Ansonia chooses Williams as police chief
ANSONIA — A long drawn out search for the city’s new police chief ended this week when Acting Chief Wayne Williams signed a contract with the city to become its new permanent police chief.
Williams said he was glad the search was over. “It has been a long and arduous process,” he said.
Williams succeeds Andrew Cota, who resigned last summer.
And while Mayor David Cassetti said at the time he wanted a new chief by August 15, the search was still ongoing six months later.
Ansonia was supposed to have a new police chief around the same time that its new police headquarters was to be unveiled near the end of the summer, but both initiatives encountered delays. But while the new headquarters building opened in October, the search for a new chief continued.
Cassetti had initially advocated for an outsider to be hired as police chief, but he said this week that Williams is the best qualified candidate. The city’s police commission recently chose Williams.
Cassetti said Williams would be sworn in next week to the $143,000 a year position.
“I’m very excited. I’m very glad that it worked out well for Wayne. He worked his way up as a patrolman to a sergeant and lieutenant and now to chief. So he paid his dues, and I’m looking forward to working with him for the next few years,” Cassetti said.
Williams has been with the Ansonia Police Department for 32 years. But the police chief position wasn’t necessarily his to take. Cassetti said other candidates were considered as well.
Cassetti said in early January he was happy with Williams but at that time he was also pushing for the acting police chief in New Haven, Renee Dominguez.
“I am very satisfied with Acting Chief Williams, and the way he’s put himself together as a police chief... I was open to go with him. I did want to go outside the department. But we don’t have suitable candidates. That’s the problem. I was really hoping that we were going to get the Acting Chief in New Haven, Renee Dominguez; I was very interested in her,” he said.
Ultimately the police commission chose Williams.
Cassetti said Williams’ swearing in ceremony will be at 6 p.m. on March 9 at the Ansonia Police Department headquarters on Main Street.
“I don’t want to waste any time; I want to hit the ground running,” Cassetti said.