Dawson Named Police Commissioner

Less than four months after his surprise endorsement of John DeStefano for mayor, Tony Dawson got a seat on the city’s police commission.

DeStefano announced the appointment Friday. Dawson’s term on the volunteer board runs through Feb. 1, 2015. He replaces Bishop Theodore L. Brooks.

Dawson ran against DeStefano in the Democratic mayoral primary against DeStefano last year. During the campaign, he lambasted the mayor for abandoning community policing, charging that ​“while DeStefano does nothing, our children are being murdered.” But after he lost the primary, Dawson praised DeStefano for supporting community policing and bringing Dean Esserman in as the new police chief.

At the time, Dawson’s endorsement led to rampant speculation about what he would receive in return after the election. 

In a release Friday afternoon, DeStefano said he chose Dawson for the commission because he is ​“a longtime member of the Board of Aldermen, a member of Yale-New Haven’s protective services team, and a tireless advocate for New Haven residents.”

Dawson represented the Hill as an alderman for 16 years, leaving the board in 2001.

The six-person board hires and fires police officers, disciplines them, and advises the police chief on how to run the department.

Dawson said his endorsement ​“didn’t have anything to do” with his appointment to the board. He said he did not discuss the appointment with DeStefano prior to his endorsement — ​“nor did I even talk about anything like a job or anything like that.”

“I did not go and say, ​‘Hey John, I’m going to endorse you — therefore give me a police commissioners position.’ I did not do that,” Dawson said.

Dawson, who’s 53, said he’ll bring years of public safety experience to the new post. He started working for the police department at age 16 as a youth worker. He went on to serve for seven years as a victim-witness advocate for the department. For the past 22 years, he has worked at Yale-New Haven Hospital as a special constable — a mayorally appointed security guard who has arrest powers. Dawson said he was certified as a police officer by the Connecticut POST (Police Officers Standard Training) and has received training from the FBI. 

Dawson added that the post fits the main theme of his mayoral campaign, which was to restore community policing. He said he’s pleased to work with Chief Esserman towards that goal.

Board Chairman Rick Epstein said his new colleague ​“brings a wealth of experience in the New Haven community” and will be ​“a major asset” to the department.