Farmington Police Department Promotes Porter to Captain

The Farmington Police Department has a new captain but he is by no means a new face to the town. 

Marshall Porter, previously the police lieutenant serving as the department's public information officer, was promoted to captain Sept. 13. 

"Being promoted to captain will give me greater input in the direction the department is heading," Porter wrote in an email to Patch. "I will be directly responsible for management and supervision of all police department administrative services. I will have direct input in planning and directing department goals and directives, reviewing overall operations to ensure effectiveness and efficiency and safe work practices, and researching, establishing and recommending policy and procedure."

Lt. Colin Ryan will assume the role of public relations officer now that Porter has stepped into his new role. 

Porter has been with the department for 20 years and is proud to be a part of it.

"We are an organization that focuses strongly on community service," Porter said. "The Town of Farmington treats us well, and we return the favor. The quality of our employees and the service they provide is second to none."

In his new role as captain, his biggest goal is "to ensure we continue to attract the best employees in the field, and that our police department remains a place where our employees are encouraged to develop professionally, ensuring we have a pool of future leaders."

Prior to coming to Farmington, he served as police officer for three years in Winsted, Harwinton and New Hartford.  

In law enforcement, Porter has risen in the ranks and served as a " patrol officer, narcotics detective, corporal, sergeant in the patrol division, sergeant in the detective unit, patrol lieutenant, support services lieutenant, and public information officer."

"I have been involved in many important cases and ventures throughout my career, but the accomplishment I am most proud of was spearheading the department’s on-line predator investigations program," Porter said. "We made numerous arrest in and out of state, every one of which resulting in the conviction of the offenders. Protecting children from these insidious predators is one of the most important things I have been part of in my career."  

Porter has an associate's degree in criminal justice, as well as a bachelor's degree in psychology and a minor in finance. He said that he took interest in law enforcement early on "primarily because of the variety of work."

"I couldn’t see myself sitting behind a desk my entire career," Porter said. "The job also offered stability, which was important to me even at a young age."