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Newly arrived police chief outlines outreach, staffing and enforcement priorities
Summary
New BedfordPolice Chief (newly introduced to the committee) described a 28-year policing career, said he will meet councilors and department heads for one-on-one briefings, and signaled support for using retired officers for special details with medical clearances and union consultation.
The Committee on Public Safety and Neighborhoods heard an introduction from the department's new police chief, who said he plans direct outreach to councilors and city department heads to align public-safety priorities.
"I was asked to stop by here and introduce myself," the chief said, noting a 28-year career in Hartford and recent service as chief there from 2019 to 2024. He said he and his family chose New Bedford because "we love the ocean" and that he will schedule one-on-one meetings "to sit down and do some 1 on ones about what you're seeing in the city and what your public safety priorities are." The chief told the committee he will be reachable by phone or text as he settles in.
Committee members used the appearance to raise immediate operational questions. Councillors asked about the use of retired officers on special details, and the chief said he had not yet discussed the specific home-rule petition with the union but would do so. He also recommended medical clearances for older appointees, saying, "as you get, you know, I'll be 50 in a couple of months...I feel like I probably need one after 50," as context for recommending health screenings for officers who might be assigned physically demanding details.
The committee thanked the chief for attending and scheduled follow-ups later in the meeting tied to a separate agenda item about retired-officer appointments. No formal action was taken during the introduction other than scheduling further consideration.
