The Board of Selectmen Monday approved a request from the Police Commission to offer John Rich, a soon-to-be retired Connecticut State Police (CSP) lieutenant, the position of commander within the Madison Police Department with an annual salary of $98,000, effective Aug. 1.

Rich, according to a profile on the LinkedIn website, has been a Connecticut state trooper since 1988 when he graduated from the training academy at the top of his class. Notably, he served as a supervisor in the CSP eastern district on its Major Crime Squad from 1992 to 2005. For approximately four years, he served as the town of Ledyard’s resident state trooper, where he headed the Police Department, the Emergency Communication Center, and the Animal Control Division. Presently, he is the commanding officer of the Division of Internal Affairs for the Connecticut State Police.

He has received CSP Awards for Meritorious Service in 2001, 2003, and 2005. He received the state police Department Lifesaving Award in 1995 and the Award for Outstanding Police Service in 1993 and 1999.

The commander position is a new one for the Madison Police Department. Just over a year ago, the Police Commission created a captain’s position to serve as the department’s second in command to Police Chief Jack Drumm. The position was filled by Jonathan Pardo, a 22 year veteran. He chose to retire earlier this year in order to preserve health care benefits for his spouse. The commission and Drumm looked once again at the department’s structure and decided to create a commander post “somewhere between a captain and a chief,” Commission Chair Eric Thornburg said.

Drumm told the Board of Selectmen Monday, “The captain’s position will be eliminated. Three lieutenant positions have been eliminated. There will be one commander position. We will promote from within to fill three sergeant positions. Overall we will save between $48,000  and $50,000 wile still maintaining 28 officers in the department.”