#MiddleburyCT #MiddleburyPoliceCommission #MiddleburyPoliceChief #Contract
By MARJORIE NEEDHAM
The Middlebury Police Commission (PC), at its September 8, 2025, meeting, voted to extend Middlebury Police Chief Patrick Deely’s employment contract and, according to a memorandum from PC Chairman George Moreira, to include a buyout provision. Deely’s current contract started October 1, 2022, and would have expired September 30, 2027.
The contract has now been extended to March 11, 2030, a period of 2 years, 5 months and 11 days. We asked Deely why the extension was for that particular amount of time, and he said he did not know. We hoped to learn the reason from Moreira.
The buyout provision says Deely will have 20 years of service January 11, 2029. However, it says he may retire earlier than that date and receive his 20-year pension according to the town’s defined benefit pension plan, which permits him to receive full credit for any unused and accumulated vacation, sick and personal time. Deely is to receive 20 years of credited service at 2.5% for pension calculations plus 2% for any period past 20 years of credited service.
We asked Deely if he had plans to retire immediately. He said, “No, none.”
“I have no plans to retire until 2029,” he said. He said he wouldn’t leave Middlebury high and dry, and he doesn’t plan to retire until Middlebury is in a good position to transition to a new police chief.
Moreira’s memorandum noted Deely was being given the extension because he has performed admirably since becoming chief. It said morale has consistently improved, police visibility has increased measurably and public safety has been maintained. It noted the chief also led the department’s efforts to become accredited, obtaining the State of Connecticut Police Officer Standards and Training Council accreditation at levels I, II and III as of September 11, 2025.
Deely said he has been encouraging the PC to review his performance and to implement a review process. He said reviews would help the PC see the obstacles he has overcome.
Deely started working for Middlebury part-time in 2008 after he retired from the Waterbury police department. He became a full-time employee in 2009 and had worked his way up to sergeant when, in August 2021, he was appointed acting police chief when Chief Francis Dabbo retired.
Asked about his pension from Waterbury, he said it is probably half of what Lt. Hunt will have from Middlebury, but the Waterbury pension did offer full medical coverage. Because of this Middlebury has not had to cover him for group health insurance.
It’s unclear why the PC chose to act just before the November 4, 2025 election. We were not be able to get clarification on this point before press time. However, the election will change who is first selectman and could change up to three members of the five-member police commission.
Current PC members up for re-election are Tom King, George Moreira and Paul Bowler. They are opposed by David Erwin, Ralph Barra and Joshua Hubbard. Had the chief’s contract not been extended and a buyout provision not given now, whoever takes office as a result of the November election would have had to approve the chief’s contract renewal in 2027, and the chief would not have had a buyout provision.
