Elicker stands firm on his police chief nomination after Board of Alders rejection

WSHU | By Davis Dunavin

Published December 8, 2021 at 6:21 AM EST

New Haven mayor Justin Elicker said he won’t back down from his choice for police chief after the city’s Board of Alders rejected her.

Activists had a list of complaints about Renee Dominguez, including lack of community input and a rise in violent crime in the city since she took the job as acting chief in March. One alder told Hearst Connecticut Media the rejection was not a permanent halt and Dominguez could still be approved in the future if they get more information about her plans for the department.

Elicker said he will resubmit his nomination for Dominguez to officially take the job. He said if she isn’t eventually confirmed, it will send a message to well-qualified candidates that they shouldn’t pursue jobs in New Haven.

News

Davis Dunavin

Davis Dunavin loves telling stories, whether on the radio or around the campfire. He fell in love with sound-rich radio storytelling while working as an assistant reporter at KBIA public radio in Columbia, Missouri. Before coming back to radio, he worked in digital journalism as the editor of Newtown Patch. As a freelance reporter, his work for WSHU aired nationally on NPR. Davis is a proud graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism; he started in Missouri and ended up in Connecticut, which, he'd like to point out, is the same geographic trajectory taken by Mark Twain.

See stories by Davis Dunavin

Stand up for civility

This news story is funded in large part by Connecticut Public’s Members — listeners, viewers, and readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. As a community-supported public media service, Connecticut Public has relied on donor support for more than 50 years.

Your donation today will allow us to continue this work on your behalf. Give today at any amount and join the 50,000 members who are building a better—and more civil—Connecticut to live, work, and play.

Donate