Broderick Makes Lieutenant

Keith Broderick, a 17-year veteran of the Fairfield Police Department who helped to capture the "snow bandits" - commercial burglars who eluded police officers in Connecticut for more than a decade - was promoted to lieutenant in a ceremony this morning in the department's second-floor conference room.

Police Chief David Peck said he could rely on Broderick and always felt at ease when he heard Broderick was responding to a call because he knew the call would be handled correctly and he wouldn't have to give it a second thought.

Broderick will be supervisor of patrol officers on the evening shift, which is from 4 p.m. to midnight, and, while his new job requires him to be in the office at the beginning and end of his shift, he plans to be out in the field as well.

Broderick said the hours would be rough because he would leave for work when his children came home from school, but he added that he liked the type of police work that happens between 4 p.m. and midnight. "Anything of substance or value that comes in on my shift is my responsibility," he said.

Broderick was the top scorer on an exam that determined who would be promoted to lieutenant to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Police Lt. Philip Mascendaro, who was a Fairfield Police officer for 36 years.

Andrea Broderick, Keith Broderick's wife, said her husband's promotion this morning was terrific. "I'm excited, my whole family is excited. He worked hard for this. He's been doing a lot of studying the last few months," she said.

Broderick was one of the police officers who captured the "snow bandits," commercial burglars who stole 4-wheel drive SUVs before committing commercial burglaries in Connecticut in the early morning hours during and after snowstorms. The snow bandits, who typically stole safes and cash registers and who had police scanners to identify officers' locations, were so prolific that a statewide task force was set up to capture them.

"I was chasing them when I was a patrolman, and I've been a sergeant for 10 years," Broderick said, adding that the snow bandits could escape police pursuits in the snow because their stolen SUVs had 4-wheel drive, while police cars didn't.

Broderick, along with Detectives Peter Bravo and Kevin McKeon, were able to capture one of the snow bandits about two and-a-half years ago after they crashed into a police car on Mill Plain Road in Fairfield after a commercial burglary in Norwalk, and former Fairfield Police Officer Bryan Staffey captured another snow bandit that night. A third snow bandit was arrested later, police said.

Police that night communicated with cell phones and computers, instead of police radios, because they knew the snow bandits had scanners, Broderick said.

Patrol officers on the department's midnight shift, as well as Bridgeport Police Detectives Alexi Ruiz and Eric King, also were involved, Bravo said. Ironically, the snow bandits were captured in June. "It was so profitable that they expanded [their operation] through the whole year," Bravo said.

First Selectman Ken Flatto said the Fairfield Police Department was one of the finest in the nation and that its officers were "the backbone of this community, protecting this community."

Broderick, who previously served on the department's bike patrol, was promoted to sergeant in 2000 and is an instructor in firearms, active shooter and patrol rifle. He also is president of the union that represents police officers. "He's well respected in the department by those in his collective bargaining unit and those who supervise him," Peck said.

Peck said four sergeants did well on the lieutenant's exam and that the promotion list was good for a year. "We anticipate, in the next year, we'll have additional retirements at the lieutenant level," he said.

The Police Department is authorized this year to have 106 officers, and Peck said the department had asked to go back to 108 officers, but the Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance had agreed to 107; the Representative Town Meeting's decision is pending.

After this morning's ceremony, Barbara Broderick, Keith Broderick's mother, said, "I'm very proud, can't be anything but proud."

"He's worked very hard for what he's got and will do a great job," Barbara Broderick said.