Santarella named Darien’s first female police commissioner

Written by Lynsey Santimays
Tuesday, 03 November 2009 11:09

TUESDAY — With only a few days left as selectman, Linda Santarella made the decision to resign from her post on the Board of Selectmen last Friday. But the step down allowed her to take a leap forward, as she becomes the first woman to be a Darien police commissioner, after being appointed by the Board of Selectmen Monday night.

In one of her final actions as first selectman, Evonne Klein motioned to appoint Santarella to the three-member Police Commission during the final scheduled meeting of this current Board of Selectmen. Santarella, who spent the past six years seated to Klein’s left as a selectman and more than two decades serving the town in various capacities, received her latest honor from the audience.

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Santarella — along with Klein and Selectman Seth Morton — was not running in this week’s town election.

Selectman Callie Sullivan showed her support for Santarella, stating: “Linda has been an elected official for over 20 years, serving her community with diligence and enthusiasm. Linda understands not only the needs of our community which our 51 sworn officers serve, but she also understands the pressures from outside communities, as well.”

Support and congratulations also poured from Selectman David Bayne, who highlighted the fact that Santarella will be the first-ever woman commissioner in Darien. “This is a landmark occasion,” Bayne said. “Over 10 percent of our police force is female officers, and I think it is important that we have a woman’s voice on the police commission.

“I am pleased to second the nomination,” he added.

After receiving a unanimous 3-0 vote, with Selectman Morton absent, Santarella rose to address her former selectmen and the crowded audience. “My thanks and appreciation to expressing your faith in me as a your new police commissioner,” Santarella said. “You have bestowed upon me a great responsibility and honor which I will work hard to uphold.”

While excited to look towards the future with her new role, Santarella felt she would be remiss if she did not acknowledge her past six years as selectman.

“I want you all to know that this new challenge represents the culmination of my past service,” she said. “One of the things I am most proud of is that we, as a group, made the best decisions we could for the people of Darien. It didn’t matter if they were a D or an R or an I— they were the people, and people came before politics and partisanship,” she said referencing Democrats, Republicans and independents.

“That is even more important to me as I move to my new role as a Darien police commissioner,” Santarella added.

Santarella took the time to personally address each of the selectmen present that night, as well. Expressing her “utmost respect” for the board as a whole, she thanked Bayne for bringing a “wonderful perspective to this board” and Sullivan for helping to “make it fun” as a “new kid on the block.” However, she reserved her kindest words for Klein.

“I am the only member who has been with Evonne from the beginning,” Santarella said. “We had a rocky road in the beginning, but found a way to work together.

“Evonne, you made me a better woman that I thought I could be, you made me stronger than I thought I could be, and for people who challenged me and said ‘you can’t do it’ — now I know I can,” Santarella added.

Ready and willing to take on her new role as a police commissioner, Santarella said she has already started to educated herself on the responsibilities of the position per the town charter. One thing the charter doesn’t list that Santarella brings is her heart.

“Don’t ever doubt me,” she said. “My heart is as big as this town is, with its population of 20,000, and every decision I make is because of them.”

“I am forever grateful,” Santarella said, in closing.

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