Speaker Biography - Jim Heavey:
Jim Heavey is the Chief of Police for the Town of Greenwich, a position he has held since his appointment in November 2011. A lifelong Greenwich resident, Jim started his career with the GPD as a dispatcher in 1981, became a special police officer, and was appointed as a full-time police officer in 1986. He progressed through the ranks, achieving sergeant in 1999, lieutenant four years later, and captain in 2010. In June 2011, he was sworn in as deputy chief before taking the top job later that year.
As chief, Jim has focused on "intelligence-led community policing" and leveraging technology to enhance departmental efficiency and community relations. The town has been recognized as one safest cities in the U.S. several times during his tenure, and the department has been a state accredited law enforcement agency since 2019. Jim has also implemented numerous community engagement programs, including a Citizens Police Academy and a youth summer camp
Jim graduated from Northeastern University with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. He also holds a master’s degree in public administration as well as graduate certificates in law enforcement education and emergency management. He is a graduate of a senior police management course at Roger Williams University and the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.
Besides his law enforcement work, Jim served over 20 years as a military police officer in the U.S. Army Reserve, including a nine-month deployment for Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm, where he assisted in liberating Kuwait City. He volunteers extensively, beginning at age 15 with the American Red Cross and the fire department. He has served as chief of the Glenville Volunteer Fire Company and as a Scoutmaster for the Scouting America, an organization in which he was recognized as an "Outstanding Eagle Scout" in 2013. In recognition of his enduring commitment, the American Red Cross honored him with the Lifetime Service Award in 2024.
Jim was born and raised in Greenwich, Connecticut, to Irish immigrant parents, Bart and Debbie, who instilled in him a strong sense of community and good citizenship. He is married to Kia Heavey and they have two children, Ana, a registered nurse in Boston, and Jamie, a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.