write this letter. While I am union president for the police department, I write this of my own accord. I know that my opinion, however, is held by many others that I work with but perhaps not by all.

Since the beginning of the year the Newtown Police Department has had two significant retirements and is about to suffer a third. If you’ve had the pleasure of dealing with them, you no doubt recognized their professionalism and wealth of knowledge. They will be sorely missed by their fellow union members and, whether you know it or not, the town at large. Their absences have already been felt and that sting is about to increase soon.

John McCluskey retired as a lieutenant from NYPD but could not get enough of serving the community. He joined the Newtown Police Department in 2007 and became an invaluable resource to the officers he worked with. Although he never sought to move up the ladder of leadership, his decades of real-world encounters in one of the busiest places in the U.S. was immeasurably prized among his peers. He was more than a storehouse of entertaining anecdotes; he had the knowledge to run any police department in this country but had the humility to be “one of the guys” without having to prove himself to anybody. Having served in Manhattan during 9/11 and then being instrumental in the investigation and aftermath of the SHES shooting, he is most truly unique in his experience as a law enforcement officer. There’s a McCluskey-shaped hole at NPD.

Felicia Figol, the long-time canine handler and friend-to-the-friendless, shocked everyone when she announced her retirement mere weeks ago. Assuming she had another decade to share with this town, her co-workers, supervisors and community were stunned when she announced that she was parting ways with us. K-9 Aris has moved on with her, as she has taken a police canine position in New Hampshire. Figol, who originally came to us from the Arizona Highway Patrol, made a lasting impression on colleagues, impacted this town in incalculable ways and has now rewritten herself again by starting fresh in parts further north. She was tough on criminals but good to her friends. She left an indelible mark on this department and this town.

Doug Wisentaner, the preeminent sergeant, has given 31 years to serving the Town of Newtown and its residents. An old-school, encyclopedic mentor to anyone humble enough to receive it has been the backbone of the patrol unit for decades. Wisentaner, whose unmistakable accent betrays his origins from the Cape, has been the unshakable calm in the storm countless times throughout the years during incidents that would unnerve the most veteran among us. This was especially true after the SHES shooting, when he by-and-large ran NPD in the weeks following. While he was not alone in this task, Wisentaner took the helm without complaint or question and did what was necessary to keep this department running in its day-to-day operations. He’s truly been an unsung hero here in Newtown through the big stuff and not inconsequentially the “small."

I doubt most people will ever know that their community which sleeps well at night and goes about their business during the day, does so with men and women like these watching over. By the grace of God, these individuals who are your neighbors, friends or family put their uniform on day after day at risk to their own lives to secure the freedoms we all enjoy but don’t often need to think about. I thank the Lord for John, Felicia and “Sgt."

Adam Greco

Newtown Police Department