VERNON, Conn. (WTNH) — A long-time Connecticut public safety leader has died, according to a statement by the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP).
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James M. “Skip” Thomas began his career in 1969 with the Glastonbury Police Department, becoming a lieutenant there before leaving in 1984 when he was appointed Vernon chief of police, according to the Vernon Police Department on Facebook.
Thomas served as Vernon chief until 1987 before returning to Glastonbury as their chief. Additionally, he served the state as the director of justice planning in the Connecticut Office of Policy Management, according to the DESPP, before becoming the first commissioner of the Department of Emergency Services and Homeland Security.
In 2005, Thomas was selected by Gov. M. Jodi Rell to serve as the commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, saying that his “integrity is respected by all.”
Safety departments in the state later consolidated and became the current DESPP.
“Skip Thomas was a true leader in our profession, from law enforcement to emergency management to criminal justice,” Ronnell A. Higgins, commissioner of the DESPP, said. “Skip’s impeccable credentials and deep knowledge of law enforcement and homeland security helped to make Connecticut a safer and more secure state during his lifetime of public service,.”
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