Greenwich Police Department Promotes 4 Officers

GREENWICH, CT — In the first public promotional ceremony for the Greenwich Police Department in about 16 months, four officers with 77 combined years of experience were promoted within the ranks on Monday at headquarters.

Kraig Gray was promoted from captain to deputy chief, as he takes over for the recently retired Mark Marino. Marino officially retired earlier this month after nearly 40 years with the department.

In line behind Gray was Eric Scorca, who moved from lieutenant to captain; Ted Latiak from sergeant to lieutenant; and Kyle O'Neill, from detective to sergeant.

"We truly appreciate you lending your loved one to us and the Greenwich Police Department to continue to make Greenwich safe," GPD Chief James Heavey said to the officers' families in attendance.

Heavey called the men "exemplary performing officers" who have distinguished themselves in various roles within the department over the years.

"They represent the Greenwich Police Department and the Town of Greenwich well," Heavey added.

Police Commissioner and First Selectman Fred Camillo noted that the event was the first public, in-person promotion ceremony for the police department in about a year-and-a-half. Other promotions were held privately with officers and some family members due to the pandemic.

"We look to a bright new day for these four officers and their families and the police department, and it's a bright new day for our Town and our country, too. We look forward to your new roles, and we salute you for your past service," Camillo said.

Gray came to the GPD in 1992, and he was promoted to sergeant in 2000, and lieutenant in 2007 before he was elevated to captain in 2017. Over his time with the GPD, Gray has held numerous positions, ranging from patrol officer to public information officer and later detective division commander.

He has numerous letters of commendation, including the Chiefs Award of Merit. Gray graduated from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor's degree in society and justice, and he has a master's in public administration from Marist College.

Prior to joining the GPD, Gray served as U.S. Army First Sergeant and was deployed to the Philippines and Kuwait.

As deputy chief, Gray will now be in charge of the department's Professional Standards, which includes Internal Affairs and making sure the department follows policies and procedures. He'll also be tasked with overseeing the town's Parking Services Department,

Gray said he's looking forward to the new role, which involves a lot of administrative work.

"It's all important towards the ultimate success of the police department and providing superior service to the community. The frontline officers need solid support in back of them, and making sure all those processes and procedures and everything is taken care of so they can do their work undistracted," Gray said, adding that he's prepared for the job. "With rank comes responsibility, and all of us have changed our responsibilities. We always are kind of grooming those behind us to take the next position. Each one of us has been groomed to take the next position."

Gray believes the new faces in the new roles will help move the department forward.

"This is a big shift within the agency, where you have people fulfilling a different role. Along with that comes some personality changes, a learning curve, and a lot of movement. There's going to be lots of opportunities to take a look at the way things are done and make improvements," he said.

Above all else, Gray said he's proud to be a member of the GPD.

"I think we do it very well here in Greenwich, particularly over the last few years we've done a great job of growing and getting with the times," he said.

Scorca came to the GPD in 2002, and has climbed up the ranks over the years, most recently to lieutenant in 2017. During his time in that role, he served as a supervisor to the PAtrol Division, the Organized Retail Theft Unit, and the Detective Division. Scorca has received extensive police training, including hostage negotiation, detective school and undercover management.

Scorca has earned numerous commendations and awards from the Chief of Police, Command Staff and the Silver Shield Association. He's been named Officer of the Month multiple times, most recently when he acted as a hostage negotiator and talked down a man who was armed, suicidal and barricaded. He was also the recipient of the 2017 John Clarke Award.

Latiak became a Greenwich police officer in 2008, and he was promoted to detective in 2012, and to sergeant in 2017. He's a member of the department's scuba team, and has been a part of both the forensics and marine sections. He has received numerous departmental commendations, including Officer of the Month in 2010.

A graduate of Greenwich High School, Latiak also graduated from West Point. He earned two master's degrees from Columbia University in 2005 and 2006, and in 2015 he earned his MBA from UConn.

O'Neill is a 14 year veteran of the GPD. In 2012, he was promoted to the rank of detective, and he attended the Markle School and the Fairfield County Detective School. He has training in concealed assets, cell phone forensics, crime scene processing, impression evidence, advanced interview and interrogation, and homicide and death investigations.

During his career, O'Neill has received several awards, including Officer of the Month. In 2015, he received the FBI Investigator's Award, and in 2019 he received the U.S. Attorney's Office Case Award. He was also featured in the podcast, The Perfect Scam, hosted by AARP, for his investigation of a grandparent scam that resulted in a major arrest and the recovery of $16,000.

O'Neill is originally from Trumbull, Conn., and is a graduate of the University of Hartford, where he earned his bachelor's degree in criminal justice in 2005.