Aliyya Swaby Photo
Harp at Wednesday’s gathering.
Philadelphia — Tied up with hot-button controversies back home, Toni Harp was a little late to the party here. But New Haven’s first female mayor made it in time to watch the Democratic Party nominate its first female presidential candidate — and to push for federal help with the illegal sale of guns.
“One of the things you feel when you’re making history is, ‘Why did it take so long?’” Harp said after participating as a delegate Tuesday night in nominating Hillary Clinton for president.
The Democratic National Convention started here on Monday. Harp had to change her plans and wait until Tuesday to arrive. She need to attend to some business in New Haven on Monday: She placed Police Chief Dean Esserman on a 15-working-day paid leave after a string of complaints about his personal conduct. Later Monday, as First Lady Michelle Obama gave a lauded speech supporting Clinton in Philadelphia, Mayor Harp was still in New Haven presiding over a Board of Education meeting where a contingent of retired administrators called for ousting Superintendent Garth Harries.
She made it to Philadelphia in time to join the Connecticut convention delegation in participating in the Clinton nomination. Then, Thursday morning, Harp joined Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim and Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin at an event at the DoubleTree Hotel held for Connecticut delegates to the convention.
When Harp took the podium in Philadelphia in a small “Benjamin” conference room there, she zoomed out from details back home, and focused on the successes.
New Haven has done all it can do to “deal with guns once they’ve been fired,” she said. The reintroduction of community-based policing to the city has pushed gun violence to an all-time low. And new technology, such as ShotSpotter, which tracks shootings across the city, allows police to get to crime scenes faster.
Harp called on federal leaders to pass gun control laws that will make it easier to regulate people buying guns in other states and bringing them into New Haven in the first place.
“We need a Congress that’s going to go the extra mile,” she said. Last week, a woman was struck by a stray bullet in her own home, she noted. While campaigning for mayor, she met an 8‑year-old girl traumatized by seeing a bullet fly through her wall and across her bed one night.
“The way our country knows our mind is through the vote,” she said.
The dozens of Connecticut delegates applauded from their tables, where they had enjoyed a hot breakfast and litany of speeches throughout the morning. Mayor Harp followed U.S. Rep. John Lewis, who encouraged legislators to get into “necessary trouble” fighting for votes that could decrease violence nationwide.
After her speech, Harp said New Haven’s recent conflicts have to be put in context.
“I’m responsible for the chief of police. I appointed him. Clearly there were some missteps,” she said. But New Haven still leads urban cities in the state, if not the country, in community policing efforts, she said. Chief Esserman is responsible for that.
“The real question is, can we help him address some of those other things that have as much to do with keeping the city safe?” she said.
As for the Board of Education, she said, several members “just don’t like” Superintendent Harries. “They try to couch it in other terms. But that’s the bottom line.”
Though Harries is not perfect, he is “committed to all children in New Haven Public Schools.” Under his leadership, the district was able to partner with the city on the YouthStat initiative, which focuses on integrating social services for at-risk students to keep them in school and off the streets.
“With another superintendent, I’m not sure I can do YouthStat,” she said. The initiative has “made a reduction in New Haven of violence and crime.”
Harp said the roll call vote that led to Clinton’s nomination was the most inspiring vote she had seen at a convention, with delegates “coming together” as one Democratic Party.
"Kids First". Mayor Toni Harp is quoted as saying: Several Board members "just don't like" Superintendent Harries. I do not like him either. Why would any citizen/tax payer in New Haven like a Superintendent that does not put our children first? Mayor Harp lived in New Haven when her children were of school age, but she did not send her own children to our public schools. Cicarella, who defended Garth Harries at the last Board Meeting, does not live in New Haven and would not send his children to our public school system either. As the Teacher Union president, why is he protecting the superintendent instead of the teachers that he is suppose to protect? Garth Harries family does not actually live here in New Haven. This shows that he is not totally invested in New Haven. These people are using our system for their patronage and to make these high salaries and take our tax dollars to other communities. I am sure that Garth Harries, who uses his little child as a prop, will not send his child to our system that he presides over. Please ask yourself why this mayor continues to shield Garth Harries from criticism. Mayor Harp is also quoted as saying "With another superintendent, I'm not sure I can do YouthStat". What? In other words, she may not be able to control the next superintendent. Many thanks to the Retired Administrators who came out to speak on our children behalf.