Left to right, Roderick Porter, Rebeca Garcia, Lonnie Blackwell.
He shares a piece of Bridgeport in his last name with a beefy law enforcement undertaking to boot. A tasty combo.
Mayor Joe Ganim on Thursday is expected to introduce retired Captain Roderick Porter as the new chief of police following a national search that included Acting Chief Rebeca Garcia and Captain Lonnie Blackwell as the finalists.
The appointment comes with a five-year term, a probationary period of six months and a pending contract that must be approved by the City Council.
Following the most scrutinized police chief search that included three public forums with candidates pressed on an assortment of department issues Ganim has tapped an inside/outside professional who spent decades in the department but retired earlier this year.
The byword for this selection is “safe.”
Garcia and Blackwell negotiated a contentious relationship since she assumed command, appointed by Ganim, more than two years after the cheating-scandal resignation of Armando Perez, something that played out during public forums–Blackwell feeling marginalized, Garcia feeling subverted. Keeping Garcia in charge would be more of the same. Elevating Blackwell could cause a reversal rift leading Garcia to exit the department.
Will she stay on board as assistant chief, her previous role? Superior Court Judge Barry Stevens ruled a few months ago that her appointment to that position three years ago should have been part of a competitive process. Ganim values her experience and wants her to stay on but saw a need for change, given the circumstances.
He’s hoping Porter can serve as an internal healer to mend rifts between Black and Hispanic police officers while building bridges in the community. Porter also inherits a department with staffing shortages as the city’s recruitment campaigns have not kept pace with retirements and defections to other departments with enticing benefits.
Ganim doesn’t want a police department complicating his reelection bid in 2023.
In some circles this will be a popular choice, for others condemnation based on community alliances and ethnic fealty. Garcia became the first Hispanic woman to command the department. Combined with Perez’s service, Hispanic chiefs have led the department for nearly seven years.
Ganim, during his first tenure as mayor, appointed Wilbur Chapman as the city’s first Black chief.
Politicians, be it on the City Council or elsewhere, will always meow about this and that. Nature of the beast.
Ganim enjoys a slab of beef. Who knows, maybe in the near future the mayor and his new chief will sit down at Joseph’s Steakhouse, the restaurant Ganim recruited to the city, to carve a porterhouse for two.
Well, there you have it Rich. Cheers. 🙂
Lennie, Porter may be a logical choice who can serve as an internal healer to mend rifts between Black and Hispanic police officers while building bridges in the community, but police issues/internal resentment was a major factor in G2’s historical comeback. However, it was nice of the Guardians/NAACP place some healing and mending to some of those rifts between Black and White by showing they too (whites) are subject to mistreatment. 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DriP9bBun-8&list=PLLsjr_hqBHTISQ-j0iD0sCyK3ixS2AoHn&index=11
That being said. While Trumpism (white) American sentiment opened the door for Moore to give Joe “meat sweats” in their primary. This appointment opens the door for Chris Rosario and Latino sentiment.
P.S While Porter and Joe may enjoy a steak at Joseph’s Steakhouse, Joe still being white, you know, there are going many blacks with still pent-up sentiment/hunger for a minority Mayor, and Joe is going to look like fried chicken. Bon Appetite People. Shit could get interesting. 🤣
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCT1VtaBpqg
Lennie, I love the way you play with words. You remind me of my alter ego Speedy.
“He’s hoping Porter can serve as an internal healer to mend rifts between Black and Hispanic police officers while building bridges in the community.”
Where do I start with this one? Lennie, what about the White police officers. Did they go down with the Congress Street Bridge? Send in the Scuba Diving Unit! I can’t swim, but I’m going I to save my buddy detective Mckenna. Detective Popalucha can sink and drown. There has been two (2) Congress Street Bridges in desperate need of repair for decades now. City administration after city administration have fallen short in funding the cost of the expensive repair for the two (2) Congress Street Bridges. The money and the will simply hasn’t been there. I remember one day I ran into AJ Perez on the Elevator. He was red in the face and obviously under allot of pressure. I said to AJ, “Let me guess, you are heading to another community event with Joe?” “Yes, the mayor just keeps insisting I attend these meetings.” “AJ, you need to tell the mayor to let you concentrate on your job, all hell is breaking loose, look at you my brother, I’m worried for you…” Let Porter do his job Joe Ganim. I’m Glad Blackwell didn’t get pass second base. I was ready to retire at 25.8 years as I wasn’t going to re-live the Bill Finch years again. I’m sad for Rebbeca Garcia, we graduated from Bassick High School. I always support my Lyons. It’s always about Bassick Pride. She has taken it to a higher level as in PIG– Pride, Integrity, Guts.
