Judge Orders Dominguez To 'Vacate' Post As Top Cop, City To Appeal

NEW HAVEN, CT — A Superior Court judge has ordered that New Haven Police Chief Renee Dominguez "vacate" her post as the city's top cop, court records show.

The lawsuit against the city and Dominguez was filed in January by Bosie Kimber and Donarell Elder. Kimber, a civil rights activist, is pastor of First Calvary Baptist Church in New Haven. Elder is pastor of Way of the Cross church.

In June 2021, Dominguez was named interim chief by Mayor Justin Elicker. In November 2021, he announced he'd nominated her to be the permanent chief. That action was rejected by the Board of Alders last December. Since, Dominguez has remained the city's chief of police.

Elicker announced the city would file an appeal and that Dominguez would remain acting chief while the appeal is underway.

"We're disappointed by the decision and will appeal," he said adding that, "As we go through the appeal, Chief Dominguez will remain as acting chief. It will be business as usual for the New Haven Police Department."

Judge Michael Kamp ruled:

"The police chief is no doubt one of the most important officers in the city of New Haven and leaving it vacant is certainly less than desirable. Nevertheless, the New Haven charter sets forth a clear process for filling this position. While the mayor has the authority to nominate an individual to be police chief, the Board of Alders eventually has to approve the individual if she is to serve as the permanent holder of that office. Although the defendant was rejected by the Board of Alders on December 6, 2021, she has continued an office for nearly five months without any definite end in sight. Such a course of events is simply not authorized by the current New Haven charter. For all of the foregoing reasons, the defendant has failed to meet her burden to establish that she is entitled to hold her current office as New Haven chief of police. Therefore, she is ordered to vacate the position."

Read the full case here:

New Haven Superior Court Ki... by Ellyn Santiago

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