Mayor John DeStefano confirmed during a Monday press conference that New Haven Police Chief Frank Limon would be resigning from his position.
His resignation becomes effective on Nov. 15 despite having a term that was set to end on January 2014. DeStefano said at the press conference that Chief Limon chose to resign for “personal reasons,” reports the Hartford Courant.
However, Chief Limon is not quitting the New Haven Police Department. He will continue advising the police department as a consultant from his Chicago home until June 30, 2012. Under a $90,000 contract, Limon will continue providing guidance to an Intelligence Unit as well as work in the Detective’s Bureau and Narcotics Unit.
“I think we’re in a better place because of Chief Limon’s contributions,” DeStefano said. The City of New Haven saw a nine percent reduction in violent crime from 2009 to 2010 during Chief Limon’s tenure, reports the Courant. Similar reductions have been seen in 2011 thus far.
His reorganization of the Detective Bureau resulted in a homicide clearance rate of 96% for this year, a striking increase from the below 50% clearance rate prior to his arrival. DeStefano also said that the arrangement made by the police department and the mayor seemed to be mutually beneficial.
The police union president, however, disagrees with DeStefano. Earlier this year, 16 officers were laid off; the president says he would have preferred to employ three new officers at a base salary of $32,000 a year instead of paying Limon for his consulting work. DeStefano announced on Tuesday that former Providence Police Chief Dean Esserman will replace Chief Limon starting Nov. 16.
