News release from Mayor’s Office:
Mayor Ganim today announced a timeline for soliciting feedback from elected officials and the public regarding who should be chosen as the next Bridgeport Chief of Police.
The timeline below includes two public hearings that will allow Bridgeport residents and stakeholders the opportunity to ask questions of the top 3 candidates. One will be held at Central High School. The second one will be held at Harding High School. These public hearings will both be live streamed on Facebook live.
The Mayor will be calling a Special Meeting of the City Council to interview the top 3 candidates in the City Council Chamber. The meeting will be chaired by the Council President. The public will be able to attend, but only members of the Council will be able to ask questions.
Additionally, a meeting has been scheduled to give City Department Heads and members of the Bridgeport State Legislative Delegation the opportunity to interview the candidates.
The City of Bridgeport has established an email address (policechiefsearch@bridgeportct.gov) in which elected officials and members of the public may provide feedback to the Mayor on the top 3 candidates. People may also submit feedback in writing by sending it to the Office of the Mayor at 999 Broad Street, Bridgeport, CT 06604. Feedback will be accepted until October 28th.
Mayor Ganim will subsequently interview the top 3 candidates and announce his decision by mid-November.
Mayor Ganim said,”Public safety is vital to the quality of life for our residents. It is important that community members, elected officials, and stakeholders have the opportunity to vet these three candidates, including the backgrounds and experiences that they might bring to the role of Police Chief. I encourage people to please attend these forums and provide constructive feedback as I consider these three candidates.”
Police Chief Selection Timeline:
— October 11: Community Forum at Central High School @ 6pm
— October 13: City Council Forum at City Council Chambers @ 6pm
— October 18: Community Forum at Harding High School @ 6pm
— October 20: Meeting with City Department Heads and Members of the Bridgeport Legislative Delegation at City Hall Annex (Time TBD)
— Late October/Early November: Mayor will interview the top 3 candidates.
— By Mid-November: Mayor will announce his choice for Chief of Police.More information on the background of the forum may be found on the City’s website at www.bridgeportct.gov/BPDChief2022.
There should be three hearings, Black Rock always seem to get lose in the Ganim hearing selections.
Why, because we ask to many Questions?
Jim Fox,
Perhaps we should insist on answers within a reasonable timeline? And then monitor to see whether those answers seem rational, truthful, open, and accountable, as well as delivered within a reasonable timeline.
We, the people, residents of all economic levels, taxpayers, and consistent voters, need to encourage more neighbors to become informed. Hearings are one place to appear. Perhaps talk to someone about your concern and then listen to his issue. Does the Mayor care?
Will we see and hear a candidate who provides a reason to trust that delivery of professional police service can be timely and trusted without running through decisions in the Mayor’s office. (Perhaps an assignment for Ed Adams, currently in charge of Office of Accountability and Integrity, but with little or no reporting to the citizenry, might be in order?)
More informed voters at the polls this year to select State candidates and a Governor is certainly important. But do most people realize that there is another election, about 13 months ahead of us of City Council and Mayor? Any unsettled issues on your mind? Time will tell.
JML.
I think the Superlative Taxpayers in Black Rock should have a voice in this matter!.
Dude , Black Rock is the Safest section in the whole city. If the rest of the City was like Black Rock we could leave it’s current level of manpower alone. Most of the calls to Police from Black Rock turn out to be a waste of their time. They make too many silly complaints and requests. If I was a Bridgeport cop, I’d love the Black Rock post and sleeping in front of your house.
Not sure your song of praise for Black Rock is necessarily true, Joel. And why do you seem so sure that those who reside there do not see the importance of good public safety response, police, fire, and emergency personnel throughout the City?
Is there an official sleeping post? Is there a Police location within PT Barnum any longer? With a very unusual personal location from which to observe Police Department issues and affairs, what is the necessary level of manpower for current times in your opinion?
What are the silly complaints or requests in your view that you hear? Perhaps you have some facts to add to the discussion including different ways to deal with “such silliness?:” Time will tell.
I was writing a response and got disconnected hence losing what I had written. Not going to try again. It’ simply not worth my time. Go FOI reports and dont conveniently put PT Barnum in Black Rock to support your perception. Diane Rello may not like the idea of people publicizing or connecting PT with Black Rock– not good for property values.
Joel,
I respect the time of anyone who wishes to seriously discuss the Bridgeport community, where it is today, where it has come from, and the potential ahead of us. Sorry that you lost your place, reflecting on your own thoughts.
I do not understand your comments about FOI reports from the City. My personal experience has not been timely or successful in the main with FOI. Is the portal under review or redevelopment? But let me suggest you look at a map and locate where PTBarnum is sited. RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO CAPTAIN’S COVE. Isn’t that what your map shows?