“Ganim enjoys a slab of beef. Who knows, maybe in the near future the mayor and his new chief will sit down at Joseph’s Steakhouse, the restaurant Ganim recruited to the city, to carve a porterhouse for two.”
I will be there to video record the moment after the last piece of the porterhouse is swallowed (hope there’s no wine involved) as Ganim and Porter light up their Garcia y Vega Cigars. As for Blackwell, Rich Augustabitch, and Benjamin Alverez, close, but no cigar.
BTW, Bridgeport Now seems to be giving Latinos with pent-up resentment an outlet for them to vote against the mayor who through Garcia under the bus. John is Joe’s, Ned’s Bob Stefanowski, AKA Walter, who doesn’t have a shot.
It has been said you have to strike when the iron’s hot and Chris is known to enjoy an election meal. 🙂
http://onlyinbridgeport.com/wordpress/rosario-ribs-book-after-election-trouncing/
Will Chris run, who knows. The wonder of it all. 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU1eiYONh8o
Final thoughs.
The alternative to anti-G2 is Gomes for the Latinos and Stalworth maybe Moore for the blacks. Basic math/history would suggest G2’s victory.
But, If was a betting man and Chris did run with his local support/popularity and his relationship with Hartford/Lamont. Between Joe firing Chris from and city job and Ned’s open contempt for him, never mind the bathrooms or milk price thing. Chris being someone who blacks and Latino voters were to galvanize around against the (White) G2. As well as whites who view G2 a corrupted. Chris would take him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMcC4a_Fe4w
It would create some interesting aspects for Port politicians as to who they will “openly” support. Outside of Cruz who already dug in. Maybe Nieves, who seemed to pivot a bit, being aligned with Gen Now, whose clearly been against G2/Mario. Or course, Maria. 🙂
It would be fun to see where they line up.
At any rate, play nice people. I am out of here. Peace out. 🙂
I depart with the prophet Eminem. Try not to lose “yourself” in all of these. Good luck
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YuAzR2XVAM
Best choice! Can’t take issue with JG on this one…
Congratulations, Chief Porter!
Final, final thoughts on the matter.
In all fairness and honesty, having zero understanding or knowledge of the BPD internal politic or its operation, outside, or the racial issues that tend to land on the front page and news.
IOM, AJ, had no business being the frontman for BPD, but that didn’t stop G2 from picking him over Porter. 🙂
While Garcia is/was not AJ, and attending the public forums, Porter seemed to be the most measured and knowledgeable of the three, He had touched more on the management/operations aspects of the BPD, and not just the appeasement to the negative communities taking points of the police, like tented windows, demilitarization, and teh such. Not to mention the underlining racial white/black policing.
You know it there because, well???? When you have the president of the NAACP say it doesn’t matter which Black person gets the job as long as in the brown. It’s there or at the very least something there. 🙂 How can they not jsut pick Porter out right, as the best black candidate, out right. 🙂
I don’t think outside of the backdoor of politics that the latter statement is far off from the sentiment of the average minority black votes. 🙂 While a person brown, Garcia would/have given some shady to that regard, Porter being black is a more Logical choice on that front racial identity politics.
But that racial element is not really going away for (white) G2. You have a potential black and brown candidate, Gomes and Stallworth who both supported and worked within G2’s administration and would provide some shade to his whiteness for those against him, But in fact, they would be facilitating G2’s victory. Like GOP did for Ned when they bypassed the strongest candidate Mark Boughton and picked one of the weakest Bob. Ned’s facilitation was continued when Mark left the GOP to work for Ned in his administration. 🙂
So regardless of Porter being the LOGICAL CHOICE for chief on the black racial front, however with the strongest minority candidate, specifically Moore or Chris, G2’s LOGICAL CHOICE for Porter is not as clear.
