Vernon Police Lt. Lucas Gallant Promoted to Captain
Town Council Unanimously Approves Mayor Champagne’s Appointment of Vernon Native to Serve as Second in Command of Police Department
VERNON, Connecticut – The Vernon Town Council on Tuesday unanimously approved Mayor Dan Champagne’s appointment of Vernon Police Lieutenant Lucas Gallant as the next Captain of the Vernon Police Department.
Mayor Champagne selected Lt. Gallant for promotion after reviewing his record of service with the Vernon Police Department and interviewing him. The Captain is the second in command of the Vernon Police Department. Effective Wednesday, Lt. Gallant will fill the vacancy created when Chief John Kelley was promoted from Captain to Chief on July 6, 2021.
“Lt. Gallant has served in a variety of leadership positions with the department and played a key role managing COVID-19 vaccine inventory and operations for our nationally-recognized vaccination program,” Mayor Champagne said. “And that was on top of his work overseeing the Police Department’s Patrol Division.”
Town Administrator Michael Purcaro said Lt. Gallant has accrued a record of accomplishment during his 16 years with the Vernon Police Department.
“It’s been gratifying to watch Lt. Gallant advance through the ranks from patrol officer to sergeant and then to lieutenant,” Purcaro said. “During that time, he has taken on additional responsibilities and carried them out with great skill and care. I expect that will continue.”
Lt. Gallant has led the patrol and detective divisions, and brings diverse experience to his new position, Chief Kelley said.
“He’s extremely knowledgeable, well-respected by people in the department as well as the community, and a hard-worker,” Chief Kelley said.
It’s also noteworthy, Chief Kelley said, that both he and Lt. Gallant are Rockville High School graduates.
“Although purely a coincidence, Luke and I do bring to the table decades of relationships with people in town,” Chief Kelley said. “People know us, are comfortable with us and will approach us with their thoughts and concerns. People can also be assured that Vernon is a very important place to both of us.”
Lt. Gallant received a bachelor’s degree from Saint Joseph’s College in Standish, Maine, and graduated in the top 10 of his class from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy before going to work for the Wells, Maine, Police Department. He served four and a half years as an officer in Wells and during that short tenure was honored as officer of the year in 2003.
He applied to and joined the Vernon Police Department in 2005 and has taken on a variety of leadership and management roles as he has advanced through the ranks. Lt. Gallant has received multiple awards and was honored in 2010 as Vernon Police Officer of the Year.
“Being selected to serve my hometown as Captain is an honor,” Lt. Gallant said. “I look forward to this next phase of my career and working with the Chief to lead an outstanding team of law enforcement professionals.”