After a search process that took roughly eight months, Mayor John DeStefano Jr. yesterday announced the appointment of John Buturla, currently Connecticut’s deputy director of homeland security, to the position of chief administrative officer for New Haven.

Buturla, who has worked for Connecticut’s Department of Public Safety since 1982, will have responsibility over the police and fire departments, public works, engineering, human resources, parks and recreation, and libraries in his new position.

The mayor said Buturla brings a new perspective to the city’s top-level management staff, being the only member with a background in public safety.

“He’s got a skill set in homeland security issues that are particularly appropriate for a city our size … with the number of potential areas of risk that we have,” DeStefano said. “I felt he would complement rather than duplicate work experiences in the senior management team.”

DeStefano expressed confidence in Buturla’s ability to succeed as CAO, saying he had waited to fill the position until he found the right person after an extensive search process that included interviews with a number of candidates.

In addition to Buturla’s homeland security expertise, DeStefano said he respected the new CAO’s managerial skills.

“Throughout his career in public safety, he’s been extremely successful at bringing people together and finding innovative ways to make government more efficient and responsive to its constituents,” DeStefano said in a press release.

Buturla will start work March 7, when he will take over from the current acting CAO, Jennifer Pugh. Pugh, who did not pursue the CAO position, will resume her previous post as deputy CAO, DeStefano said.