Six New Officers Sworn Into Meriden Police Amid Staffing Push

Meriden Police Department Swears In Six New Officers

The Meriden Police Department swore in six new officers on March 23, 2026, marking the latest step in the department's ongoing effort to fill vacancies across its approximately 125 authorized sworn positions and maintain staffing levels in Connecticut's ninth-largest city.

The new officers — Aleiya Vasquez, Morelia Dominguez, Alex Rodriguez-Delgado, Antreas Skourides, Luke Robles, and Donald Christofani — will spend the coming months in police academy training before beginning patrol duties in Meriden.

"Please join us in wishing these dedicated young men and women the very best as they begin this important journey — preparing to serve and protect the citizens of Meriden for years to come," the department said in a statement. "Your commitment to public service is commendable, and we look forward to seeing all that you accomplish."

Meriden Officers Divide Between Two Connecticut Academies

The six recruits will train at two different Connecticut police academies. Vasquez, Dominguez, and Rodriguez-Delgado are enrolled at the New Britain Police Academy, a state-approved satellite training facility serving recruits from multiple jurisdictions. Skourides, Robles, and Christofani will attend the main Connecticut Police Academy, located at 285 Preston Avenue in Meriden — a site familiar to the department given its location within city limits.

The Connecticut Police Academy, operated by the state's Police Officer Standards and Training Council (POSTC) under the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, serves as the primary training facility for municipal officers statewide. Approximately 90 percent of recruits statewide train at the Meriden campus. Its basic recruit program runs 28 weeks and covers 880 hours of instruction including academics, patrol procedures, firearms, defensive tactics, emergency vehicle operations, and state penal and motor vehicle codes.

The New Britain Police Academy is one of seven POSTC-approved satellite academies in Connecticut.

Meriden PD Continues Active Hiring Amid Open Vacancies

The department has maintained an open recruitment process for both entry-level and certified officers, with application deadlines extending through December 31, 2026, reflecting ongoing vacancies at various ranks. Entry-level pay starts at $65,041, rising to $86,091 after the first year and reaching a top step of $94,494 after three years, with a scheduled increase to $97,804 effective July 1, 2026.

A January 2026 staffing report prepared by Deputy Chief Nicholas Sherwood documents the department's authorized strength and current recruitment status. The report shows the Meriden department working to maintain its authorized complement of approximately 125 sworn officers covering patrol, investigations, and specialized units serving a city of roughly 60,000 residents.

Chief Roberto Rosado, appointed as the department's 21st chief on July 1, 2020, and sworn in as president of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association in June 2024, has emphasized community-based and problem-solving policing strategies during his tenure. His leadership of the statewide chiefs association gives Meriden a direct voice in law enforcement policy discussions at the Connecticut General Assembly.

Training Timeline and Next Steps

Once the six recruits complete their respective academy programs, they will return to Meriden for a supervised field training period working alongside veteran officers before assuming independent patrol responsibilities. The department has not announced expected graduation dates for either academy cohort.

Recruitment and retention challenges have affected police departments across Connecticut in recent years, with mid-size cities like Meriden competing with larger urban departments and state agencies for qualified candidates. The simultaneous placement of recruits at two different academies is a common approach for departments seeking to balance available training slots and start dates across the calendar year.

The addition of six officers in a single swearing-in class reflects the department's continued investment in building its sworn ranks.

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