In his rookie year, Bridgeport police officer David Daniels III witnessed a cop beating two suspects in handcuffs. He brought it to the attention of police brass.
No good deed goes unpunished. As Daniels notes: “That changed my life and the trajectory of my career.”
A hangman’s noose was left on Daniels car.
A noose is featured on the cover of his autobiography, Black & Blue In Bridgeport with a kicker: “Life Doesn’t Always Stick To The Plan.”
A Black man, raised poor in the projects, turned blue in Bridgeport, in a department then overwhelmingly White.
When you think community policing in Bridgeport, for many of us who followed Daniels throughout his law enforcement career, he’s right at the top, a fixture in the lives of so many young people co-mingling basketball clinics, food drives and drug education programs.
Daniels contributions to Bridgeport are still ongoing as the creator of the annual Bridgeport Jazz Fest.
Book description:
David Daniels III shares his journey in clear and factual detail. Displaying his humble beginnings of growing up in a troublesome home and his development in his community. After college life and landing a secure job, he starts his own family but never forgets his hidden dream to one day become a police officer. That day finally comes and he begins to live out his dream career.
Shortly thereafter, an on the job event forces him to make a choice that sends his career and life down an unexpected and undeserved path of chaos. Since he was a young boy, all he ever desired was to be that officer in blue that really helped those that needed him. Fighting to stay honest, David survives the betrayal, harassment, and threats the best he can by discovering alternate routes to continue doing positive things. As an officer, he travels the country meeting and connecting with inspiring people and finally lands in a position that allows him to begin doing his best work in community service. David spent many years being the kind of officer that made a difference in his community, but he’ll never forget the unexpected fight he endured to become Black & Blue In Bridgeport.
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Daniels background:
Lieutenant David Daniels (Retired) proudly has 25+ years of service as a Bridgeport Police Department Officer and is a Bridgeport, Connecticut native and still resides in the city. During his career, David worked in the Patrol, Communications, Internal Affairs, Recruiting and the Community Services Divisions Obtaining the rank of Sergeant in 8 years, David was then promoted to Lieutenant just 2 years later. Early on in his career, David was a leader in teaching the Drug Abuse Resistance Education Program (D.A.R.E.) to public and Parochial Schools in the district, as well as the Gang Resistance Education and Training Programs (GREAT). Loving his community, David also organized residential Block Watches and provided Security Surveys for residence and businesses around the city. While in charge of the Community Services Division, David instituted free food and toy give a ways for the community. Having a love of basketball and a passion for helping the children, David created, organized and lead the Officer Friendly Basketball Camp that lasted nearly 20 years within the community.
Lieutenant Daniels’ leadership was unwavering as he served as President of The Bridgeport Guardians for 5 terms, a term as Vice President of the NBPA (National Black Police Association) Northeastern Region and the very first, President of the NABLEO (The National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers).
Lieutenant Daniels’ dedication and hard work has been acknowledged with several national, regional and local awards and citations to include; The State of Connecticut Legacy Citation and both the NABLEO Presidential Award and Lifetime Achievement Awards.
During his retirement, Mr. Daniels periodically provides consultant work for the NBA Rookie Transition program in New York and leads workshops on taking promotional exams for the Charlotte-Mech Police Department. He is also a former on air DJ for WYBC radio in New Haven, Connecticut, the creator of the ongoing Bridgeport Jazz Fest and a proud published author.
A Good Cop! A Fine Man!
Dave is telling his own story. It is real. Encourage you to give it a try.
He knows the viewpoint of Bridgeport life from which he narrates today. If you listen to his “origin story” you can understand better what family homes communicate to the young, what the streets contribute to their education, what the attraction of a uniform and being on the side of community order can be, and many of the potholes, road barriers, and detours constructed by ‘systemic racism’ can do to dreams and careers. Likely to be more stories where this one comes from. Mentoring in the Police Department is a critical issue for all of us. Time will tell.
I worked with David Daniels when I was the coordinator for the Lake Forest Block Watch/Neighborhood Patrol and he was the Citywide Commander of the Neighborhood Policing program for the BPD at the rank of Lieutenant. Lt. Daniels and Officer Nick Ortiz both displayed dedication and commitment to the neighborhoods during the years that I worked with them from my civilian side of the Bridgeport Community Policing initiative — which has been largely sidelined and suppressed by the Ganim Administration.
I am hopeful that Mayor Daniels will bring back community policing, full spectrum, and full throttle during his upcoming administration…
Thanks, Lt. Daniels for your commitment to Bridgeport — especially your commitment to its youth!