Police Commissioner, Ex-Cop Alder-Elect Call For National Search For Next Police Chief

Here's NH always thinking someone from out of state will be better than a local person. how insulting to NH residents and even area residents.
Kica, stick to drumming for peace... THAT is worthwhile!

I love how these so called " police experts " know what's best for New Haven. Meares and Lawlor can themselves whatever they want but they are in no way policing experts. Yalu can't be an expert in something you never have done. And Abdussabar was one of the worst cops in New Haven history…how many times was he fired and disciplined. He gave his felon brother a gun that he killed someone with. These new BOPC are some power hungry folks. The mayor does not need to ask Meares or Lawlor who he wants as chief. Chief Dominguez is more then qualified for the job. The last thing we need is an out of town chief who doesn't know a thing about New Haven. We saw how well the last two worked out Esserman was an egotistical maniac and Limon was never around.

There have been Black and Hispanic leadership in the NHPD. No one fired them. No one forced them out to my knowledge. They retired or left of their own volition to take better paying jobs with better benefits elsewhere.
It is important to have diversity in our police force, but it is more important to have quality and qualified police personnel.
Mr. Abdussabur speaks about the difficulty some Black New Haveners have in passing through the police academy.
It is admirable that the city attempt to recruit minorities to the police department, but no academic or physical standards should be lessened or lowered to get anyone through the process.
There should be one standard, one test, one expectation for all recruits, regardless of race, color, ethnicity or gender.
As far as a national search for a police chief, in this case this appeal seems rather bogus. I might guess that a qualified person currently in the department who has worked through the ranks, knows the police force and the community would be more preferable to the police force than someone from the outside. One would think that that would build morale within the department if the right person is selected.
Do the New Haven Police have confidence in the mayor's choice?
That's the bottom line.
If Mr. Abdussabur is unhappy with the appointment process, maybe as alderman he can work to revise re city charter.

Take a good look at us if you want to know how well a national search for chief ends up. You'll end up with someone always focused on the next big thing to boost their own brand while the people they're supposed to lead are mentally withering away and hopeless from countlessly being let down by broken promises and inaction. The morale is lower now than back when the city was browning out companies. We desperately hope for the mayor to again choose a New Haven-focused leader as he's done with the police department when our time comes in January

Can someone legit explain how this is not tone-deaf?

Inquiring minds want to know: would there be these recommendations for a national search for a police chief if the appointee was Black?
Did any of these people call for a national search BEFORE the Mayor made his appointment?
What is their justification or rationale for a national search now?
Could any of the advocates for a national search chime in here and address these questions?

For reference, I stopped after Prof. Meares' preface when she mentioned Chicago as a site of community-based policing. Meanwhile, Fox News regularly projects Chicago as the most violent American city, and Chicago aka 'Chiraq' is often mentioned pejoratively as a warzone.

Abdussabur also expressed gratitude at not having to define community policing, and went on to say community policing is like "Jedi on Star Wars".

A national search for community policing is confusing, because of the word "community". IIRC it is a philosophy, and it does not necessarily involve community members as police officers. In that sense, a national search for a Chief that is fully invested in the philosophy of community policing.

Hiring/recruiting police officers from New Haven is part of this process - and I assume those New Haven-bred officers would certainly respect someone from New Haven, not Providence or New York or DC preaching controversial change. I would have assumed an adherent to community policing would prefer to remain in their community.

I agree that Meares and Lawlor are not experts in policing in any way, however that is not to diminish their accomplishments in the field of criminal justice. I believe that to declare expert status in any area there is a degree of practical experience that is necessary that neither of the commissioners possess. Second, they should not have any influence on the selection for Chief of Police, nor should the Board of Alders. I don't agree with Elicker much, but he is correct in this instance; it's his choice and his only. I also agree that there exists a need to diversify the upper ranks of the NHPD, but not if that means sacrificing competency. In other words, we shouldn't be looking for a Black or Brown chief, we should be looking for the most competent individual for the position. You don't have to be Black to understand the struggles of the Black community and the uneven distribution of justice experienced by that specific community, you just need to have empathy and understanding. Appointing a Chief of Police who is Black or Brown, but less qualified than another candidate, is simply foolish and never works out the way it was envisioned. We've had a few Black and Brown Chief's over the past few decades. Have the operations of the NHPD changed very much? Are we still policing Black and Brown communities the same way? Yes, we are. Making race the driving factor for a leader of the department is short-sighted and divisive. Let's give Dominguez the chance. If she screws up, then get rid of her. Stop the rhetoric though because it's old at this point.

Here's a women who rose thru the ranks, wish more people would be happy a women is leading instead of trying to bring her down.

@FD Fact Check

Are you talking about John Alston or Frank Ricci?

I hope the Mayor does the right thing and keep the current chief he chose. This is the one thing I dislike about New Haven- their backyard experts.