About 20 years ago I was a member of a neighborhood group called Black Rock Homeowners Association. When the opportunity for forming a Neighborhood Revitalization Zone was explained and promoted by John Fabrizi, the neighborhood agreed and claimed the neighborhood ran to Admiral Street. (No residents at the time lived south of 95 and east of Bostwick, so that territory, east of Bostwick was assigned to West End NRZ territory. It now has tenants.) I serve on the NRZ board and attempt to represent the values of the community, such as support for those who care, bring ideas forward, or look for a willing listener for the facts of a situation. No one to my knowledge has publicly indicated displeasure with the geography of the NRZ>`
Just the facts, man, just the facts!! As I have repeated in the past. What would realtors propose, publicly since you mention one, that would care about people as much as property values? Time will tell.
Dude,
It’s about a timeline for soliciting feedback from elected officials and the public regarding who should be chosen as the next (Bridgeport Chief of Police).
Not their generally recognized Flucking sleeping habits in Black Rock ….. Dude!
Finally, the days of Acting Chief Garcia may be coming to an end. The city of Bridgeport may soon be able to get an educated and qualified Police Chief. As Garcia has time and time again has proven she cannot do the job. Poor department morale, poor staffing levels, crime is at an all time high under her leadership are just a few reasons why she should not be awarded the five year contract. She has shown her inability to do the job.
You’re so full of shit. All three are Educated and qualified they all went through the same recruiting and testing process. Go pound sand. By the way, welcome to OIB rookie.
Joel, thanks for the welcome to OIB. But what you need to be aware of is that Garcia with her “alleged” Associates Degree will not be able to apply for any other Chiefs Exam in the nation period. 99.9% of Chiefs jobs requires a minimum of a bachelor’s with a master’s degree preferred. They don’t settle for “police experience” so why should we as citizens of this city pay for an incompetent and not qualified police chief. Garcia has shown her inability to do the job or show any empathy for victims.
-This Acting Chief showed no compassion for the two black females that died and has yet to reach out to their families for any type of meeting. She has remained silent and away from the media and public on this topic.
-Not to mention she has yet to even acknowledge the two victims of the car chase that led to a crash in Shelton that left them exposed to the elements for over two days before they were found. The community has never got a response or an update on this incident.
Acting Chief Garcia has FAILED to do her job! Now is the time for the community to get together and say NO to Rebecca Garcia for being the next Police Chief. We should not sit back but voice our concerns to the mayor and letting him know these are the reasons why she should not be our next chief.
I have some insight into an incident that happened on St. Patrick’s Day 2020, about the time we recognized how serious COVID 19 could become.
Supplying certain info through FOI has not been handled in a timely fashion. Nothing was released until Internal Affairs dealt with and released a report that did not free the City from any responsibility. And only in late September was PD taping material released without reporting on redactions, audible sound levels, etc.
The nexus of Acting Police Chief, retiring City Attorney, and contacts with the Mayor’s Office indicate reasons perhaps for Joel’s satisfaction with the qualifications and education of one of the parties. Power trying to maintain their power while trying to carry the burden of too many responses that have failed to build trust and relationships.
The voter taxpayer appears to be able to listen to others at public meetings, but will they be able to speak at all? Or only after filing comments? What is the protocol? Time will tell.
Granted, I have not explored this Police Chief national search as thoroughly as others in this discussion. I’ve relied mostly on CT Post reporting. Nor do I have any personal relationships within the Department or inside knowledge.
That said, two observations.
1. After a seemingly above-board national search, the three finalists are all from Bridgeport? And one candidate seems to have a checkered past. Are police chief pickings so sparse or Bridgeport so undesireable?
2. With no slight intended to anybody, it would seem logical to bring in an outsider with no favors owed or allegiances.
Hoping for the best.
Are we referring to Garcia’s domestic violence history? In which she should have been arrested from a former officer on scene that day. Not to mention that it seemed to be a common for Garcia to be involved in domestics with her ex-lover just as often as you and I turn on the TV. All I can say is her reckless actions and never being held accountable sure did not help her as she gained more power within the PD and then illegally gained the Assistant Chiefs position that the judge ruled and eventually as illegally made the Acting Chief. Seems to me that everything about Garcia is illegal. Must be sad to be lonely and only thing to live for is destroy whatever is left of a “so called police department”. If that’s your goal Rebecca, I think you done heart job. If your goal was to do better for the PD then I say you have failed.
But hey Cheers to the incompetence that Garcia has shown thus far. I wonder how many officers will be ruing for the hills if she gets the five year contract. Shine up those shoes Rebeca you may have to start taking calls with that so called useless Deputy Chief that’s remaining you should both retire. It would do the department a lot of good.