October 28, 2011 Raymond S.

Sajdak, Chairman Awards Committee Connecticut Chapter IAAI 39 Edgewood Road Portland, CT 06480 Re: Connecticut Chapter IAAI Outstanding Accomplishment Award Dear Mr. Sajdak, We would like to take this opportunity to nominate the following seven (7) individuals from the Town of Seymour for the 2011 Connecticut Chapter IAAI Outstanding Accomplishment Award. They are as follows: Seymour Fire Marshal Paul Wetowitz Seymour Deputy Fire Marshal Timm Willis Seymour Police Detective Sergeant Ronald Goodmaster Seymour Police Detective Louis Yustin Seymour Police Detective Scott Nihill Seymour Police Detective Steven Ditria Seymour Police Youth Officer Joseph DeNigris These seven (7) men represent the Seymour Fire and Police Departments, and through careful and thorough investigations, hard work, dedication and commitment, were able to successfully resolve two cases of arson that resulted in the arrests of six (6) people. At approximately 0321 hours on Thursday June 24, 2010 the Seymour Police and Fire Departments were dispatched to a burglar alarm at the Seymour High School. Responding patrol personnel arrived and discovered that the school had been burglarized and a fire was burning in the lobby area. The fire was quickly extinguished upon the arrival of the fire department, but thousands of dollars of damage had already occurred. A subsequent investigation conducted by the Seymour Fire Marshals Office, the Seymour Police Department Detective Division, the Connecticut State Police Office of State Fire Marshal, and the Connecticut State Police Bomb Squad, revealed that an unknown person or persons had broken into the school and launched illegal fireworks into the lobby area causing the fire. After several months of investigation, including the successful use of the Connecticut Arson Tip Program sponsored by the Connecticut Fair Plan, four (4) individuals were identified as suspects. The suspects were interviewed and ultimately confessed to the crimes they committed. They were arrested and charged with, among others, the crimes of arson and possession of illegal fireworks.

At approximately 1910 hours on Saturday May 2, 2011 the Seymour Fire Department was dispatched to a fire at the Seymour Transfer Station. Responding personnel observed that a storage shed on the property was fully involved with fire, as well as several other fires burning near the trash compactors. The Seymour Fire Department extinguished the fires, and responding patrol personnel from the Seymour Police Department discovered other acts of vandalism; all of it resulting in thousands of dollars in damage. A subsequent investigation conducted by the Seymour Fire Marshals Office, the Seymour Police Department Detective Division, and the Connecticut State Police Office of State Fire Marshal, revealed that an unknown person or persons had trespassed onto Town property, vandalized machinery and equipment, and spread accelerants and intentionally ignited a fire that destroyed a building and other property. During the next several days, Seymour Police Department Detectives conducted numerous interviews and identified two (2) juvenile suspects who ultimately confessed to committing the acts of vandalism and igniting the fires at the Transfer Station. They were arrested and charged with, among others, the crime of arson. These men are commended for their dedication and commitment to their careers, their departments, and the citizens of the Town of Seymour. We are proud of their successful conclusions on these, and many other cases involving arson over the past several years in the Town of Seymour. Thank you for your consideration of this nomination for their outstanding accomplishments. Respectfully,

Chief Michael Metzler Seymour Police Department

Chief Thomas Tomasheski Seymour Fire Department Citizens Engine Company No. 2