The Hartford community is speaking out about what they want in a new police chief.
Residents packed the room Tuesday night at a summit hosted by the North Hartford Public Safety Coalition, which has released a new report based on community input into the search.
Pastor A.J. Johnson of Urban Hope Refuge Church opened the night by recounting recent acts of violence in Hartford, including a last week and a funeral shooting at a church.
鈥淭hese are not isolated tragedies,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淭hey are connected by a system that has failed to value Black and brown lives.鈥�
Speakers at the event said they want the city鈥檚 next chief of police to be a person of color who鈥檚 either from Hartford or has deep ties to the city. They want the chief to address violence with a sense of urgency while also creating a culture of trust, accessibility, and community-oriented decision making.
鈥淭he next chief should have a demonstrated commitment to racial justice and the ability to connect across Hartford鈥檚 diverse communities,鈥� said Kerri-Kay Allen of . 鈥淐ollaborative leadership 鈥� we need someone who values partnership with youths, elders, faith leaders, neighborhood groups, schools and local organizations.鈥�
A safer place to raise children
Shina Singh with the nonprofit Hartford Communities That Care helped compile the report from the input of more than 140 community members.
鈥淩esidents want a safer neighborhood where children can play freely, elders feel protected, trust is restored through better response times and accountability,鈥� Singh said.
Hartford mother Rose Rivera said she hopes the next chief can help create a safer city for her and her children. She said she lives in a constant state of hypervigilance for her children鈥檚 safety, and longs for a community where that鈥檚 not necessary.
鈥淏eing able to not worry about what it looks like when they go to the park or their own corner store,鈥� Rivera said. 鈥淏eing able to say, 鈥極h, shoot, I forgot the eggs for this meal 鈥� can you go get them?鈥� And not me having to jump in the car because I don鈥檛 want to be what put their lives at risk.鈥�
Rivera also highlighted the problem of long response times 鈥� or no police response at all. She said no officers responded to her home when she called after it was struck by gunfire, narrowly missing her son.
鈥淭he bullet went about three inches over his head,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd when I think about that, I think about how a call to the department did not lead police officers to my doorstep and did not give [my children] the security to feel that somebody came and saved us 鈥� it was only mommy. Only mommy saved them.鈥�
鈥淲hat makes my son, my 10-year-old son, feel safe, unfortunately, is that mommy went out and got a gun license, and that should have never been,鈥� Rivera said.
Next steps in the long search for a chief
The search comes after the previous nominee for chief, Philadelphia Police Capt. Tyrell McCoy, abruptly withdrew in February, after which came to light.
Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam attended the introductory part of the summit and briefly addressed the crowd.
鈥淐ity Hall is listening,鈥� Arulampalam said. 鈥淲e want to work with you, and we want to be held accountable by you, and we appreciate what you are doing here.鈥�
Arulampalam said interviews were currently underway for the position, with a finalist likely to be announced in July.
The mayor said the finalist would be announced to the community for input before formally being submitted to the City Council.
鈥淲e want to hear your voice,鈥� Arulampalam said. 鈥淲e want to hear your feedback.鈥�
Rev. Samuel Blanks of Metropolitan A.M.E. Zion Church closed the evening with a call to action.
鈥淗artford has community,鈥� Blanks said. 鈥淚t has people that are invested and involved and engaged. And so as we leave this place tonight and return back to the busyness of our lives, let鈥檚 not forget to stay involved, to stay engaged, to stay informed, and to continue to build community.鈥�
Arunan Arulampalam's father-in-law is Gregory B. Butler, who is a member of the Board of Trustees of 海角换妻.
