New Haven Names Emergency Communications Chief

NEW HAVEN, CT —Starting Monday, the city will have a new chief in charges of emergency communications.

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker Friday announced the appointment of Joseph F. Vitale, Jr. as director of public safety communications, overseeing all aspects of New Haven’s Emergency 9-1-1 ­Call Center, also known as the City’s Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP.

PSAP receives all 9-1-1 calls and then dispatches the appropriate emergency response services, including police, fire and ambulance responses.

“New Haveners’ 9-1-1 calls must be received and responded to in a professional, effective and efficient manner and, as a former EMT, I know first-hand that when there is a medical, fire or public safety emergency, every second counts,” said Elicker.

“Joe Vitale brings to the job an impressive mix of public safety and emergency response experience, deep knowledge of the New Haven community, and longstanding relationships with the New Haven Police Department and other local, state, and federal partners.
"It’s a critically important job and I’m thankful that Joe Vitale is willing to take on the assignment to serve and lead the city’s 9-1-1 telecommunications center.”

“I am honored to serve as the City of New Haven’s Director of Public Safety Communications and to work with Mayor Elicker and alongside the City’s first responders to ensure that when residents call 9-1-1, they get the emergency response and help they need when they need it,” said Vitale. “9-1-1 is the front line of public safety 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, and I’m committed to doing everything I can to support our 9-1-1 dispatchers as they provide this critical life-saving service to New Haven residents.”

Vitale most recently served as the captain of operations for the Yale University Police Department, working his way up the ranks from officer to senior leadership over the course of his near 30-year career (1990 – 2019).

In that role, Vitale’s responsibilities included command of the uniformed patrol division, a unit consisting of approximately 70 uniformed patrol officers.

In this capacity, Vitale supervised the communications division and police dispatchers, the bicycle and motorcycle units, the emergency services unit, SWAT and hazardous devices-bomb squad, among other responsibilities such as special events, scheduling and fleet management.

For more than a decade, Vitale served as the communications center supervisor, where he directly supervised police dispatchers, operated the Yale Police Department Emergency Operations Center and maintained operations of the Yale University desk within the City of New Haven’s Emergency Operations Center.

Prior to his time at Yale University Police Department, Vitale served in the East Haven Police Auxiliary from 1986 – 1990, including as president of the auxiliary division.

Vitale’s first day as director of public safety communications will be Monday.