Police Captain Rebeca Garcia’s letter of appointment to assistant chief, the second-highest rank in the department, will be referred to the Contracts Committee at Monday night’s City Council meeting that will take place immediately after inaugural ceremonies for municipal offices.
According to the letter of appointment to be signed by both Police Chief AJ Perez and Mayor Joe Ganim, Garcia’s promotion will become effective upon full council authorization which is anticipated December 16.
Police chief and assistant chief are the only ranks not affiliated with a collective bargaining union. Her starting pay, according to the letter, will be $142,425.
Ganim and Perez announced Garcia’s appointment on November 25. The position has been vacant since January 2016 when James Nardozzi was removed in a department shakeup after Ganim’s return to the mayoralty. Nardozzi sued. The city and Nardozzi have come to terms on a settlement that requires City Council approval.
See letter of appointment below:
All in favor? Aye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment from new council member : Hey, I want money from my stipend!
Motion to adjourn? (Mayor recognizes one of the clueless council members) All in favor? Aye!
Curiosity about financial issues???
** Thank OIB for the several pages in the offering statement to Captain Garcia. Who has a listing of the PUBLIC TAXPAYER funds due for each of the items listed in that agreement,,,,,past, present and future…..today?? Is anyone on the Council to learn the individual amounts and what they represent in value today?
**Will the public learn what Captain Garcia’s predecessor will be getting from PUBLIC TAXPAYER funds to settle his issues with the City?? Would settling the suit allow us to see the issues that Nardozzi was held responsible for that was undercut by Police and Union unhappiness? Is it likely that we would commission a statue to him for his professional work?
**Where does each one of several consultant inquiries announced in the past 24 months stand? Complete with a public report? Incomplete and no report? No work done and none contemplated? Total expense for all outside consulting?
Are we any closer to: community policing as stated by Chief Perez? regular and routine schedule of hiring to maintain department at or close to Table of Organization? any recommendation that will save on overtime expenses to taxpayers in most years?
Time will tell.
This is an excellent way to start the next council year.
Use this as leverage for the many unanswered questions about the Police Department.
Who is responsible for OT?
How will it be controlled?
Will she be willing to put a clause in contract saying that if there is not a 10% decrease in OT a year for each of the next three years the contract is null and void?
What is her plan for community policing and is she will to put it in writing and have her and AJ commit to it?
Where is the report on the Bridgeport Police Dept? How bad is it? No report no contract. Period.
Just for beginners.
And what does this say about African Americans role in the management of the BPD? Has Ganim lost faith in them? Is this a trend of things to come?
Bob, to lose faith in Black’s on the BPD, one would have to have had faith in Black’s in general which Mayor Ganim is woefully lacking. So is there no exam for a position that pays over $142,000 a year and how does Bridgeport know she is the best person for the job considering how well the appointment of Chief Perez went. I fully expect the Hispanic community coming out in full support of this appointment just like it did with Chief Perez and again we know how this turned out.
And where is the Board of Police Commissioners in all this? The outcome will still be the same(Garcia approved) but do we REALLY have such a toothless Police Commision. One more reason for Charter Revision Committee but that won’t happen.
The Council…..”Mario& Joe, is this what you two want?”
Joe& Mario….”Yes it is”
The Council….” Ok, looks good to us, no questions, let’s vote”
Passed unanimously..