Call for more transparency with Hartford police chief search

The search for a new police chief in Hartford continues and now there is a call to make that process more transparent.

It comes after the first nominee withdrew from consideration not long after being named.

After the nominee for Hartford Police chief withdrew from consideration earlier this month, some community members said they believed a better hiring process might have caught potential concerns with him earlier.

Now a Hartford city councilman is laying out ideas for a new hiring plan.

“I had heard from the community also, folks just reaching out to me that they wanted to see a process that was transparent,” said Joshua Michtom (WF – Hartford City Council).

Michtom’s resolution includes:

• The city providing within six months a timeline for nominating a new chief
• Creating a community advisory panel to help in the selection process
• Holding forums with the three eventual candidates, with opportunities for questions by councilors and the public
• The mayor will have to attend a public hearing to hear feedback from the community about the candidates before nominating one

“The community wants input and I think it's useful to see how folks respond directly to the community in terms of how they will do the job,” Michtom said.

City councilors are expected to debate this proposal at their meeting on Monday.

It comes as the police department has been led by an interim chief since April of last year.

In a statement, the Hartford Police Union president wrote:

“In the future, the Union seeks a collaborative search process involving consultation between the City of Hartford, the Hartford Police Union, and the Hartford community.” 

Also in a statement, Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam said amid finding the ideal leader for the department, he wrote in part:

"The city is focused on moving the search forward while maintaining the integrity and community-centered approach that has guided it from the start."