By Richard Kaufman
Sentinel Reporter
Last Thursday, the Greenwich Police Department promoted two of their own to higher ranks.
The department’s truck garage was transformed into a ceremonial hall, as various elected state and local officials, fellow officers and family members gathered to celebrate the promotions of Sgt. Eric W. Scorca to the rank of Lieutenant, and Det. Richard B. Stook to the rank of Sergeant.
“Both [officers] have made significant arrests and saved lives while working as Greenwich police officers. I’m honored to have had the opportunity to work the road with both of them,” said GPD Police Chief James Heavey. “These two officers are ready to assume greater responsibility, and I know because of their excellent leadership they’ll do a great job.”
The officers, who worked closely with narcotics enforcement, will now be in the patrol division.
“It’s not too often that somebody who’s been in a specialty like narcotics is able to both maintain that difficult position and to work hard towards a promotion,” Heavey added. “We really appreciate the effort they’ve made in those realms and we know they’re going to do great jobs back in patrol, the backbone of the department.”
Scorca, a Bronx native whose younger brother Keith also works in the GPD, became a police officer on July 22, 2002 and served as a field training officer and a master police officer. He also attended many schools for detective and hostage negotiations training.
Scorca became a Sergeant in Nov. of 2009, and held positions as a patrol sergeant, training sergeant and detective sergeant. Scorca has received numerous awards for his lifesaving investigations. He and his narcotics unit garnered the department’s Officers of the Month award in Oct. of 2016, as well as the prestigious John Clarke Award earlier this year.
Stook, who was born in Bridgeport, came to the department in 1997. Mainly working in the west and central areas of town, he served on the Greenwich Police Department’s bike team and as an accident investigator, master police officer and field training officer. After being assigned to the community impact section and working on the east side of town in 2008, Stook became a detective in Nov. of 2009.
Since then, Stook has primarily worked in the narcotics section of the department. In March of 2013, he was assigned to the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force in New Haven. He has worked undercover in numerous operations involving trafficking of heroin and other narcotics, as well as investigating heroin and fentanyl overdose deaths throughout the state of Connecticut.
More recently, Stook has become involved in cases related to the internet’s “dark-web.” He was named Officer of the Month in March of 2007, July of 2010 and April of 2011. He has also received a prestigious award from the U.S. Attorney’s office in 2016. Stook is currently on the Board of Directors for the Narcotics Enforcement Officers Association of Connecticut.
Both officers had their new badges pinned on by family members, and their new hats placed on top of their heads by Heavey.
Along with remarks from Police Chaplains Rev. Richard Murphy and Rev. Thomas L. Nins, Greenwich’s First Selectman Peter Tesei spoke as well before administering oaths to the newly-promoted officers.
“It’s truly a great honor as the town’s chief elected official to be able to administer the oath to the men and women who serve in uniform and particularly gratifying when it’s the opportunity to administer the oath for promotions,” Tesei said. “Both Richard and Eric have clearly demonstrated their abilities in law enforcement to have arrived at today’s ceremony. We have been blessed in the town of Greenwich to have their service to our residents.”
