East Haven Police Chief Decides Not to Renew Contract

EAST HAVEN, CT - The man who is credited with playing a major role in how the Police Department is now perceived by the community and its residents will not seek a contract extension, officials announced Tuesday.

In a letter dated April 29, 2016 to Mayor Joseph Maturo, Jr., East Haven Police Chief Brent Larrabee notified the Mayor and Town officials that he would not be seeking to renew his employment contract, which is set to expire on June 30, 2016 at the close of the 2015-2016 fiscal year.

Larrabee and the Police Department has drawn praise locally, regionally and even nationally as to how its transformed itself after a period of turmoil in the department, which at that time led to several officers being arrested.

In his letter, Larrabee expressed his "sincere gratitude… for the opportunity to serve as East Haven's Police Chief." In reflecting on his four-plus years as East Haven's top cop, Larrabee explained that while "it has been the most complex and difficult chief's job" he has ever had, "it has also been the most rewarding experience" of his distinguished police career, according to a news release.

In reaction to the Chief's announcement, Mayor Maturo explained in a statement, "Throughout Chief Larrabee's tenure in East Haven, he has inspired and overseen a complete change in the department's work culture and policing philosophies.

His initiatives have helped restore accountability, transparency, and tolerance within the department. We have been tremendously fortunate to have Chief Larrabee during the difficult period of the last four years and our department will sorely miss his experience and guidance," Maturo said.

Larrabee's decision not to renew his contract comes just six months in advance of December 21, 2016, the anticipated termination date of the Police Department's agreement for constitutional policing with the Department of Justice.

Maturo continued, "While Chief Larrabee's guidance has played a pivotal role in the Town's success meeting and exceeding the benchmarks for reform agreed to between the Town and the Department of Justice, Deputy Chief Ed Lennon has established himself as a subject-matter expert on consent decrees in his time working alongside Chief Larrabee.”

Under East Haven's Town Charter, the Mayor has the sole authority to hire a police chief. However, in 2012, to "promote a transparent and thorough vetting process," Maturo assembled an ad hoc police chief search committee which solicited applications from across the country and made a recommendation to the Mayor about permanently filling the position.

Maturo added in his statement, "Chief's Larrabee's decision to retire means that we must begin immediately considering how we intend to fill that position. We certainly have an abundance of homegrown talent right here in our department which we must consider in addressing this vacancy. However, we also have a responsibility to our Town and our Department to be thorough and transparent in filling the vacancy created by the Chief's retirement."

Maturo concluded, "Throughout the next two months, I will work closely with the Chief and our police command staff to facilitate a smooth transition for our police leadership. As we move ahead to appoint the Chief's successor, I want to assure residents that we will do so transparently and expeditiously, with the goal of recruiting a leader with the practical experience and leadership ability to lead this department forward with pride for years to come."

Photo (L to R); Deputy Chief Ed Lennon, Chief Brent Larrabee, Father Tom Sievel, and Mayor Joseph Maturo, Jr. (White House Forum on Policing) 7-25-15
Photo (L to R); Chief Brent Larrabee and Mayor Joseph Maturo, Jr. (Swearing in of Chief Brent Larrabee) - 2013

Basic Career Information - Brent B. Larrabee:
Brent B. Larrabee is the Chief of Police in East Haven, Connecticut. He previously served as a Police Officer in Framingham, Massachusetts, rising through the ranks to Chief of Police, a position which he held for 14 years.

He served as Interim Chief of Police in Westwood, Massachusetts and as Chief of Police in Stamford, Connecticut from 2005 to 2010, working with now-Governor Malloy. He served as a technical assistant for the U.S. Department of Justice to the Nigerian Police Force (Africa) and is a life member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. He holds a Master’s in Public Administration from Framingham State University and a B. S. Degree (with honors) from Northeastern University.