The best chiefs over the past 70 years have been homegrown. The key to effective policing is building trust and relationships with all sectors of the community, high visibility, adequate staffing, and letting career criminals, especially violent ones, know that we stand ready to help them if they want to change but we will spare no expense to lock them up if they do not. We also need courageous members of the community to explain that telling on a person who has committed a crime is not SNITCHING.

We need more Stacey Spells, Lou Casanovas, Odell Cohens, Mel Wearings, and others like them. But, policing is nothing without community support. If you see something, say something.

Fact Finder: I understand what you're implying and you're not wrong.

I NEVER thought I would agree with CityYankee2 on anything! You know what they say: "Never say Never!" He's 100% right on this issue!!!!!! In addition to her other New Haven honed fine qualities, Renee is an animal advocate! You can't get any better than that! I hope all the alders will enthusiastically support her appointment. She has worked for it and deserves it!

Dear Marvel--- thank you for joining the esteemed group of commenters who thought they would NEVER agree with CityYankee2..... I am feeling the love!!

It is rare for the rank and file to actually like their chief. Every department has a morale problem. This chief is rare- she is liked by the cops and community. The community 'leaders' hate her because they realize she is special. Just ask KDW et. al.

I have an idea- let's do what Bridgeport just did, and have a nationwide search where the candidate chosen after an exhaustive search just happens ending up being the current chief! Nothing could possibly go wrong.

Count me as another who agrees with CY on this one. Each city has its own nuances and the last two outsiders who came never got to know the names of some of the key streets and high crime sectors. We should groom our own staff in many cases and unless we can get Batman from Gotham City, look to people like the current chief and perhaps a retired officer like Captain Duff or the current next in command in our department. There are few examples of exemplary urban police departments and New Haven is far better than most. The current chief has done well at every level she has been assigned to. She is personable, articulate, mentally tough and highly visible. If the good citizens are willing to work with her, our city will benefit. We elected Elicker to lead and to build his own team. A national search at this time has the potential to create more problems and division, especially if the usual activists Rev up. Pun intended.

As usual, @JohnDVelleca offers wise and common sense advice on police matters. With that said, the MOST disturbing part of the article is where Abdussabur "spoke about the difficulty Black male New Haveners in particular have passing through the academy and becoming officers if they apply to the department." Those difficulties need to be explicitly defined using data from the recruitment and training processes, not opinion, and then analyzed to determine if anything can be done to address them.

Yes, Haven Knew, KDW's attack on then Acting Chief Dominguez was a blunder that certainly cost her the election. If for no other reason, Mayor Elicker owes Renee his support so she can continue her work for the city they both are trying to change for the better.

Amen, Eric be Smith. BUT- of course something can be done about it. The same in-depth analysis has been used for why women have struggled in the workforce and many remedies have been implemented to help correct that. We have the Analysis and remedies to do it, but lack the willpower, care and concern to get it done.
But as an aside, I think you know all this.

@westville man....No. I don't know anything about what you mentioned. I also don't think we have the real analysis. I've heard what seems to be opinions regarding why "Black males...have trouble passing through the academy and becoming police officers," but I haven't seen real data. I've heard the issue is the background check and the polygraph. Well...I don't think much can be done about those two things. They tell you what things in your background disqualify you from being an officer. If those things are part of your background, don't apply. The polygraph is even simpler. When you answer the questions, don't lie. I've also heard that the written exams are culturally biased. I've taken municipal tests twice and state tests once. I don't remember a question I would consider to be culturally biased. Then, when I went through the academies (as an FYI...when I went through the New Haven academy, the two primary instructors were African-American), I can't think of anything I went through that would have been more difficult for African-American males than for anyone else. So I think there needs to be some real, data-based analysis as a first step.

My apologies- My mistaken assumption that you knew the multiple factors involved in the so-called inability of Black applicants to successfully matriculate.

CityYankee2 -are you okay? I've been feeling warm and fuzzy inside because of your comments as of late.

Shucks, offtherails, I didn't know you cared and thanks for asking. My views are not always representative of some of the readership in this forum but that is fine. It's got me wondering if we are losing the ability to find common ground in our quest for lockstep conformity of opinon. This can never be and we seem to be stopping at the points of disagreement ; rather than searching for the common ground that can open the door to further conversations. As one who is very guilty of the sarcastic remark ( more than most) ; I probably need to remember that and I hope others will as well.

I consider the commenters for the most part to be sincerely motivated. I hope we can find our way back to civil conversation and behavior, while being mature enough to accept that we don't have to all think the same things on everything but always working toward tolerance... otherwise; it's 1984 and its "groupthink"

Sarcasm aside I am getting the impression that City Yankee and I would enjoy having a cup of java together. His recent post about civility expresses my point of view exactly. This is how democracy is supposed to work without invasions, threats on social.media, and name-calling. Make your claim, state the facts, and draw your conclusions. Let the truth guide your philosophy even when the truth hurts. The truth heals as well. But sometimes, the hurt comes first.