Trio of City Officers Earn Sergeant Rank

Three officers — officer Vincent S. Mazzotta Jr., Detective Jorge Yepes and Detective Brian White — were promoted to the rank of sergeant on June 22 at a ceremony in council chambers.

Mazzotta was hired by the Middletown Police Department in December of 1995 and has worked in the Patrol Division, Special Investigations Unit and Major Investigations Unit. He has also had multiple special assignments as Community Police Officer, School Resource Officer, DARE Officer, Field Training Officer, K-9 Officer and Dive Team/Marine Unit Member.

When Mazzotta was a K-9 officer, he and his K-9 partner Dago tracked shooting suspect, Robbie Santos, who attempted to shoot Ray Allen’s stepfather. This helped lead to the arrest and conviction of Santos. He has received numerous awards throughout his career along with letters of commendation and recognition.

Yepes was hired by the Middletown Police Department in June of 1993 and has served in the Patrol Division, Major Investigations Unit and Street Crime Unit (narcotics). He has been responsible for more than 1,000 felony narcotics arrests as well as the arrest of a serial burglar. He has received numerous letters of commendation as well as letters of praise from residents.

White was hired by the Middletown Police Department in September of 1999.  He has been assigned to the Patrol Division, Street Crime Unit (narcotics) and the Major Investigations Unit. White has also had special assignments with the Dive team/Marine Unit and the SWAT team where he is a tactical team leader.

He has received multiple meritorious service awards, unit citations and letters of commendation. White was also a volunteer Auxiliary Police Officer for the Middletown Police Department prior to getting hired and for the past 28 years has volunteered with the , where he serves as a Lieutenant. He also volunteers as a softball coach with the Middletown Parks and Recreation Department.

White is a lifelong citizen of Middletown and comes from a family of police officers. His father Douglas White is a retired Middletown police officer and his sister Brenda Carlone has been a member for the past 25 years.