Longtime lawmen retiring from state
New agreement requires major changes for Connecticut employees
Kenneth W. Edwards Jr. of New London, who retired as a New London police captain in 2007 and took a job as an inspector for the Division of Criminal Justice, turned in his badge and gun Thursday, ending a 35-year run in law enforcement.
Robert E. Foltz, 56, of East Lyme, a judicial marshal for the past 20 years, turned in his uniform this week and left the courthouse on Huntington Street in New London.
Also leaving state service effective Oct. 1 is Bob Manley, 68, who served as an investigator at the Geographical Area 21 courthouse on Broad Street since 2005. Prior to taking that job, Manley had served as a Groton Town police officer for 31 years, retiring in 2004 as a patrol sergeant.
All of the retirees had their own reasons for putting in their papers just now, but finances always are a consideration. Under the new State Employee Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC) agreement that goes into effect on Oct. 2, state employees will be paying more for health care and retirement benefits and will be required to take unpaid furlough days.
“Throughout state government and at the Judicial Branch, it has been an extraordinary year for retirements,” said Rhonda Stearley-Hebert, communications manager for the branch. “As of Oct. 1st, 250 Judicial Branch employees have retired, which is four times the number of retirements that (typically) occur in one year.”
“We can’t say what an individual’s specific reasons are for retiring, but generally speaking the SEBAC changes are having an impact,” Stearley-Hebert said. “Also, some judicial marshals received additional service credit for time spent as special deputy sheriffs, which increased the number of marshals eligible to retire.”
As of Dec. 1, 2000, special deputy sheriffs became subject to the jurisdiction of the Judicial Branch and became known as judicial marshals.
The retirements have resulted in crucial gaps for the Judicial Branch, particularly with the marshals, according to Stearley-Hebert.
“Nor are we in a position to replace employees until a budget is adopted,” she said.
New London State’s Attorney Michael L. Regan said it is unlikely he would be able to hire someone to fill the vacancy left by Manley’s departure. Since a hiring freeze was enacted within the Division of Criminal Justice, the New London district has been unable to replace an inspector, two investigators (including Manley), three prosecutors and a secretary, according to Regan.
Manley is retiring in the true sense of the word and said he would be “just enjoying life” from now on. But Edwards and Foltz are both headed to new jobs.
Edwards, who is 55, said he would be doing something completely different in the next chapter of his life. He begins work next week as a sales representative for Advanced Home Improvements of Mystic. He will continue to serve the community as a member of the board of directors of Community Speaks Out, a commissioner of the Port Authority for the City of New London and a volunteer with Discovering Amistad.
“I’ve been a police officer since I was 19 years old, so this is definitely going to feel a little different,” Edwards said in a phone interview.
Foltz spent the past two decades transporting prisoners to and from court, working in the cell block where prisoners await their court appearances and keeping order in the courtroom. The mild-mannered marshal has seen defendants in a lot of major cases go to trial at the courthouse, the most notorious one, he said, being that of serial killer Michael Ross.
“I’m going to miss the people more than the job,” Foltz said.
He said he would be taking some time off, then starting a security job at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital.
His mother, Alba Foltz of Niantic, who for years has been bringing home-cooked meals and baked goods to her son’s co-workers, said she has been told in no uncertain terms that she cannot leave the court system.