Attorney Mike Whalen retired from the Dennis, Massachusetts Police Department in 2014 following 38 years of service in four police agencies. Chief Whalen began his career with the Hartford Police Department in 1974. During his time in Hartford, he completed a variety of assignments including Patrol, Traffic, Communications, Major Crimes, Team Leader on the Department’s Emergency Response Team, and Supervisor of the Department’s Community Policing Unit. In his final assignment, Chief Whalen coordinated the Department’s Civil Litigation Unit and acted as the Department Advocate – reviewing disciplinary files and representing the Department in disciplinary hearings.
Following a short career representing police officers and municipalities in state and federal court, Chief Whalen returned to the law enforcement field as the first Police Chief appointed to lead the Connecticut State Capitol Police. From 1996 to 2014, he led three departments as the Chief of Police: Connecticut State Capitol Police, Farmington Connecticut Police Department, and the Dennis, Massachusetts Police Department.
Throughout his career, Chief Whalen was involved in many activities to further the professionalism and accountability of law enforcement agencies. As Chair of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Accreditation Committee, he worked with other police professionals to implement a state-wide accreditation process. He implemented or maintained the accreditation process in each of the departments he led and conducted numerous accreditation assessments as a team leader for both state and national accreditation programs. Chief Whalen oversaw the Cape Cod SWAT team and taught in both the college and academy setting in a number of legal and operational areas. As a management representative to the Massachusetts Joint Labor Management Committee, Chief Whalen has mediated or arbitrated a number of police and fire collective bargaining agreements.
Chief Whalen earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Connecticut School of Law. He has attended a number of professional education programs and is certified as a Force Analyst through the Force Science Institute.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
- T: 508-326-5279
- F: 860-479-9048
- E: michael.whalen@daiglelawgroup.com
AREAS OF PRACTICE
- Law Enforcement Consultant Service
- Policy and Procedure Coordination
- Investigative Services
- Police Training and Education
EDUCATION
- UCONN Law School- 1993
- St Joseph’s College – B.A. Business Administration – Management concentration