Now There Are 3

Reddish is an excellent candidate as well as Campbell. Good luck to both.

All three candidates are outstanding police officers, and any one of them will be an excellent chief. It's a win/win/win for the City and for community policing. Best of luck to all three.

I am so happy for Reddish. He was a great district manager in East Rock. His qualifications are unmatched and the younger officera who dont know him will see what a quality and experienced leader he was and will be.

Mayor Harp deserves the criticism she's gotten for dragging her feet on a replacement chief. Esserman left in September. It is almost May - what kind of hiring process, where the interviews have yet to be done, takes more than eight months to complete? Especially when all the candidates are local, two of which are current employees blocks from City Hall and the other is retired?

None of these people should be hired unless they commit to ending the practice of irrationally targeting stops by profiling drivers, cars and people.

First I would like to congratulate all of the candidates!! Remember, you have been selected because you represent the best in the New Haven police department. Second, I remember Mr. Reddish when he was my district manager in newhalville and my child was in middle school. He came in and reduced a lot the crime that was going on, walked and talked to residents, especially the children, and was and still is well respected. He retired and was missed by many. My child is now and high school and when he came back as head of security for the New Haven Public Schools many in the neighborhood were very happy because they knew that their children would be safer. I know his family very well and they raised him (in New Haven) to be the man he is today. He was born in New Haven and lives in Newhalville. What more can a community and neighborhood ask for. It was great that East Rock recognized you and I want to thank you as well Mr. Reddish for all you done to keep our neighborhood safer, and I am sure I speak for many, but Newhalville is ruiting for you too!!

NHI,

Can you please clarify the timeline? The article states that Mayor Harp expects to choose a chief by the end of May, and then quotes her as saying a permanent chief will be in place by the middle of May.

Thanks!

New broom sweeps clean.All three are old brooms.

@Threefifths: A new broom may sweep clean but the old broom knows the corners!! Nce to see some familiar faces. We definitley do not need to bring any more outsiders.

The three candidates for the next Chief of Police are all qualified in their own rights to be where they are. Each one of them bring a dimension and personality to the task of running the Office of Chief.

To note we need to keep in mind the dedication and committment to the community and citizens who live in various parts of New Haven who come from various races, cultures and religions.

My concern is the scale may not be balanced as we all would like to see with regard to the different cultures, races and ethnicity's. In choosing the next Police Chief the scale must be balanced for all.

Mr. Reddish has shown the courage, committment and tolerance not to mention the years of experience to undertake the task of resurrecting the moral, respect and the pride which was once instilled in every sworn woman and man who ever wore the NHPD patch on their shoulders.

The citizens of the great City of New Haven finally need a Police Chief who understands the complexity of the community but more so can forge the ideals of what "Community Policing" really means. Mr. Reddish can restore the trust, faith and confidence of policing as it has plummeted over the years across the country.

Mayor Harp Mr. Reddish is an asset to your administration as well as a asset !

Surprise twist in the NHPD chief saga.

Although I've been close to certain that the fix is in for Campbell, Reddish could eclipse Campbell. Reddish covers the demographic element, has plenty of experience, and helpfully does not have any of the baggage that Campbell may have (or has) collected during his tenure. Harp can sell him as an outsider since Reddish has been retired for a few years.

That said, Reddish is a consummate professional, respected, and has proven leadership skills. NHPD would be well served by his appointment.

Reddish should be the obvious choice however politics may not allow his pick as Chief. Campbell, although a nice person, does not have 1/3rd of the qualifications of either Reddish or Casanova. He should not even be in this group. It would be a shame to select someone who does not fit theae qualifications. What does this message say to officers who are aspiring to be Chief? That you dont have to work hard in the community, or make life changing decisions in the field, or witness upclose the loss of life. Just spend all of your career inside and the Interim Chief position will fall in your lap and then you will be on yiour way to. Chief. This department prides itself on Community Policing. How can you hire a Chief who was not involved in the community until the last 9 months? Reddish embodies everything that a new officer should aspire to be. Reddish gives the department its first real Chief in a long time and this would be ashame if the Mayor did not recognize his accomplishments by appointing him Chief.

Fact check: Reddish left Internal Affairs a mess, he did nothing in the Academy. Never was he able to get the Newhallville district under control, although his "claim to fame" was that he lived there. He failed at every opportunity he was given and when he was pressured he cried racism. Let's also touch on his uncontrollable earnings as a district manager....Most recently at the BOE while attending a meeting, he didn't realize he had his own budget he was responsible for, in which Will Clarke had to remind him while in public. So, is this the person your cheering for... God Help Us.

Not for nothing @Lee34 Mr. Reddish minimized the possibility of any infrastructural potential for litigation to occur which would have ultimately cost the tax payers and the City of New Haven large sums of money.

I can attest to the fact if you were to compare former Chief (Esserman)'s record you will find that it was obvious IA didn't do a good job in circumventing issues internally which resulted in numerous behind closed door compensatory settlements.

Mr. Reddish Sir I disagree with your assessment that he would not do a good job as the Chief of Police because you arrived at the assumption IA was in shambles. Review his record against his predecessor!

@lee34: Wow you sound like you are a disgruntled police officer. Trust if Reddish had failed at everyting I am sure he would not be considered a finalist. A failure as you put is actually someone who lets a perverted officer who engaged a young lady, still walk the streets today!! A failure is someone who doesnt understand that you can not leave the city without leaving anyone else in charge. A failure is not preparing for a protest that was talked about a day before.

@ noteworthy - If you're going to make a claim, can you please provide proof of "irrationally targeting stops by profiling drivers, cars and people". Every time you post, you just have an ax to grind. You cite random statistics without showing where you get your formulation. You make claims of profiling without showing why you make it. It appears the only thing that would make you happy is a city without the police. You don't seem credible.

All three finalists are technically qualified. Seeing Esserman divided the department like no other, perhaps the next Chief should be selected to heal the divide.

TCC -

You want proof of irrational profiling? Earlier, I provided a number of examples. That's proof. No ticket, no violation. Just two stops in two days, frisk, search and nothing. It was that car, in that neighborhood and a cop on a power trip who decided he was just going to pull it over and see who was inside and toss it just in case he could find something. It is ignorant to imply there is no profiling in this city. Rational profiling is exhibiting suspisous behavior; visiting a known drug den, stopping by the corners where drugs or other illegal activity is taking place. Irrational profiling is when a motorist is doing none of the above, just passing through a neighborhood, not driving fast or in violation of the law - and still gets stopped, searched and frisked.

Random statistics? You should read more. The stats I quoted weren't random. The study was sourced. It was recent and the stats were based on the voluntary reporting of city cop shops across the country. Obviously, you didn't read it.

I am not interested in a cop-less city. I am interested in a correctly staffed force and for that force to be professional, courteous and helpful. I want a force that embraces all that community policing means - and not one that whether they are on foot or in a a car, exhibits the very behavior I describe - and somehow thinks that simply walking a beat is "community policing."

Note: We have the largest police force in this state and we are not the largest city or for that matter, the most violent. There needs to be a work force utilization study done on both the police and fire departments so that we can have the safety we want at the price we can afford. Just more isn't working.