A 28-year veteran of the Connecticut state police, Brian F. Meraviglia has been named to replace retiring Col. Danny Stebbins as commander of the division.
Dora Shriro, commissioner of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, announced the appointment Friday. She also named Maj. Warren “Butch” Hyatt Jr. to succeed Meraviglia as lieutenant colonel of the state police division.
“With a combined 59 years of exemplary service in law enforcement, Brian Meraviglia and Butch Hyatt have dedicated their lives to keeping the public safe,” Shriro wrote in a statement. “They are time-tested leaders whose experience and expertise will be invaluable as we move our state police force forward.”
Meraviglia has worked as a patrol trooper, a resident trooper, a major crime detective, and a sergeant. Since 2002 he has held several high ranks. He has overseen the Western District’s Major Crime Squad, the Central District, Troop G, and the division’s Bureau of Professional Standards & Compliance and Bureau of Criminal Investigations.
Meraviglia began his law enforcement career as an officer with the Trumbull Police Department where he was a patrol officers for three years. He is a graduate of the University of Connecticut Executive Program and the FBI National Academy
Hyatt has worked as a patrol trooper, K-9 handler and a major crime detective and sergeant. Since 2002 he has held higher officer ranks and has overseen the Central and Western Districts’ Major Crime Squads, Troop A, Homeland Security, the Motor Vehicle Fraud Task Force and the bureaus of Criminal Investigations and of Professional Standards &Compliance. He began his career as an officer with the Milford Police Department for a year and a half.
Stebbins was the subject of a no-confidence vote by the State Police Union, in part over a controversy stemming from the consolidation of police-dispatch functions that left some troops unmanned at night.
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said last month he had not sought or encouraged Stebbins to retire.
The governor, a candidate for re-election, also downplayed any connection to the election, saying he believes the union is remaining neutral in the race.