Mayor Joe Ganim announced on Tuesday the long-awaited national search for chief of police issuing a signed letter to Personnel Director Eric Amado who will initiate the process for a competitive Civil Service examination.
Rebeca Garcia has served as acting chief since the resignation of A.J. Perez, recently released from prison, following his guilty plea for rigging the 2018 test for top cop.
The City Charter empowers the Personnel Director to administer an open and competitive exam and to certify the top three candidates to the mayor within 150 days.
Amado stated that he is “committed to administering an examination for Chief of Police that is transparent to the public, conducted in a professional manner, fair to all candidates, adheres to the Charter and all applicable law, has a nationwide reach, and yields the best candidate for the position.”
Next steps, according to timeline issued by mayor’s office:
— The Personnel Director will hire an expert recruitment and psychometric firm that will assist the Office of Civil Service administer the open and competitive examination.
— Together, the Personnel Director and expert firm will:
o Conduct meetings with community stakeholders, members of the City Council, and City staff to ensure that the job analysis and job description represents the qualifications, experience, and skills appropriate for service as a present-day urban police chief;
o Conduct a nationwide search that includes advertisement and recruitment throughout the United States;
o Design and administer a fair, open, and competitive examination to candidates that apply and meet the qualifications.
— Within one hundred fifty (150) days, the Personnel Director will certify the top three (3) names to the Mayor.
— The Mayor will announce a process involving public and stakeholder input that will aid him in vetting the top three (3) candidates.
— Within sixty (60) days of receipt of the top three (3) candidates, the Mayor will appoint one of them to be the Chief of Police and notify the Office of Civil Service, Board of Police Commissioners, and the public of said appointment.
— Upon appointment of a Chief of Police, the terms of his/her five (5) year appointment will be referred to the City Council for consideration and approval.
The Examination for Police Chief will be open to a nationwide search when the planning stages of the selection process have all been appropriately finalized. The City encourages all qualified candidates to apply.
So, here we go again, now tell me what’s different this time?
Personnel Director Eric Amado stated that he is “committed to administering an examination for Chief of Police that is transparent to the public, conducted in a professional manner, fair to all candidates, adheres to the Charter and all applicable law, has a nationwide reach, and yields the best candidate for the position.”
Next steps, according to timeline issued by mayor’s office:
The Personnel Director will hire an expert recruitment and psychometric firm that will assist the Office of Civil Service administer the open and competitive examination.
Jim Nardozzi would be great. Oh wait, he tried to save taxpayers’ money but cost cops the OT gravy train, and wasn’t in the tank for Joe and the Testacrats. Can’t have that in Bridgeport, no room for professionals.
Prediction: Nardozzi takes cop test, places top three!
I ran into James Nardozzi back in September and he is out of the public safety buisness
Eric Amado’s role, as related above, includes the scheduling and conduct of stakeholder meetings of one type or another. Pray tell, other than the Mayor’s “footdragging” style instructions to “slow go” public work, what holds up gatherings, ZOOM or otherwise, to discuss our Bridgeport need for genuine public safety? While you are building your timetable, Eric, maybe you can put those community events as a priority? After two years of voices and words, people want to see the action as well as hear about it, and wish to see the numbers. Start with one department, like the Police Department. Show the record of the past ten years anyway. Recruits trained, new officers, surviving probation period, overall retirements, overall resignations, disabilities, suspensions, etc. That would reveal the trends and stresses on regular police activity. Then perhaps a similar record over the past ten years for OVERTIME. Separate internal OT by department section, from External OT by hours claimed monthly by function where those hours are refunded to the City by employers, but not the funding for MERS the CT state retirement system that includes benefits for OT earnings. Where did a City Council member spell out that change to the public when voted upon? Who will come clean today? Time will tell.