Five Sacred Heart Alumni Now Hold Top Fairfield Police Posts

Criminal justice program beneficial for those looking to become police officers

Sacred Heart University is well represented at Fairfield Police Department, where the new chief and all four of the other top commanders hold SHU degrees.

Fairfield Police Chief Robert Kalamaras, who took his oath of office in January, earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice at SHU in 2017. Deputy Chief Donald Smith holds a 2015 master’s degree from SHU, and Christopher Tursi, commander of the Special Services Bureau, graduated with a master’s degree in criminal justice in 2016.

Captain John Bucherati, commander of the Administrative Services Bureau, earned his undergraduate degree at SHU in 2017 and completed a master’s degree in cybersecurity in 2020. Captain Keith Broderick ’98, commander of the Field Services Bureau, holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

“SHU students have tremendous success in the criminal justice field and have recently been hired by many local departments throughout Connecticut, New Jersey and New York,” said Anthony Papa, associate lecturer and director of the master’s in criminal justice program.  “Students learn all aspects of federal, state and local law enforcement, the criminal court system and corrections, including probation and parole, as well as the philosophies of punishment. All of our instructors bring real-world experience into the classroom. Our teachers translate theory into practicality.”

Kalamaras has been with the Fairfield P.D. for 21 years and served as field services bureau commander before his promotion, overseeing the patrol and investigative divisions. Prior to that, he commanded the special services bureau. An armed services veteran, Kalamaras graduated from the FBI National Academy’s three-month, residential program at Quantico, VA, and came to SHU as a non-traditional, part-time student.

“If you have ambitions to be a police officer, Sacred Heart offers an outstanding program with real-life expertise that will help translate your experience from academia to actually working on the streets as an officer,” he said.

While all the Fairfield P.D.’s top-ranking officers said SHU’s criminal justice and cybersecurity programs are interesting and convenient, each gave SHU high marks for providing a deep foundation and timely discussion of relevant issues that inform their police work.

SHU’s criminal justice program includes required courses in law and procedure, as well as electives in ethics, behavior and mental health, victimology, and policing in a democratic society. The master’s degree program in cybersecurity considers critical and evolving issues of cyberspace.

“Entering the university, I had a good working knowledge of law enforcement, but many of the classes provided an in-depth understanding of other social issues, theories and practices that directly impact criminal justice,” Smith said. “The classes require you to expand your thinking beyond the obvious, and they had a direct impact on the ability to gather, interpret, understand and implement strategies needed as law enforcement tackles the ever-changing challenges in today’s society.”

They all said they appreciated that University faculty includes many seasoned professionals with distinguished careers in law enforcement. For example, James McCabe, associate professor, spent 21 years with the New York City Police Department, where he held command positions in labor relations, the training bureau and a Queens precinct. Tursi said McCabe “was a great influence on my thoughts and career.”

Former Fairfield Police Chief Gary MacNamara, who is SHU’s executive director of public safety and governmental affairs, is one of Kalamaras’ longtime mentors. “He’s like a big brother,” Kalamaras said. “Gary was a great guide for me as I navigated promotions and faced issues in my career. He gave me a great foundation.”

Fairfield Police Captain John Bucherati first started college in 1990 before leaving school to become a police officer. He returned to higher education in 2014 and appreciated the well-rounded education he received at SHU. His curriculum included courses focused on the humanities and critical thinking, and he even took an art class with Kalamaras. “The coursework was challenging but manageable,” he said. “You have to be well rounded to deal with people from all different cultures and walks of life.”

SHU’s multi-faceted perspective fosters police officers who are “law enforcement partners” in the communities they serve, said MacNamara. “These challenging times require smart, engaged and compassionate police leaders,” he said.

Smith said his management and leadership courses at SHU had direct benefits as he moved through the ranks in the department. “The classes allow you to take a look at the bigger picture behind causation of events, as well as an internal look at how law enforcement actions may be interpreted by the public,” Smith said. “The diverse student body allowed for positive interactions that resulted in a better understanding of other outlooks and perceptions, and classwork and discussions touched on current events.”

Broderick found studying at SHU set him apart as he moved through the ranks of Fairfield P.D. “During the promotional process, which is so very competitive, it always helped to show continuing education, which I was able to do,” he said. “I have also carried over many things I have learned at SHU into my different roles at the Fairfield Police Department.”   

Kalamaras plans to return to SHU to pursue a master’s degree in public administration, something that will benefit his top team and the community. “I think it would be good for my career,” he said. “The more you can learn and pass on to your people, the better your organization will be.”

Sacred Heart offers a 50 percent tuition discount for first responders in the tri-state region who enroll in the master’s program in criminal justice.

Pictured are, from left, Chief Robert Kalamaras, Deputy Chief Donald Smith, Captain John Bucherati, Captain Keith Broderick and Commander of the Special Services Bureau Christopher Tursi.