Norwalk cop who committed suicide was an avid boater, chief says

By Nancy Guenther Chapman

NORWALK, Conn. – A Norwalk Police officer who committed suicide Tuesday evening was a lifelong Norwalk resident who loved boating, Chief Thomas Kulhawik said in a release.

Officer Kenneth Cerulli, 41, shot himself in the bedroom of his Blackstone Drive home, off Gregory Boulevard, Kulhawik said. Paramedics responding to the 6:14 p.m. 911 call declared Cerulli dead at the scene.

Cerulli was off duty, the statement said. His department-issued firearm was not involved in the incident and there is no evidence of foul play.

He is survived by his wife Jennifer. They had no children.

Cerulli, a two-year veteran of the Norwalk force, served on the marine unit last summer, patrolling Long Island Sound, Kulhawik said. He recently was commended for his work in rescuing a boat and boater who had run aground.

Cerulli was a lifelong Norwalk resident who graduated from Norwalk High School and Norwalk Community and Technical College. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Western Connecticut State University in 1994. He was hired by the department on Feb. 7, 2011, and attended the 332nd session of the Connecticut Police Academy (POST) in Meriden. He served as a patrol officer throughout his career.

“Ken was a professional and dedicated officer. He always carried himself in a very dignified manner and represented the department in the highest standard,” Kulhawik said in the statement. “Although only a member of the department for a short time, he was well-liked by all and we are all saddened by his sudden and tragic loss. We offer our deepest condolences to his wife Jennifer and their family. This is a very personal and private matter and we continue to ask that the privacy of the family be respected at this very difficult time.”

As of this time, the family has not announced the funeral arrangements. An autopsy is scheduled for today at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.