In a formal and public ceremony, Michael Paris on Monday was sworn in as Fairfield’s new chief of police. He was the unanimous selection of the Fairfield Police Commission.
He most recently served as captain and field services commander, where he led the largest bureau of sworn personnel within the department. Paris replaces former Chief Robert Kalamaras, who recently became the chief of the Redding Police Department.
Growing up, Paris said, he had wanted to become a priest “and when my dad became a police officer, I had a strong drive to serve the community and decided to become a police officer.” His father was a Bridgeport police sergeant for about 30 years.
He started out about two decades ago as a 911 dispatcher for the Fairfield Police Department when he was just 18 years old and has been with the department now for about 25 years, having joined it as an officer in 2006.
Acting First Selectman Christine Vitale said, “From the moment I met him, I was impressed with Mike’s approachability, commitment to our community and knowledge of best practices in policing.”
During his early years in patrol, he served as a field training officer and was a member of the department’s honor guard.
In 2010, Paris joined the Connecticut State Police’s Urban Violence Task Force, working undercover to target violent street gangs. Two years later, he was deputized as a Special Deputy Federal Agent and U.S. Marshal with the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, for which he received the U.S. Attorney Award.
Promoted to sergeant in 2016, he supervised the traffic safety unit, crash investigation unit, and the marine division. He also led the department’s crisis negotiation team and served as president of the Fairfield Police Union.
In 2021, he was promoted to lieutenant and later assumed command of the special services division, overseeing specialized units and implementing initiatives to improve traffic safety and community engagement. He was the longtime commander of the crash investigation unit.
In 2024, Paris was promoted to the rank of captain and took command of the field services bureau, overseeing patrol operations and ensuring the effective deployment of resources.
Going forward, he said, “I want to bring back old-school policing, having face-to-face conversation with the public to engage in ways that are unable to be done online. It matters most that the people feel comfortable speaking with the police.”
From FCN partner Easton Courier.
