Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame To Induct Former Danbury Cop

DANBURY, CT — A Danbury police officer has been posthumously selected as part of the 20th class of honorees for induction into the Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame.

Administered and sponsored by the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs and the Connecticut Military Department on behalf of the Office of the Governor, the Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame was established in 2005 and inducts a new class annually. With the addition of this year’s class, there will now be 215 honorees inducted.

On Tuesday, Gov. Ned Lamont announced that US. Marine Corps veteran Stanley James Prybylskie was among the 14 Connecticut vets selected as part of the 20th class of honorees who "have continued making significant impacts in their communities after leaving military service."

According to his biography prepared by the state, Prybylski was born on Oct. 20, 1944, on a 100-year-old family farm in Danbury as the eldest and only son with three siblings and many family relatives. He attended local Danbury schools from kindergarten through Grade 12, received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Western Connecticut State University and a master’s in public administration from the University of Hartford.

Prybylski enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Alpha unit from August 1968 to October 1969, during which he was wounded with severe injuries in Quang Tre, Vietnam. He recuperated in Yokosuka, Japan for three months and became a recipient of the Purple Heart.

After a military honorable discharge, Prybylski began a lifelong career in criminal justice. He was employed by the Danbury Police Department as a police officer, the Connecticut Municipal Police Training Center as a police motor vehicle instructor, the California Department of Corrections as a corrections officer and trainer, and as a probation officer in Bridgeport and Waterbury. Several police and training courses were attended to further the implementation and enhancement of program policies with the passion of justice without judgment.

In addition to public service employment, Prybylski volunteered in various Southbury civic organizations, including the Beautification Committee, the Jaycees, the Young Republicans, the Conservation Commission, and VFW Post 1607. He volunteered at Southbury school functions and events of his parish of Sacred Heart Church. As a volunteer, he enjoyed subordinate and leadership roles in the organizations he served.

Prybylski passed away Feb. 17, 2024, at the age of 79 from an extended illness with Parkinson’s disorder, which was diagnosed by the VA. His legacy of service remains with his wife of fifty years, Linda (Polubinski), as well as four children, six grandchildren, three sisters, and extended families.

The focus of the Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame is on veterans’ service to their communities after they have left military service. Many of the honorees are veterans who have been leaders in a variety of areas, such as the arts, education, public service, volunteer organizations, and community and business leadership.

The honorees are nominated throughout the year by members of the public, and then a committee – consisting of the commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs, the adjutant general of the Connecticut National Guard, members of the legislature’s Committee on Veterans and Military Affairs, and a group of veterans from the state – reviews the nominations and selects inductees.

This year’s class will be celebrated during an induction ceremony that will be held at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 23, 2025, in the Gold Star Families Memorial Auditorium on the campus of the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs in Rocky Hill.