The search is on for a new Chief of Police at Central Connecticut State University. The CCSU Police Department has hosted three meet and greet sessions for students to ask each of the final candidates questions.

After each session, a survey was sent to the student body to allow for student input in the hiring decision.

CCSU Police said the position would be filled “as soon as possible.”

The final three candidates for the position are Lieutenant Thomas Roncinske Jr. from Norwalk, Captain Sean Grant from Manchester, and Sergeant Robert Catania–who already works with CCSU Police.

Thomas Roncinske Jr.

Roncinske has been a lieutenant since 2015 at the Norwalk Department of Police Services. He has worked there since 1989, and

moved up the ranks from police officer, to detective, to sergeant, and finally lieutenant.

He went to Nazareth College of Rochester for his Bachelor of Science in Studio Art, and to Western Connecticut State University for his Master of Science in Justice and Law Administration.

Roncinske won Officer of the Year in 2003 and 2006.

Roncinski also cites his experience in leadership roles like budgeting and team building, as well as investigative efforts and impressive cases. He points out his knowledge of and experience with domestic violence cases and legislature.

Sean Grant

Grant has been the police captain at Manchester Police Department since 2018. Grant started off as an officer there, then became a

sergeant, lieutenant, and now captain.

He has worked in the Manchester Police Department since 1996.

He went to UConn to get his Bachelor of Arts in political science and sociology.

Before becoming an officer, he served four years in the Connecticut National Guard.

Grant was the recipient of the 2015 Janet E. Williams Humanitarian Award, and two Manchester Police Department Medals of Valor- Active Shooter, in 2010 and 2011.

Grant cites his attention to detail and his past experience dealing with persons with mental health challenges in his application letter.

Robert Catania

Catania has been a police sergeant in the CCSU Police Department since 2018. 

Before his time here, Catania worked as a sergeant in Ledyard for three years.

Catania spent most of his career in the Rocky Hill Police Department. While there, he worked up from officer to sergeant, then lieutenant, to the commander of criminal investigations. He worked there from 1989 to 2017.

He also currently works at Dillon Security and Safety, LLC, in Wethersfield, CT. He has been a public safety consultant at the company since 2017.

Catania graduated from Post University with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice in 2019. He went back and graduated from Post University with a Master of Public Administration in 2021.

In his application letter, Catania went into detail about how his experience would serve him in the role of CCSU Police Chief and says he is “personally and professionally situated” to fit the role.

He said he has dedicated his career to community-based policing, and his experience in campus safety has been the focus of his work.