John Buturla began his professional career in 1979 as a Police Officer in the town of Trumbull, Connecticut. He joined the Connecticut State Police in November of 1982.

He rose through the ranks to Major and served in numerous assignments, including Commanding Officer of Major Crime, Professional Standards, Labor Relations and patrol troops. He was also the Chief of Staff for the State Police and counter-terrorism liaison with the FBI.

In October of 2001, Buturla was appointed as the Deputy Director of Homeland Security for the State of Connecticut. This office served as the direct liaison with the Federal Department of Homeland Security and was responsible for development of unified safety and security measures for Connecticut. Buturla was appointed as the Director of Homeland Security in February 2004. He served in this position until January of 2005, when he was appointed as the Director of Scientific Services for the Department of Public Safety.

Buturla retired from the State of Connecticut in March of 2005 to accept an appointment as the Chief Administrative Officer for the City of New Haven, Ct. As the CAO for the city he was responsible for the management of all Public Service departments. Buturla also served as the Director of Emergency Management and chair the Urban Area Security Initiative Working Group.

In March of 2007, Buturla returned to his hometown when he was appointed as the Chief of Police for Stratford, Connecticut. He currently serves in this capacity.

Buturla has a B.S. Degree in Criminal Justice from Sacred Heart University. In 1982 Sacred Heart University recognized him as “The Most Promising Criminal Justice Scholar.” He received a M.S. Degree in Forensic Science from the University of New Haven in 1988, where he received a Graduate Fellowship for Academic Excellence. On December 17, 1999 Buturla graduated from the FBI National Academy Program at Quantico, Virginia. He is also an Adjunct Professor for the Graduate Program in National Security at the University of New Haven. He has published material relating to Homeland Security and Law Enforcement.

He has continued involvement in Public Safety in a variety of venues. He was a member of the National Emergency Management Association, Homeland Security Consortium; a consultant in the Executive Education Program at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey California and appointed to the Department of Homeland Security, State, Local, Tribal and Territorial Government Coordinating Council. He also enjoys his civic work, as a member of the Board of Directors for Special Olympics Connecticut and Jane Doe No More, Inc.