WESTPORT — As Deputy Police Chief David Farrell advances to the rank of chief later this month, several changes in the department’s command staff will take place.

The promotions follow the decision by Police Chief Foti Koskinas to step down May 23 after nine years, with Farrell promoted by First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker to take over the top rank.

The department’s other deputy chief, Ryan Paulsson, will remain in his post.

The changes announced Friday by Tooker, which also take effect May 23, include: Capt. David Wolf will become a deputy chief, and Lieuts. Eric Woods and Jillian Cabana will become captains. 

Cabana will be the first female captain in the Westport Police Department’s history.

Tooker, in a statement announcing the command promotions, said, “Each of them has an excellent reputation in the community. They are dedicated and experienced law-enforcement professionals who will work as a team to make the department and, most importantly, the residents and visitors of Westport their priority.”

The promotions, she added, “reflect the extraordinary talent we are fortunate to have within our Police Department, and I am excited about the future of public safety leadership in Westport.”

Deputy Chief David Wolf, who joined the Police Department in 2001, has been a DARE officer, field training officer, emergency medical technician and certified telecommunicator. 

A law-enforcement instructor who has taught classes in the search-and-seizure, landlord/tenant law and eyewitness-identification fields, Wolf was one of the department’s first crisis intervention officers, a crisis/hostage negotiator and team leader with the Southwest Regional Emergency Response Team.

Wolf was promoted in 2014 to the rank of sergeant and worked in the Patrol Division. In 2017, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and served as a shift commander until 2021 when he became the department’s administrative lieutenant, a role that includes serving as public information officer.
In 2022, he was promoted to captain, overseeing the Professional Standards Division, which includes leading internal affairs investigations and collaborating with the town’s Civilian Public Safety Departments Review Board.

Over the course of his career, Wolf has received the Chief’s Commendation and many unit citations.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Franklin and Marshall College and received a law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law.

Capt. Eric Woods, hired as a Westport police officer in 2001, was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2009. He supervised patrol operations and helped mentor younger officers and maintain operational readiness. 

Promoted to lieutenant in 2013, he was assigned to the Detective Bureau four years later where he oversaw investigations and coordinated with local, state and federal law-enforcement partners.

In 2022, he was appointed administrative lieutenant, with responsibility for the Police Department’s internal operations. That included managing logistics and upgrading digital operations, as well as overseeing administrative functions. He also currently is the department’s public information officer.

Woods graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice.  

Capt. Jillian Cabana, hired as a Westport officer in 2006, was promoted to detective in 2009, to sergeant in 2013 and lieutenant in 2014. 

As a lieutenant, she has served in several roles, including administrative lieutenant, patrol shift commander and, most recently, commander of the Detective Bureau. 

Cabana also has been cited for professional achievements over the course of her career, including the Meritorious Service Award, Honorable Police Service, Investigator’s Award, Community Service Award, and multiple unit citations. She has also been recognized with awards from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Domestic Violence Crisis Center, where she served on the Board of Directors.

Cabana is a graduate of the University of New Haven with a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice. She holds a master’s degree from Southern New Hampshire University in justice studies, as well as a graduate certificate in public administration.