Six RCPD members promoted

At the February Board of Trustees Meeting last Wednesday at Village Hall, the Village of Rockville Centre promoted six members of the Rockville Centre Police Department (RCPD). As members of their families looked on, Commissioner James Vafeades promoted Lieutenant Chris Romance to Inspector, Sergeant Matt Vickery to Lieutenant, Sergeant Randy Dodd to Lieutenant, Police Officer Dennis Clark to Sergeant, Police Officer Michael Stahlhut to Sergeant, and Police Officer Joe Scibico to Sergeant.

Inspector Romance joined the RCPD in 1997, where he earned several accolades as a patrol officer, including "Cop of the Year". He later became a member of the Department's Traffic Enforcement Unit and served as the Department's primary training instructor. In 2005, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant, and became the Commanding Officer of the Traffic Enforcement Unit and Training Unit. In 2010, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, where he was the Commanding Officer of Support. Inspector Romance is also the Deputy Emergency Manager for the Village. Additionally, Chris is a graduate of the prestigious FBI National Academy. As Inspector, Chris will be the Executive Officer of the Department and oversee the day to day operations.

Lieutenant Vickery was born and raised in Westbury. He joined the NYPD in 2005, where he was assigned to the 79th precinct in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He later joined the Rockville Centre PD in 2008, where he served as a patrol officer until getting promoted to Sergeant in 2015. As Lieutenant, Vickery will be the Commanding Officer of Support and primarily supervise the Department's Training Unit. His father, Mike, is a respected retired 40-year member of the RCPD.

Lieutenant Dodd was born and raised in Long Beach. He joined the RCPD in 1997. As a police officer, he was the recipient of many department recognitions & awards, to include "Cop of the Year," and spent much of his time as a member of the Department's Traffic Enforcement Unit. He became Sergeant of the Traffic Unit in 2008. As lieutenant, Randy will be the Commanding Officer of Patrol and Traffic Enforcement Units.

Sergeant Clark was born in Alaska but grew up in West Babylon. He became a police officer with the NYPD in 2002 and in 2010, he became a member of the RCPD. After a stint on patrol, Clark served as the Department's Youth Officer for several years. Sergeant Clark is a veteran of the US Army and Army National Guard; he proudly served in Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom. As a Sergeant, he will supervise a patrol squad working the day shift.

Sergeant Stahlhut worked for the NYPD for over 5 years prior to being hired by the Village in September 2010. He has over 16 years of experience on patrol as a police officer. In addition, he is a Major in the Air National Guard and stationed at the 106th Rescue Wing since 2005. He is a Combat Search and Rescue Navigator on the HC-130 aircraft and deployed twice to Africa in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. In his capacity as Sergeant, Mike will supervise a patrol squad working the day shift.

Sergeant Scibico served as a member of the NYPD starting in 2001, where he worked in the 84th PCT in downtown Brooklyn; first as a police officer, and then transitioning into the precinct's Plain Clothes Unit. In 2007 he was promoted to Sergeant and was assigned to the 1st PCT until he was hired by the RCPD in 2009. Scibico has primarily worked in patrol since joining the RCPD, and has received several department recognitions and honors, including "Cop of the Year" in 2013. As Sergeant, he will supervise a patrol squad on the night shift.