Shelton extends contract of police chief

SHELTON – The city has locked up its top cop for five years.

Shawn Sequeira, first hired as Shelton police chief some eight years ago, received a contract extension Wednesday. The Board of Aldermen, with Mayor Mark Lauretti’s endorsement, unanimously approved the deal which keeps the chief in place until 2027.

“I am honored to continue to be the Shelton Police Chief for the next five years,” Sequeira said. “I have been with the department for almost eight years and worked alongside the most outstanding police officers who are committed to protecting and serving the community.”

Sequeira thanked the aldermen and Lauretti for their “vote of confidence” in his leadership.

“It was a group effort that we continue to maintain and be recognized as one of the safest cities in Connecticut,” the chief said.

When hired, Sequeira became the first Black police chief in the city’s history. In the years since, he said one of his proudest accomplishments includes the city being recognized as one of the 10 safest in the state based on FBI crime statistics and population data for the past few years.

Within his first year as chief, Sequeira spearheaded the department earning state accreditation from the Police Officer Standards and Training Council. Last year, the department received its re-accreditation.

“I want to continue to focus on cops being visible for the community which ultimately deters crime,” Sequeira said about his goals moving forward. “Everything is primary to me … most notably the safety of schools, businesses and all people living here, working here, and traveling through.”

The police union leadership endorsed Sequeira’s contract extension.

“The union is pleased with the decision of the city of Shelton to renew Chief Sequeira’s contract,” said Officer John Giordano, who was elected union president earlier this year. “The union looks forward to working with the Chief.”

Sequeira began his career in 2001, working for the state Department of Children and Families. In 2006, he joined the state police, where he spent 10 years.

Most of this time he served as a detective with the Central District Major Crime Squad. While serving in the unit he investigated a variety of criminal matters across the state, including bank robberies, financial crimes, homicides, arsons and sexual assaults.

Some of the major cases he investigated included the Sandy Hook school shootings; the 2009 murder of Annie Le; the Hartford Distributors mass shooting; and the Kleen Energy explosion in Middletown.

Sequeira