Two long-time police officers, former Deputy Chief F. Leo Gantert and former Public Information Officer Capt. Thomas Wendel died Friday.
Gantert, the former deputy chief for 24 years, worked 49 years in the Danbury Police Department, and he loved the Patrol Division, said Sgt. John Krupinsky, himself a 30-year-plus veteran of the force. Gantert's son Brian and his nephew Pete are both Danbury Police officers. Krupinsky estimated Gantert was more than 90 years old.
"He was a great guy, a cop's cop. He was here for every man in the department," Krupinsky said. "You couldn't find a guy who was more passionate about patrol, nobody was like the deputy."
No information about funeral arrangements was available Saturday about either Gantert or Wendel.
Wendel, the former public information officer, retired in 2012 after more than 30 years on the department. Wendel worked for the Special Investigations Division, for Community Services, Patrol, as a captain of Patrol, in Records and with Computers before working with the Media.
"He was a guy who gave more than 30 years of his life to the department," Krupinsky said. "He worked in numerous divisions."
"These are big losses for the department and its retirees," said Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton. "We send out condolences to their families and loved ones."
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