Secure Community Network Announces Hiring of Peter Lavelle as Community Security Director for Fairfield County

The Secure Community Network (SCN), the official safety and security organization for the Jewish community in North America, today announced the appointment of Peter Lavelle as the Community Security Director for the Jewish Federation of Greater Fairfield County. In this role, Lavelle will serve as the primary security liaison for Jewish institutions in Bridgeport, Fairfield, Westport, Norwalk, Wilton, Ridgefield, and Trumbull, all within Fairfield County, Connecticut.

Lavelle will oversee the safety and security of approximately 30,000 Jewish residents and two dozen organizations and facilities across the region. His responsibilities include administering security programs for the local federation, providing consultations, conducting building assessments, leading training exercises, mitigating threats to Jewish organizations, and coordinating responses to critical incidents at synagogues, schools, daycare centers, assisted living facilities, and other Jewish institutions in Fairfield County.

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“We are grateful to have Peter join our Greater Fairfield community, where he has already made a significant impact, particularly during the High Holidays. His expertise, combined with SCN’s resources, ensures that we are well-equipped to keep our community safe and secure while engaging in meaningful Jewish life,” said Shelley Kreiger, Acting Director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Fairfield County.

Before joining SCN, Lavelle served for 32 years as an FBI Special Agent in New Haven, specializing in national security and violent crime investigations. During his time at the bureau, he was a certified FBI Undercover Agent, an instructor at the FBI Undercover Certification School, a SWAT operator, and a Defensive Tactics Instructor. After retiring from the FBI, Lavelle served as a Police Inspector with the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office, supporting violent crime investigations. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Scranton.

“I am excited to join SCN and contribute to enhancing the security posture of the Jewish community in Fairfield County. Having worked closely with law enforcement infrastructure throughout the state during my tenure with the FBI, I look forward to building on these relationships and collaborating with community leaders to ensure a safer, more resilient environment that supports vibrant Jewish life,” said Peter Lavelle, SCN Community Security Director for Fairfield County.

This hiring was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Federation, local donors, community partners, and national donors, with professional support from SCN. Major funding for this initiative comes from both SCN and The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) through the joint $130 million LiveSecure Campaign—the largest philanthropic effort ever undertaken to establish a comprehensive, standards-based collective security framework for Jewish communities across North America.

“In our journey to ensure that every Jewish community has a strong security initiative necessary for flourishing Jewish life, we’re thrilled to see that Fairfield County is taking steps to grow their security program. I look forward to working with the community to raise the necessary matching funds as it continues on its journey to secure the Jewish community,” said Jewish Federations of North America Chair Julie Platt.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Fairfield County joins the growing network of Jewish Federations and communities that have partnered with SCN to launch or build upon existing community-wide security programs designed around an “all threats, all hazards” approach to preparedness, safety, security, and resiliency. Each program is connected to SCN’s national operations, providing direct access to SCN’s National Jewish Security Operations Command Center and Duty Desk, as well as best practice security resources and support related to policies, procedures, physical security, facility assessments, training, and incident response. SCN and the Federation are currently in the process of hiring a security professional to direct this program.

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