Report: Retired Stamford Police Chief Found Dead of Apparent Self-Inflicted Gunshot

Retired Stamford Police Chief Louis DeCarlo was found dead at his Stamford home Thursday afternoon in what police reportedly are describing as an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The 71-year-old DeCarlo was found inside his car parked in the driveway of his Bellemere Avenue home in the Belltown neighborhood of Stamford about 1 p.m. June 12, according to The Advocate of Stamford. Police reportedly said DeCarlo's death is an apparent suicide that is being investigated by Police Chief Jon Fontneau and detectives who said there wasn't any indication why DeCarlo would take his life.

DeCarlo was a 30-year veteran of the department when he retired as chief in 2004. During his three-year tenure as chief, DeCarlo was "committed to community policing, the redeployment of the Motorcycle Patrol Division, and receipt of substantial asset forfeitures due to narcotics and organized crime arrests, ... leading the FBI to declare Stamford as the fourth safest city in the country," according to a Stamford Board of Representatives proclamation issued in honor of his retirement in December 2004.

DeCarlo, a graduate of Siena College, Norwalk Community College’s Criminal Justice Program, and the Senior Management Institute for Police, joined the Stamford Police force in November 1971. He graduated first in his class from the Municipal Police Training Academy, and served as a member of the Department’s SWAT Team.

He was promoted to police dispatcher in April 1976; to sergeant in November 1977; to lieutenant assuming command of the Special Investigations Bureau and later in command of the newly-formed position of Public Information Officer in December 1996, according to the proclamation. In August 1998 he was promoted to Deputy Police Chief in command of the Investigative Services Bureau in August 1998, and finally to Chief of Police in December 2001.