City police losing 3 longtime officers
Toolbox
By Brent Curtis Staff Writer - Published: October 19, 2009
The Rutland Police Department is saying goodbye to some longtime officers and a detective and it's unclear who, if anyone, will replace them.
Starting early next month, three members will retire: Parking Enforcement Officer Thomas LaFond, Sgt. Linda Elrick and, only recently announced, Detective Cpl. Chris Kiefer-Cioffi.
Kiefer-Cioffi, who tendered her resignation last week, will retire on Nov. 2, with LaFond saying he will retire soon after. Elrick, who could not be reached for comment, will retire before the end of the year.
The officers' departures — especially Kiefer-Cioffi whose skill in forensic gathering far exceeds anyone else on the force — leaves holes that Mayor Christopher Louras said Sunday he and Police Chief Anthony Bossi need to discuss.
"That question will be answered when the budget comes out on Nov. 1," Louras said. "I need to wait until (Bossi) gets back from vacation to solidify my position on the budget. It's not fair to talk one way or the other without talking to the chief."
Bossi, who left on an out of state business trip before Kiefer-Cioffi announced her retirement, could not be reached for comment.
While it's unclear whether the detective position will be filled, Detective Ray LaMoria said there's no question that the department will lose a valuable member when Kiefer-Cioffi retires.
"She had so many years of experience," LaMoria said. "She would take care of everything that needed to be done forensically at a crime scene allowing the lead investigator to concentrate on witnesses and lead suspects. She will be greatly missed."
While other members of the department have training in forensic preservation and gathering, LaMoria said no one in the department has forensic knowledge approaching Kiefer-Cioffi's. Her departure will require the city to call on the State Police's mobile crime lab in forensic heavy investigations such as murder scenes.
Other departments in Rutland County, including the State Police, rely on the mobile crime lab which is located outside Rutland County.
While the State Police forensic team does good work, LaMoria said Rutland's investigators have benefited by having an officer in-house who could inform detectives about physical evidence at a scene and who was in close contact with the forensic lab in Waterbury.
Reached briefly by phone on Friday, Kiefer-Cioffi said she decided to retire early — she has served 26 years on the force — for insurance reasons and because of the lack of advancement opportunities at the department.
"I know I don't stand to be promoted so there's no sense in staying," she said.
Her concerns about insurance are shared by LaFond who said he plans to retire before a new contract takes effect that would require a co-payment on health insurance for members of the department.
The contract, which would replace a union contract with members of the department that expired in June, isn't a done deal. Both the union's membership and the Board of Aldermen have yet to vote on whether to ratify it.
But LaFond, who started working for the department in 1988, said he plans to retire so that he and his wife will have medical coverage until they turn 65 years old.
"I'm not really retiring. I'll be looking for a job soon," he said.
LaFond said he believes the department won't replace him — relying instead on beat officers to ticket expired meters and other parking violations.
brent.curtis@rutlandherald.com
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