MILFORD -- Officer Edward F. Kelly Sr., considered the public face of the Milford police department for many years before his retirement, died in Florida on Thursday. His age was not disclosed.
Kelly had moved to Florida in 1999 and continued his law enforcement career there for several years. He died at his home Thursday, surrounded by his family, said Officer Jeff Nielsen, the department spokesman.
Word of his passing began to spread through Milford on Friday morning, with several residents leaving condolence messages on Facebook.
Rick George, Kelly's friend and Milford's current animal control officer, poked gentle fun at Kelly's last job, as a sheriff's deputy at Disney World: "He was a great police officer and shared his love of the job with all he came in contact with. Mickey Mouse mourns your passing. RIP Ed we will all miss you!''
A former West Haven resident, Kelly served as a Milford officer for 27 years and earned many of the department's top honors. He received the Medal of Merit, a Meritorious Service Medal and seven Certificates of Commendation.
But Kelly is best known here as director of the department's Crime Prevention Bureau, a unit he helped organize. Among his duties was to serve as the department's public information officer and working with local and state media.
He was also the unofficial "Officer Friendly,'' representing the Milford police before school groups and civic clubs, role he seemed to delight in. Together with the late director Kathi Bissell, Kelly performed comic skits on his own time at the Milford Senior Center.
"Ed had a great sense of humor and he was always a joy to be arround,'' Chief Keith Mello said. "But he was also one of the most dedicated police officers I've known; a one-of-a-kind officer.''
Kelly was instrumental in establishing the department's Neighborhood Watch program and Drug Free Milford, along with safety programs for the elderly and for residential property owners.
In 1999, Kelly was chosen by the Milford's St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee to be the Grand Marshall of the parade, and won the Milford United Way's community service award in 1989. He was named police officer of the year by the National Burglar Alarm and Fire Alarm Association.
He was a certified police instructor and had articles published in professional journals, Nielsen said. After leaving Milford Kelly joined the Orange County Sheriff's Office in August, 2000 and was presented with the Deputy Sheriff of the Year award in 2012. Disney World in Orlando was on his beat. The much-decorated officer retired for good only a month ago.
"As only Ed could tell it, he had the greatest job on earth and loved every day of it,'' said Nielsen, who began his career while Kelly was still in Milford.
Calling hours and funeral services will be held in Florida, and Mello said that several current and retired members plan to go down to attend them.
fjuliano@ctpost.com, 203-330-6326, http://twitter.com/FrankJuliano
Source: http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Former-Milford-police-officer-dies-in-Florida-4283024.php
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