That being said, Moore had her shot and gave G2 the “meat sweat” in the primary, somehow there was a “Ballot debacle” that placed her as a written candidate in the General. So it is questionable if Moore will run again with Porter’s appointment on the LOGICALNESS of it.
However, Chris might be another story. Joe pushed him out of his city job. Porter’s LOGICAL CHOICE may not be as LOGICAL if Chris chooses to seize on it Latino sentiment that Garcia was thrown under the bus in apparent racial politics. As LOGICAL, as it may seem to choose Porter on the black front, black votes, will vote for a strong brown minority over G2
At any rate, it will be interesting to see how the G2 election shapes up. I will not go as far as to say COLLUSION 🙂 perhaps the choices as to who will run are not choices at all but just an illusion.. 🙂 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNxLK-wr2_I
That’s that people. Good luck.
P.S Jeff, perhaps you’re right, Porter is best candidate. But in the would of Port politics, it’sthe anything but, or logical. 🙂
It’s going to be interesting to see how this plays out if Chris makes a run. You have to assume he will get black support over white G2 regardless of Porter on the average black voters. He’s bound to get PR/latino support.
The PR Day parade march is going awkward to say the least if chris is on the ballot. JS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJQP7kiw5Fk
IF he runs that PR day march is going
Old enough to retire, young enough to be chief.
Where can this happen?
Only in Bridgeport.
@Local
This absurdity can happen anywhere in CT, as police can retire with fully vested pensions (if not newbies stuck with 401Ks) after only 20 years service. Become a cop at 21, retire at 41, work 25 years elsewhere nd draw a full Social Security retirement check, a police pension and maybe a pension from second career as well
Explain this to the loved ones of the Bristol Police officers killed and injured.
Well well we see which minority group gave Little Joey the most votes. Congratulations to Porter for his selection as Chief, however just remember one thing it was politically motivated decision based on my aforementioned statement of which minority group cast the most for Little Joey. Now can taxpayers see how much was spent on a national search for Chief when the 3 finalists all came from the PORT. Only in Bridgeport
Reyes, let’s be pragmatic and base our statements with facts and or numbers. Let’s not do a Blackwell and make statements like disproportionately handing down discipline in favor of Hispanics without releasing names and number along with other details. Blackwell has done a terrific job at providing internal BPD information to Rich ‘Cheers’ Augustawics and perhaps others. It includes baseless opinions and information about me. I’ve been down this road many times for over 15 years. There are two terms few are aware about. Black hats and White hats. I believe Lennie and Ray (of sunshine) Fusci know the definition of the terms. World wide computer systems are vulnerable and it became very clear that OIB (WordPress) is not immune. The systems are so vulnerable that 3 months ago, People’s Bank credit cards switched from Mastercard to Visa under M& T. I received s call from CT POST billing notifying my of their inability to process my subscription payment. They tried to get me to provide my new credit card number. I told them to go pound sand and cancel my subscription. A short time later, they somehow got my number and started billing again the past 3 months. The bank took my complaint and are investigating as of this morning. How did they get my credit card information? I have to wait a week for my new card. The Ct Post is closed in Bridgeport. They were supposed to send me home delivery of the newspaper as part of the online subscription. I’ve never received a single page. Talk about hacks!
Regarding the comments above about retiring and collecting pensions???
And you blame who for this system? Oh that’s right, negotiated contract settlements where BOTH sides agree.
What do cops killed in the line of duty have to do with that topic. I guess some making these statements are just scraping to make ends meet because they didn’t have what it takes to better their unimportant existences.
Your a class act! I mean classhole.
Some of you are the most ignorant people which is why you deserve to live in the shithole known to everyone in the rest of Connecticut as Bridgeport.
Cheers.
Maybe I’ll be back…,maybe I won’t. 🤣 🤣