Slowik becomes new sergeant

Chester — Police officer David Slowik was promoted to sergeant at the Chester Town Board’s meeting on Tuesday night. He fills the vacancy created when the former sergeant, Dan Doellinger, was promoted to police chief in September. In 2006, the Police Chiefs’ Association of Orange County gave Slowik the top honor of Officer of the Year along with a Lifesaving Award for his courage and determination in saving the life of another police officer. He had arrived at the scene of a head-on collision between the patrol car of fellow officer Robert Ferrara and an SUV being pursued by the police. Without thought of injury to himself, Slowik went to the driver’s side of Ferrara’s burning vehicle and freed him, dragging him away to safety, the chiefs said. The driver, Daniel Mooney, was convicted of first-degree assault and many other charges, and received a sentence of 25 years in state prison. Slowik has been with the town police department since 2003.