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Hartford Receives 46 Applications For Police Chief's Job

By JENNA CARLESSO

May 23, 2012

HARTFORD —— The city has received 46 applications for chief of police, but none from within the Hartford Police Department, city officials said.

Acting Police Chief James Rovella did not submit an application, said Jared Kupiec, the mayor's chief of staff. The deadline to apply was Monday at 5 p.m.

Kupiec said that although Rovella did not apply, the mayor has the option to appoint him as the permanent chief.

"If, as this process continues to unfold, the mayor determines that it's Chief Rovella, then it's Chief Rovella," Kupiec said. "If the mayor likes where this process is heading… he'll move in that direction.

"The mayor has wide discretion on selecting a police chief. He chose to go through a formal process, but the charter says he has the discretion to choose who he wants as long as they meet the minimal qualifications set forth by [the Police Officer Standards and Training Council]."

Former Chief Daryl K. Roberts, who served in the post for five years, retired Dec. 31. Mayor Pedro Segarra initially named Assistant Chief Brian Heavren as interim chief, but in March appointed Rovella to the position.

Rovella, chief inspector for the Chief State's Attorney's Office and head of the Hartford Shooting Task Force, had also worked as Segarra's special assistant. He could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

The applications are now being reviewed, Kupiec said, and those candidates deemed qualified will receive a set of questions by mail or e-mail.

Robert Wasserman, chairman of Strategic Policy Partnership, the Massachusetts-based recruiting firm hired to assist in the search, has said 10 to 12 candidates would be selected for telephone interviews. Six to eight candidates will then be chosen for in-person interviews, he said, and that pool will be narrowed to three to five finalists who would participate in a public meeting where they'll field questions and give presentations.

Segarra will also meet with the finalists.

Kupiec said the mayor hopes to appoint a new police chief by the first week of July.