Few Choate faculty can say that they’ve served in the nation’s principal law enforcement agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). However, just twenty years ago, Mr. Bill Wright, who joined Choate this year as the School’s Director of Operations, served two years in the FBI during his twenty five years in the Wallingford Police Department.
Growing up in Meriden, Connecticut, he never imagined himself working as a police officer. After graduating high school, he majored in agriculture at Becker College and took a job at a nursery in the area. Then in 1995, he decided to apply to the Wallingford Police Department. “I’ve always had an interest in public safety and community service, so that seemed like a natural fit,” he said. Out of thousands of applicants, Mr. Wright was selected to attend the 26-week residential police academy.
After graduating from the academy, he was placed on patrol duty, where he stayed for a few years. Here, he was responsible for responding to calls and patrolling the neighborhood. Afterward, he was placed in a community police department. In this position, he was responsible for being a public-facing police officer. He handled neighbor complaints, worked with police stations in other towns, and planned public events. After six months in this position, he was transferred to the detective department.
At the time of his promotion, the police department had been investigating cases of terrorism in Wallingford, which had a connection to the FBI. In August of 2001, he was assigned to the New Haven field division under the Joint Terrorism Task Force. Just a month later, the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks occured, increasing the work load for the FBI and its task forces. During his two years on the task force, his work focused on weapons of mass destruction. “We stopped a lot of crime, and we were really really busy,” he said.
One particular topic of focus was the cases of Anthrax being mailed through the US Postal Service. With a lethal case in Shelton, CT, the group focused on preventing an incident in the town of Wallingford. “I felt that I was doing my little part . . . just in our little corner of the world to prevent another terrorist attack,” he said. Reflecting on his time working for the Bureau, he said, “I was really impressed by how the federal government goes about its business, never having been exposed to it.” He continued, “The resources that they have and the dedication to keeping our country safe was very impressive.” During his time in the FBI, he continued to support the operations of the Wallingford Police Department, overseeing case work and management.
During his time in the FBI, he was promoted to the position of sergeant, and in 2003, he was promoted to a lieutenant, which brought him back to the Wallingford Police Department. Three years later, he was promoted to Administrative Lieutenant, giving him his first taste of the administrative side of police work. He worked on policy writing, accreditation, budgeting, and he was the supervisor of the hostage negotiator team. In 2012, he was promoted to the rank of Deputy Chief, followed by his promotion to Chief of Police in 2015.
Throughout his time in police work, he continued to attend educational institutions to expand his skillset and suitability for his work. He received an associate degree in criminal justice from Middlesex Community College, a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Albertus Magnus College, and a master’s degree in Criminal Justice Administration. He completed these degrees while maintaining a full time job and raising a family of two kids, who are now in their 20s. “I was very fortunate to work across a number of divisions inside the police department and have exposure to a lot of different things. I can’t believe, even looking back today, that 26 years went by so quickly,” he said.
In 2021, Mr. Bill Wright came to Choate Rosemary Hall. What brought Mr. Wright to the School was his desire to apply his skills to a different workplace. He said, “The interest that I had in coming here was my exposure to Choate Rosemary Hall during my 26 year career.” Seeing that the position fit his skill set he acquired in his previous career, Mr. Wright immediately applied once there was an opening. He started working at the School on July 1, 2021.
As the Director of Operations, he oversees community safety, risk management, and the insurance program. Looking back on his first year, he said, “What I really enjoy about this job is just meeting and interacting with all of the different departments on campus. I can’t believe it’s already been [a year].”
