The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Rivalry is good for the cause
Annual Chief’s Cup honors, benefits members of FD, PD
NEW HAVEN >> Firefighters and police officers took to the ice Saturday in a twodecade old rivalry that engenders camaraderie among the public safety personnel and raises funds for a good cause.
Family members, friends and local politicians came to Ingalls Rink at Yale University in the early afternoon for the 2017 Chief’s Cup.
This year, the event will benefit Police Officer John Lalli, a 19-year member of the force, who suffered a stroke last October. Lalli has been back on light duty at the department working with the Bureau of Identification since December and hopes to be back full time soon.
Lalli had been assigned to the patrol division and has worked in the Westville division.
The departments also use the event to honor two of their members.
The police officer of the year is Detective Michael Wuchek who began his career on the force in 1997.
While in the detective bureau, he was assigned to the robbery/burglary unit, major crimes unit and has been part of the homicide unit for the past 12 years. Wuchek was also a member of the Statewide Narcotics Task Force.
Wuchek has been the lead investigator on 46 homicides and has assisted in over 200 homicide investigations over this career.
Deputy Fire Chief Thomas Neville is the firefighter of the year.
Neville has been on the department since 1987. He has served at several engine companies, and was also detailed to the New Haven Regional Fire Training Academy. Neville rose through the ranks over the years, including serving as the assistant chief of operations.
Neville has also been an executive board member of the New Haven Firefighters Local 825 for 20 years.
The deputy has received numerous awards, including NHFD Medal
“We can’t wait to present (Police) Chief (Anthony) Campbell with the cup at our weekly Compstat meeting on Thursday. To the FD, good game. You didn’t show up, but good game!” — Police Lt. Herbert Johnson
of Valor for rescuing two victims of a fire on Christmas 1994 by making three trips back into the burning building.
Neville has also received eight letters of commendation and was the recipient of Firehouse Magazine Heroism and Community Service Award, among other awards.
As for the winner of the cup this year, it was the police force, which blew away the fire department team with a 7 to 1 score.
Planning for the event was done by Police Lt. Herbert Johnson.
The cup has gone back and forth between the departments, with the Fire Department one up on the Police Department in the history of the games, Johnson said.
“We have been training hard. They got lazy. They like to sleep! Oops, did I say that?” Johnson commented on this year’s win.
He thanked everyone who showed up for game.
“We can’t wait to present (Police) Chief (Anthony) Campbell with the cup at our weekly Compstat meeting on Thursday. To the FD, good game. You didn’t show up, but good game!”, Johnson wrote in an email.
Johnson said they will know how much was raised by the end of the week.