The City Council approved the appointment of Michael C. Corcoran as Rye’s new Police Commissioner at its December 2 meeting. He comes on board February 1.

By Tom McDermott

The City Council approved the appointment of Michael C. Corcoran as Rye’s new Police Commissioner at its December 2 meeting. He comes on board February 1. Corcoran was the Deputy Chief of Police for West Orange, New Jersey, where he oversaw a force of 100 officers, all operations, and investigative and emergency management.

City Manager Marcus Serrano conducted a nationwide search, which included 24 candidates, and what he termed an “intensive process” to find a new commissioner. When the search came down to the “Final Four,” each candidate was interviewed by the City Council, with Serrano sitting in. Corcoran emerged as their clear choice.

In October 2014, the Council voted to amend the City Charter to give the Mayor and Council the right to approve the hiring of a Police Commissioner. Previously, the City Manager did not need to seek Council approval.

Mayor Joe Sack commented that the new process “worked seamlessly and flawlessly, the way we envisioned it working.”

Corcoran has over 25 years of experience in law enforcement and has a law degree from New York Law School. Serrano mentioned that he passed the Bar on the same day he became a Lieutenant. In West Orange, he rose through the ranks, beginning in 1990, from patrol to Detective Lieutenant, and Captain, before becoming Deputy Chief in 2014.

Serrano said that, while discussing Corcoran with a West Orange officer who went from being Corcoran’s superior to working under him, the officer called him a “shining star,” and that he was now proud to work for him. “Michael is a man of integrity, and he has an open door policy,” added Serrano.

Corcoran, in his own remarks before the Council said that he looked forward to working with all of the professionals that he has met in Rye, and hoped to continue to learn from them. “This is my proudest moment; I wish it were February 1 already,” said Corcoran.

His wife Carol and sons, Michael, Ryan, and Jack accompanied the new commissioner and he proudly introduced them.

Current Commissioner William Pease, who has served on an interim basis since 2014, will leave the position as planned December 31. According to Eleanor Militana, the Assistant City Manager, the City will soon name an interim leader until Corcoran takes the helm in February.