Neil M. O'Leary 
Mayor, City of Waterbury

Neil M. O’Leary is a thirty year law enforcement veteran with a wide range of experience at all levels of law enforcement. Many in law enforcement today credit Neil and his team's aggressive approach for keeping gang violence out of Waterbury even today.

As a detective Neil was assigned to the Forensic Laboratory and the Criminal Investigations Bureau as he was also a student of Dr. Henry Lee at the University of New Haven. During that time Neil helped build the laboratory with both equipment and staff to the extent that the laboratory not only serviced the city of Waterbury but also currently services the surrounding towns. After an open competitive examination process Neil was named permanent Chief of Police in November 2004.  Chief Neil O’Leary then initiated sweeping changes in the Waterbury Police Department. Chief O’Leary was able to reduce the number of sworn officers from three hundred forty to three hundred through attrition, yet expand the services provided. He led a complete re-organization process which provided for different more efficient scheduling, reduced staffing in both upper and mid-level managers while increasing first line supervision. With the new staffing reductions at most levels, the Waterbury Police Department budget provided a savings of millions of taxpayer dollars over the subsequent years. All of these changes were successfully negotiated with the labor union and the end result did not generate one labor grievance. During this time, Chief O’Leary also led a management team which developed a new modern policy and procedure manual which has been a template for law enforcement agencies throughout New England.

In 2004, Chief Neil O’Leary and his Administrative Lieutenant Michael Gugliotti founded the new Waterbury Police Activities League (PAL) which has received national acclaim. The PAL organization was developed to service inner city at risk youth providing both educational and athletic opportunities. Today, the Waterbury PAL organization has over three thousand members, owns and operates its own K-eight facility where teachers mentor students in subjects including math, reading, writing, nutrition, agriculture, and a learn to swim program. The Waterbury PAL organization also owns and operates a separate recreation center one block away from the PAL school, which offers both instructional and competitive athletic programs. The Waterbury PAL program is featured in the April 2010 edition of the nationally publicized “POLICE CHIEF” magazine.

Upon his retirement from the Waterbury Police Department in June 2009, Neil was appointed to the city of Waterbury Board of Education where he is the chairman of both the finance and transportation committees.  In his role on the Board of Education Neil has worked tirelessly visiting successful school districts in Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts constantly trying to identify new approaches in education for the betterment of our district here in Waterbury.