FAIRFIELD — Capt. Michael Paris has been chosen as the next town police chief, retiring chief Robert Kalamaras, Acting First Selectman Christine Vitale announced earlier today.
Vitale swore in Chief Paris last night after the Fairfield Police Commission unanimously approved his selection.
Chief Paris most recently served as field services bureau commander, where he led the largest bureau of sworn personnel within the department.
“I am honored to welcome and begin working with Chief Paris in in his new capacity,” Vitale said. “From the moment I met him, I was impressed with Mike’s approachability, commitment to our community and knowledge of best practices in policing. He is a natural leader and will do great things for an already amazing department.”
The action by Vitale was one of her first as acting first selectman following the death of First Selectman Bill Gerber, who died on July 16 at Yale New Haven Hospital following complications from two brain surgeries.
Chief Paris began his career with the Town of Fairfield in 2001 as an emergency telecommunicator, and joined the Fairfield Police Department as a police officer in 2006. In 2010, he joined the Connecticut State Police’s Urban Violence Task Force, where he worked undercover to address violent street gangs. In 2012, he became a special deputy federal agent and U.S. marshal with the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, earning the United States Attorney Award for his contributions to combating organized crime.
During his time as a patrol officer, he served as a field training officer and was a member of the Department’s Honor Guard. In 2016, he was promoted to sergeant, overseeing the Traffic Enforcement, Crash Investigation and the Marine Units. He also led the department’s Crisis Negotiation Team and served as president of the Fairfield Police Union.
Promoted to lieutenant in 2021, he took charge of the Special Services Division, spearheading initiatives focused on traffic safety and community engagement. He was promoted to captain in 2024 and took command of the Field Services Bureau, overseeing patrol operations.
Paris holds a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from Sacred Heart University. He is the son of a former Bridgeport Police sergeant, which helped inspire his lifelong passion for law enforcement and public service. He is an active member of the community and a former president of the Parish Council at Saint Nicholas Church in Bridgeport.
Meanwhile, Kalamaras has been hired to be Redding’s police chief. Kalamaras had served with the Fairfield Police Department for 25 years before retiring this week.
