Seven NHPD officers promoted to sergeant
Seven cops were sworn in as NHPD sergeants on Tuesday afternoon
Sophie Sonnenfeld
Staff reporter
Yale Daily News
Seven officers and detectives from the New Haven Police Department will serve as the new group of sergeants for the department.
The seven were sworn in last Tuesday afternoon. Family and friends filled the auditorium at Wilbur Cross High School, where they cheered on the new sergeants during their promotion ceremony. Sergeants include Justin Cole, Francisco Sanchez, Bryan Phillips, Joshua Kyle, Jarrell Lowery, Jonathan Lambe and Cherelle Carr. At least one of the nominations has come under scrutiny as Cole faced allegations of excessive force before his promotion.
“You are needed now more than ever, not because we are understaffed and need more supervisors, but because you will become the stability needed by the police service as we move forward,” the Chief of Police said. acting police, Renee Dominguez. ceremony. “The future direction of the department is uncertain as the city is currently conducting a nationwide search for a new permanent leader.”
She noted that one of the new sergeants had previously served under her when she was district manager of the Westville neighborhood. Dominguez said it made the ceremony “extra sentimental” for her.
“Seeing those you supervise excel, whether it’s a promotion or just doing really good policing, is the best part of being a sergeant and the best part of being a supervisor,” he said. said Dominguez in his speech at the ceremony.
During the ceremony, Dominguez spoke of the difficulties of transitioning to sergeant and also the increased responsibility that comes with the title. She said sergeants will now be responsible for serving as spokespersons for NHPD officers, training young officers and invigorating veterans.
Police Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Evelise Ribeiro highlighted the sergeants’ years of experience in managing K-9, criminal intelligence, patrol division, counter-narcotics and firearms units. fire. She said she hopes these years of experience in the department, coupled with community experience from walking beats and bike patrols to mentoring in communities across the city, will help sergeants maintain “safety and the trust of the community.
Ribeiro said she appreciates the experiential knowledge sergeants bring to the job. “But I encourage you to listen more, watch more, learn more and do more in your new role, especially when it comes to your engagement with the community,” she added.
She reminded officers that they will now serve as sergeants “in uniform and out of uniform”.
Ribeiro concluded by telling the sergeants that they are now leaders in the New Haven Police Department and in the community.
“You will be expected to lead with integrity, fairness and respect, and I’m confident you will,” Ribiero said.
Mayor Justin Elicker congratulated the new sergeants. He said these sergeants will and should be held to a higher standard than others because their role is to keep communities safe.
“They have to think about how they use that power, it’s a huge responsibility,” Elicker said.
Retired Special Victims Unit (SVU) detective Dana Martin and her husband Scott Martin came out to support Cherelle Carr at the promotion ceremony. Carr joined Martin at NHPD’s UVS three years after Martin and they have remained close friends ever since.
“Cherelle is a phenomenal woman, she really cares about the community, she is New Haven, she is a hard worker and she always follows through on everything she says and puts her mind to it,” said Martin.
Carr attended New Haven public schools and graduated from Quinnipiac University in 2011. She became a NHPD officer in 2012 and serves as a detective in the Domestic Violence Unit.
Dana Martin said Carr persevered through “a lot of adversity” and she believed the promotion was a step in a long career for Carr. “She’s a very strong, smart, brilliant woman,” Martin said.
Greeting his friends, family and colleagues who were waiting for him as he came down from the stage, the newest Sergeant Lambe said he felt “really good!”
Lambe said he was looking forward to taking on the role, noting he still had “a lot to learn”.
Candidates for the rank of sergeant must have served at least four years as a police officer for the NHPD.
