Aaron Kasiewicz has some ideas on changing the way Brookfield Police Department goes about its business, but he will have enough on his plate when he takes over as the new chief July 1 that he’s not looking to act on them right away.
There’s the matter of learning all the chief does, and then finding people to fill the sergeant, detective and evidence custodian positions that he will be vacating. There also will have to be discussion as to whether the department will be able to afford to hire a new patrolman to fill the slot Police Chief Dan Faustino will vacate, Faustino said recently.
“The first year, I see a lot of transition and getting used to the new position and how things run and then, hopefully, from there we can expand on any changes or things we’d like to do,” Kasiewicz said.
Once he reaches a comfort level as chief and with staffing, Kasiewicz would like to explore whether to initiate a K9 unit and the cross training of employees so that people are available to step in for him, a sergeant or another specialty position should the person holding that position have to step away for a time.
“Hopefully, (I) bring a younger, more modern approach to some things that we’ve been doing the same for several years,” he said.
Brookfield trustees introduced Kasiewicz as the next chief at their March 4 meeting. Kasewicz will be officially hired later, after a contract agreement is reached, trustees said.
Kasiewicz is a 42-year resident of Brookfield and a Brookfield High School graduate. He worked for the Trumbull County sheriff out of high school “until I was old enough to come to Brookfield,” he said.
“This is home to me. Married, have five beautiful daughters. I attended schools. This is my community. The opportunity that the board is giving me to be able to serve in such a great capacity, it means a lot to me and my family. I’m anxious and excited for this step. It’s gonna be a big change, and I hope to see some great things come out of this.”
As chief, Kasiewicz will take on the management of the department’s finances – a tall order, as past and present trustees have heaped praise on how Faustino has handled the money.
“I’m gonna do the best I can to give the residents the best that we can give them for what we have to work with,” he said. “We have a limited budget and we’ll pinch pennies and make it work however we have to do to give them the best service we can with what we have to work with.”
Trustee Mark Ferrara called Kasiewicz “a Brookfield person in and out.”
“When you hire within, it’s a blessing,” Ferrara said. “(Kasiewicz) knows the community, there’s a lot of support for him, he passed the grueling interview process and we’re excited to have him.”
Trustee Shannon Devitz said Kasiewicz is “ready to do this. You have the ability to shine, and we’re in good hands.”
Ferrara and Devitz decided to accept only in-house applications for the job, something Trustee Dan Suttles didn’t support. Kasiewicz was the only applicant.
But, as the process played out, Suttles said, he became more comfortable with it.
“I realized, when we interviewed (Kasiewicz), we didn’t need to look outside,” Suttles said. “I thought I knew Aaron Kasiewicz, I’ve known him a lot longer than me being a trustee, but, I told him, I didn’t know Aaron Kasiewicz. Aaron has a lot of experience in areas that I don’t know that we could have found in anybody outside. In a way, I kind of apologize that I wanted to look outside. Aaron understood where I was coming from. At the end, we found our police chief within our own walls. He’s gonna serve well, as Chief Faustino did, and, hopefully, for as long as Chief Faustino.”
Suttles added that letters of support from Cpl. Gerald Hockey – who has served the department the longest after Faustino – and Sgt. Cody Dean “went a long way with me.”
Kasiewicz will be able to “slide right into the position,” Suttles said.
