Norwich - Police Chief Louis Fusaro will start the New Year with the task of filling two top police positions, as the department's only captain and the lieutenant in charge of the Records and Animal Control divisions retire after decades of service.

Capt. Timothy Menard and Lt. William Molis made their retirement plans official last week, with Molis' last day scheduled as Dec. 30 and Menard departing on Jan. 7. The two have spent their entire police careers in Norwich, having risen through the ranks in the city where they grew up.

Fusaro said he has mixed feelings about losing two of his top officers at the same time.

"I certainly hate to see them go, but on the other hand, they have earned their retirements," he said.

Fusaro said he fully expects to promote officers from within the department to fill both Menard's and Molis' positions, and that in turn would create a chain of other openings for promotions to lieutenant and sergeant. The city Human Resources Department already is working on setting up the written and oral exams for interested applicants, and Fusaro hopes to announce a new captain by the end of February.

Fusaro has known Menard since both were young men, as the two are lifetime members of the East Great Plain Volunteer Fire Department.

Menard was not available for comment on his retirement this week, especially with the police investigation into a stabbing death on Boswell Avenue early Tuesday morning.

Menard served for 31 years in the Norwich Police Department, starting as a full-time patrolman in 1979. He rose through the ranks and served as detective division commander, patrol division captain and currently is third in command at the department and serves as the media liaison.

Fusaro called him a forthright individual who instills confidence in people and speaks his mind.

"He's been a great asset to the department and certainly will be a loss," Fusaro said.

Molis also rose through the ranks at the department and will retire with more than 27 years of experience. He was a patrol sergeant, served in the detective division and during that time was on the statewide narcotics task force.

Fusaro noted his dedication, attention to detail and "flair for humor."

Molis, 53, moved to Norwich with his family when he was 2 and grew up on Hamilton Avenue. The family later moved to Preston, still in the Norwich Free Academy school district. He graduated from NFA in 1975 and joined the U.S. Marine Corps. He returned to the Norwich area and worked as a security guard at United Nuclear Corp. in Montville before joining the Norwich police force at age 26.

Molis recalled one day when he referred to a supervisor as "a dinosaur," and the man retorted that pretty soon, Molis would be one himself.

"I'm considered old school now," he said.

Molis called policing a job for "young men and women." He doesn't miss the field work in the heat, cold and rain, but said the administrative work comes with its own aggravations.

"A lot of people don't realize police can't be everywhere," Molis said. "We're not miracle workers."

Molis, who lives in Voluntown, said he will most miss the camaraderie among police officers. He compared the close bond among officers to the feelings military service people have for one another.

"There's an awful lot of good people here, hardworking people," Molis said.

But he said it's time to "let someone else pick up the reins." Molis plans to spend time with his wife of 27 years, Judith, his three stepdaughters, five granddaughters and his golden retriever.

c.bessette@theday.com