West Hartford Police Chief Vernon Riddick was honored Oct. 12 at the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers 16th Anniversary Annual Awards Banquet.

West Hartford Police Chief Vernon Riddick (left) receiving the Community Policing Award at the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers 16th Anniversary Awards Banquet. Courtesy photo

By Ronni Newton

West Hartford Police Chief Vernon Riddick was one of four Connecticut police chiefs honored Oct. 12 at the 16th Anniversary Annual Awards Banquet of the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers.

Riddick received the 2018 Community Policing Award, “presented to an individual whose efforts have strongly assisted to develop and instill community policing as a philosophy that promotes the establishment of collaborative partnerships between law enforcement and the organizations they serve.”

West Hartford Town Manager Matt Hart announced in April that Riddick, the former chief of the Waterbury Police Department, was been chosen as West Hartford’s new chief following a national search. He succeeded Tracey Gove, who retired in November 2017, and was sworn in on May 29.

Hart and Mayor Shari Cantor attended Friday night’s ceremony in North Haven. The event was also attended by Sen. Richard Blumenthal, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, and State Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney.

A lifetime resident of Waterbury, Riddick joined the Waterbury Police Department in 1994, Riddick rose steadily through the ranks, holding management positions in the areas of patrol, internal affairs, and administration. He was named deputy chief in 2009, and acting chief in January 2013.

Riddick graduated from Kennedy High School in Waterbury, and spent a post-grad year at Choate before attending Tufts University, where he obtained his bachelor’s degree in political science in 1989 and was a member of the basketball team. He also holds a master’s in public administration from Post University, and has graduated from the Senior Management Institute for Police and the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development course.

Riddick is also a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), Connecticut Police Chief’s Association (CPCA), the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), and is a deacon at his church.

Gov. Dannel  P. Malloy recently appointed Riddick to the Police Officer Standards & Training Council.

In addition to Riddick, Chief Patrick Ridenhour (Danbury) received the Community Policing Award. Yale University Police Chief Ronnell Higgins received the Community Service Award and Chief Anthony Campbell (New Haven) received the Law Enforcement Leadership Award. Sgt. Sean Kennedy received the President’s Award and New Haven Mayor Toni Harp was giving a Community Leadership Award. Keynote speaker was New Haven Guardians Vice President Quintarus McArthur.

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