Last week Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam put forth current Interim Police Chief James Rovella for the permanent position. Rovella served in this post from 2012-2018. CLJ Lead Neighborhood Organizer AJ Johnson shared his initial feelings with Fox61 and fellow Northend leaders put out a statement on the appointment:

"Since our founding, we’ve organized neighborhood summits, surveyed residents, held vigils, and worked directly with city officials and police leadership to address concerns ranging from reckless driving to youth trauma. Most recently, on March 6, 2025, we hosted a Community Visioning Session attended by over 140 residents and stakeholders, entitled “Hartford’s Next Police Chief: A Community Vision Session for Safety, Justice, and Trust.” The findings from this session were clear:

- The next Chief must be visible, accessible, and community-rooted.

- There is deep demand for racial equity, trauma-informed policing, and non-police alternatives for mental health crises.

- Residents want clear accountability, especially with regard to the Civilian Police Review Board and officer conduct.

- Trust cannot be assumed—it must be built through consistency, transparency, and collaboration.

We were told there would be collaboration with the rollout of the next Police Chief selection. We agreed to be part of that process. Our coalition—and the residents we represent—were not engaged in any meaningful way before this final decision was made. This is a reminder that community trust must be matched with institutional follow-through.

That said, we remain committed to moving forward. We welcome the appointment of Chief James Rovella and acknowledge his long-standing connection to Hartford. His past leadership, including data-informed crime prevention and efforts to reduce violence, offers a foundation we can build on. We also recognize the community’s call for a deeper transformation in how safety is co-created with residents.

As we move forward, we extend an open hand to Chief Rovella—not just in cooperation, but in co-leadership. We believe the success of public safety in Hartford will depend on how well we walk together—residents and police, clergy and city officials, elders, and youth.

Let this be a new chapter. Not one where past pain is forgotten, but one where it's finally addressed. We look forward to scheduling a working session with the Chief, informed by our visioning report, to discuss actionable first-year priorities and to build shared trust with the neighborhoods we all call home.”

— North Hartford Public Safety Coalition

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Hartford community reacts to police chief nomination

www.fox61.com

Hartford residents wanted a chief who would be in the community and tackle the violence in the city.

Last night over 75 GHIAA leaders came together to hear updates on all of the campaigns, share their own reflections, and affirmed the direction that we will move in the coming months. And, while we are so grateful for all the leaders who committed to an issue team, there is still time to join! Click the link below to indicate your interest in joining the environmental justice, housing affordability, fiscal policy reform, immigrant rights and protections, or combating racial and religious hate teams.

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GHIAA Issue Team Interest Form - Summer 2025

docs.google.com

Please use this form to indicate how you would like to take action with GHIAA in the next 6-12 months or so.