Allan Appel Photo
“You’ve risked your lives and you’ve saved lives. … We celebrate not just your promotion, but your health, your perseverance, and your life.”
With those words both personal and professional, New Haven Police Chief Otoniel Reyes and his staff presided over the elevation of six veteran officers to the rank of detective.
With their partners, parents, and kids looking on in affection and admiration, the six officers were sworn in Friday afternoon on the second floor atrium of City Hall.
“Welcome to the investigative services division,” Assistant Chief Karl Jacobson, who oversees the bureau, told them. “We have a new contact with pay increases for detectives, so I hope it keeps you with us for some time. As detectives you are truth-seekers, because New Haven wants, and deserves, the truth.”
Samuel Stevens, son of newly minted detective Matthew Stevens (pictured above), and his brother Raymond badged their dad. Young Samuel, who is 8 years old, had a bit of a different perspective. Asked how he understood the occasion, Samuel said his dad is now a detective, which means he’ll be “searching for stuff and have tracking dogs.”
With the six promoted, the department will now have 51 detectives, with nine vacancies, reported police spokesperson Sgt. Shayna Kendall. As a whole the force currently has 358 sworn officers, out of 434 budgeted positions.
The new detectives are James Marcum, Thomas Murray, Matthew Stevens, Roger Kergaravat, Joshua Smerecznsky, and Thomas Blaisdell.
Diversity-optics are important as well as the department professionalism, which must include a commitment that produces detectives and command that looks like the community they are policing.
It would have served the NHPD well if the public information officer also provided the diversity of the other 51 detectives serving the citizens of the city, unless that information was provided and just not noted by the reporter. The photo is a reminder, whether true or not, can suggest that the department lacks diversity.