Yale Daily News

Seven New Haven Police Department officers and detectives will serve as the newest batch of sergeants for the department.

The seven were sworn in last Tuesday afternoon. Family and friends filled Wilbur Cross High School’s auditorium, where they cheered on the new sergeants in their promotion ceremony. The sergeants include Justin Cole, Francisco Sanchez, Bryan Phillips, Joshua Kyle, Jarrell Lowery, Jonathan Lambe and Cherelle Carr. At least one of the appointments has been the subject of scrutiny, as Cole faced allegations of excessive force prior to his promotion.

“You are needed now more than ever before, not because we are short-staffed and in need of more supervisors, but because you will become the stability needed for the police department as we move forward,” Interim Police Chief Renee Dominguez said at the ceremony. “Future leadership of the department is uncertain as the city is currently conducting a nationwide search for a new permanent chief.” 

She noted that one of the new sergeants once served under her leadership when she was district manager of the Westville neighborhood. Dominguez said this made the ceremony “extra sentimental” for her.

 “Seeing those you supervise excel, whether it’s a promotion or just doing really good police work, is the best part of being a sergeant and is the best part of being a supervisor,” Dominguez said in her speech during the ceremony.

During the ceremony, Dominguez spoke about the difficulties of transitioning to sergeant and also about the heightened responsibility accompanying the title. She said the sergeants will now be responsible for serving as a voice for NHPD officers, molding young officers and reinvigorating veteran officers.

Chair of the Board of Police Commissioners Evelise Ribeiro highlighted the sergeants’ years of experience in K-9 handling, the criminal intelligence, patrol division, narcotics enforcement and firearms units. She said she hopes these years of department experience paired with community experience from walking beats and bicycle patrol to mentorship in communities across the city will help the sergeants uphold the “safety and trust” of the community. 

Ribeiro said she appreciates the experiential knowledge the sergeants are bringing to the job. “But I encourage you to listen more, to watch more, learn more and do more in your new role, especially when it comes to your engagement with the community,” she added. 

She reminded officers that they will now serve as sergeants both “in uniform and out of uniform.”

Ribeiro concluded by telling the sergeants that they are now leaders in the New Haven Police Department and in the community.

 “The expectation will be for you to lead with integrity, fairness, and respect, and I trust that you will do just that,” Ribiero said. 

Mayor Justin Elicker congratulated the new sergeants. He said these sergeants will and should be held to a higher standard than others because their role is to keep communities safe.

“They need to be thoughtful about how they use that power, that is a responsibility that is immense,” Elicker said.

Retired Special Victims Unit (SVU) Detective Dana Martin and her husband Scott Martin came to support Cherelle Carr at the promotion ceremony. Carr joined Martin at the NHPD SVU three years after Martin and they have remained close friends ever since. 

“Cherelle is a phenomenal woman, she really cares about the community, she’s New Haven bred, she’s a hard worker and she always follows through on anything she says and puts her mind to do,” Martin said. 

Carr attended New Haven Public Schools and graduated from Quinnipiac University in 2011. She became a NHPD officer in 2012 and serves as a detective in the Domestic Violence Unit. 

Dana Martin said Carr persevered through “a lot of adversity” and that she thinks this promotion is one step in a long career for Carr. “She’s a really strong, intelligent, bright woman,” Martin said. 

Greeting friends, family and colleagues waiting for him as he walked down from the stage, brand new Sergeant Lambe said he felt “really good!”

Lambe said he is looking forward to taking on the role, noting that he still has “a lot to learn.” 

Applicants for the sergeant rank are required to have served at least four years as a police officer for the NHPD.