Stephanie A. Miner, Mayor

Office of the Mayor

Stephanie A. Miner, Mayor Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Communications Bureau January 5, 2010 Lindsay McCluskey, Press Secretary (315) 448-8005

Fire, Police Chiefs and Deputy Mayor Sworn In Three Deputy Chiefs Announced and Sworn In

Syracuse, NY- Syracuse’s new police and fire chiefs, their first deputy chiefs and the deputy mayor were sworn in today. Police Chief Frank Fowler, First Deputy Chief David Barrette, Fire Chief Mark McLees, First Deputy Chief Charlie Duffy and Deputy Mayor John Cowin took the oath of office at 10 a.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers. They were joined by Deputy Chief Shawn Broton, Deputy Chief Joseph Cecile and Deputy Chief Rebecca Thompson, who were announced and sworn in at the oath of office ceremony.

Thompson is the first woman to serve as deputy chief in Syracuse and will be assigned to the Patrol Bureau. Cecile will be assigned to the Community Services Bureau and Broton will oversee the Investigations Bureau.

Thompson joined the Syracuse Police Department in 1986. She was promoted to sergeant in 1994, lieutenant in 1999 and captain in 2006. In 2001, she became the command officer of the Family Services Division, overseeing the Youth Division, Abused Persons Unit, Domestic Violence Unit, Missing Persons Unit, DARE/GREAT Unit and the SIRP Unit. She was promoted to captain in Sept. of 2006 and became the command officer for the First Platoon and the Northwest District. Thompson is a former member of the Vera House Board of Directors and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Catholic Charities. Thompson attended Syracuse University, the University of Oklahoma and Cazenovia College.

Cecile has served in the Syracuse Police Department since September 1985. In 1995, he was promoted to sergeant and became a patrol supervisor and supervisor of the Team Oriented Policing Section (TOPS). In 2001, Cecile was promoted to lieutenant and has served since then as the commanding officer of the Community Policing Division. Cecile received a bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University.

Shawn Broton joined the Syracuse Police Department in 1988 as a patrol officer. He served as sergeant of the Community Policing Team from 2000-2001 and detective sergeant of the criminal investigations division He was promoted to lieutenant in 2006 and captain in 2009. Broton received a bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University in 1994 and a master’s degree in public administration in 2001.

Mayor Stephanie A. Miner named Chief Fowler, Chief McLees and their first deputy chiefs Dec. 17, 2009.

Fowler served as Deputy Chief of the Community Services Bureau for five years and has been a member of the Syracuse Police Department since 1989. He is a veteran of the United States Army, serving three years of active duty and 17 years in the Army Reserves. Fowler received an Army Accommodation Medal during Operation Desert Storm.

-more- McLees is a 24-year veteran of the Syracuse Fire Department and served as District Chief for nine years. He has a bachelor’s degree in fire science from John Jay College in New York City. McLees lectures and assists in hands- on firefighting training programs across the country.

Barrette was Deputy Chief of the Uniform Bureau from 2005 to 2009 and has 35 years of experience in the Syracuse Police Department. Barrette served as a Staff Sergeant in the United States Air Force from 1969-1973 and has a master’s degree in criminal justice.

Duffy is a 24-year veteran of the Syracuse Fire Department, serving for the past nine years as District Chief. Duffy’s son, Colin, is also a firefighter at the Rescue Company.

The deputy mayor’s appointment was announced Nov. 25, 2009. Cowin served 31 years as a firefighter for the Syracuse Fire Department. He is on the board of directors for the Onondaga/Oswego chapter of the American Red Cross, the Everson Museum of Art and the Onondaga Historical Association. Cowin received two Syracuse Fire Department Medals of Honor, the Francis Hendricks Medal and the Syracuse Fire Officer’s Valor Award during his tenure as a firefighter.

203 City Hall – Syracuse, N.Y. 13202-1473 – (315) 448-8005 – Fax: 448-8067