The Rev. Boise Kimber — who has taken a public stand in a series of recent controversies in town — defended his positions on policing, the fire department, and the public schools in a lively exchange Thursday on WNHH’s “Dateline New Haven” program.
He expanded on his argument that whatever polls and police no-confidence votes say, keeping Chief Dean Esserman in his job makes the most sense for the city. He attacked the police union for representing suburban interests, and called for more cops of color.
He also criticized the fire union for running Acting and once-future Fire Chief Ralph Black out of town; he called on the next fire chief to “put theri foot down” in dealing with the union. He argued the mayor shouldn’t form a committee to vet candidates and make suggestions for whom she should pick as fire chief. “If I were mayor, I would never give my power to committees,” he said.
And Kimber criticized a call by retired administrators to dump the schools superintendent, saying they haven’t advanced an alternative plan for how to run the schools.
He got pushback on the program, as well. Click on or download the above sound file to hear the full program; feel free to post comemnts below.