New London — Two new police captains with a combined 34 years of experience were sworn in Friday at City Hall before family, friends and fellow police officers.

Brian Wright and Todd Bergeson, both former New London police lieutenants, were the top two candidates for the positions that were left vacant in January when Capts. William Dittman and Michael Lacey retired.

“It feels good,” Bergeson said in between posing for pictures with his wife and children. “I’ll be in charge of my own division. It’s another chapter in my career and I hope I can do as well as Capt. Lacey and Dittman, who were both my mentors when I was a sergeant and lieutenant. I probably wouldn’t be a captain today if it wasn’t for their help and the help of Capt. Steven Crowley and the chief.”

Bergeson will be in charge of the patrol division. Wright will be in charge of the support services division.

Family and friends gathered in the City Council chambers were joined by current and retired New London police officers and officers from surrounding communities.

“Seven months ago, the restructuring of the police department began, and after many months and a very extensive process, we can now say that the leadership team of the New London police department is fully assembled and ready to go to work,” Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio said. “Today is a great day in the city of New London and an exceptional day for the New London police department.”

Each man had family members pin the gold-colored badge onto his shirt. The two also had been sworn in as lieutnants on the same day, 2½ years ago, Bergeson said.

Adriana Wright said her husband’s promotion to captain Friday afternoon was a culmination of his hard work.

“He loves his job. This is an honor,” she said. “Now I call him ‘Captain Wright’ at home as a joke. He calls and I say, ‘Yes, Captain.’ He deserves this because he’s really good at what he does.”

She said her 5-year-old daughter, Brielle, called Friday “Daddy’s day.”

j.hanckel@theday.com