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Committee backs several constable appointments and will forward recommendations to full council
Summary
The committee recommended favorable action to the full council for three constable appointments — Florentino Correa (Fall River), Michael Gonzalez (New Bedford) and Alex Rodriguez Sr. (Dartmouth) — after brief introductions from the applicants.
The New Bedford City Council—s committee on appointments and briefings on April 15 advanced three mayoral communications recommending appointments of constables for referral to the full City Council with favorable recommendations.
Why it matters: constables carry specific authorities in local law-enforcement and legal-service roles; the committee typically questions applicants about experience, partnerships and operational plans.
Florentino Correa, currently a constable in Fall River, told the committee he was seeking to expand his constable service into New Bedford. Correa said he is 45, was born in Puerto Rico and works with an attorney in Fall River; Councilor Sean Oliver noted collaboration with a lawyer is common because "there's no handbook for this." The committee voted to refer Correa's appointment to the full council with a favorable recommendation.
Michael Gonzalez, 24, described his interest in a career in law enforcement and said he works in mental-health transport services for Gandara Center in New Bedford; he said attorney Dave Dennis would mentor him. Councilors welcomed his application and voted to send the appointment to the full council with a favorable recommendation.
Alex Rodriguez Sr., who said he was a veteran and has experience in corrections and currently drives for a local firm, said he had been appointed as a constable in Dartmouth the prior month and is partnering with a retired state trooper. Councilors noted the value of that experience and voted to refer his appointment with a favorable recommendation; the clerk was instructed to report the recommendations to the full council on April 24.
Procedural notes: motions to refer the appointments to the full council were made and seconded; each item passed by voice vote. Committee members encouraged applicants to continue mentoring relationships and to follow city hiring and licensure procedures where applicable.
What—s next: each favorable recommendation will be reported to the full City Council for final approval on April 24, 2025.
