Chief Duane J. Lovello

Welcome to the Darien Police Department online. I am indeed proud to be a part of the 51 member team of police officers providing police services to the Darien community. The Darien Police Department has undergone some exciting changes over the past few years. The launch of a dedicated Traffic Division equipped with two Harley-Davidson Road King motorcycles and the implementation of innovative traffic initiatives are used to keep our roadways safe. The acquisition of a state of the art twenty-six foot Glacier Bay patrol boat was funded entirely with private donations and gives our Marine Division enhanced year-round capability. The Department’s Domestic Violence Liaison officers provide dedicated services to victims of domestic abuse, regardless of whether an offender is arrested – services that stay with the victim into scheduled court appearances. In March 2009, the Department received Tier I and Tier II Accreditation from the State of Connecticut, and has become one of only a few agencies to receive such recognition of organizational and professional excellence. We are now evaluating moving forward to obtain international accreditation through the Commission on the Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), something very few departments have achieved. We have engaged in a professional partnership with Sacred Heart University to develop a comprehensive and worthwhile system of Performance Measurement to enhance the quality of the services we provide.

The month of June, 2009, saw the Department place into service its first ever K9 team. Officer Nick Aranzullo and his K9 partner, Zulu, completed the rigorous training needed to launch the program. This new program further solidifies us as a police agency with many capabilities. Zulu, a two year old male German Shepard Dog, was purchased through Renbar Kennels, one of the premier suppliers of law enforcement canines. Zulu comes here from Czechoslovakia, where he was born and received his initial training prior to coming to the United States. Funding for the K9 Unit will be through drug forfeiture funds and revenue received from false alarms.

“Pride in Excellence” is prominently displayed on each of our marked patrol units. It’s more than our Department motto. It is a public statement of our commitment to the Town of Darien.

I hope you find this website useful and informative. Check back frequently for updated information. Thanks for visiting and we hope you enjoy all that Darien has to offer.