City Gains 13 New Detectives

New Haven native and Wilbur Cross High graduate Rosa Melendez said she knew when she became a police officer eight years ago that she wanted to become a detective.

On Friday night, during a ceremony at Career High School, her brother, Yale Police Officer Ariel Melendez Jr., passed her a small black leather folio containing a shiny new badge signifying that she had reached that goal. She was one of 13 officers sworn is as detectives at a ceremony at Career High School.

“It’s exciting,” Detective Melendez said. Melendez is the first woman in NHPD history to be a certified bomb tech; she also is the handler for weapons and explosives K‑9 Henna. Because of her expertise, Spanish-language skills and knowledge of the city, she’s worked in every district, but she’s spent the last few years in the Morris Cove, Annex and Quinnipiac neighborhoods.

“I think there was an extra proud moment for me having gone to school in New Haven, being born and raised here and now working for the city,” she said, ​“and showing that, yes, we still have New Haven people here. It’s a proud moment for me, and I hope I make the people of the city proud.”

Melendez and the other 12 new detectives head off to Detective School on Monday.

“This is a great day,” declared Assistant Chief Achilles ​“Archie” Generoso, who oversees the investigations bureau. ​“We’re getting 13 new detectives today. You can’t know how happy I am.”

He told the detectives that the conventional wisdom of the day is that it’s a tough time to be a cop.

“I’ve got news for you,” he said to the audience of family and friends. ​“I was sworn in 41 years ago … and [the] then chief said at the swearing-in ceremony, ​‘It’s a tough time to be a cop.’ It’s always tough time to be a cop. It’s a tough job. But the men and women here today chose it as a career because they wanted to make a difference … for their family, for their friends for the community they have worked in.

“I think that’s why we all took this job, and as I look out at the people sitting before me that are going to be detectives and I’m proud that they’ve taken this next step in their career.

He told the new detectives they will be looked at differently now.

“When you show up on the scene, people are going to be looking at you for answers,” he said. ​“Frankly I believe each and every one of you are up for that task, are up to that challenge.”

For new Detective Dana Martin, the night brought her career with the police department full circle. When she graduated from the police academy eight years ago, her father, Douglas Edge, was in the hospital. On Friday night, he and her son, Evan, were on stage to hand her her badge. Much of her family was in the audience cheering her on.

“I did very good,” she said. ​“I didn’t cry, but I was very emotional.” She said becoming detective was about growth, and she’d had some exposure to the job. For the last couple of years she has worked as a background investigator for the department. Her uncle, James Ponteau, is a retired New Haven police detective.

“It was time to move on and time to learn something new,” she said.

Chris Cameron expressed similar thoughts about becoming a detective. ​“You have to grow as an officer,” he said. ​“It’s the next progression in the career path. I’m looking forward to it.” Cameron, who is currently assigned to the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, worked patrol in the Dwight section of the city.

He’s going to the investigative bureau with a few familiar faces, including his patrol partner, Carlos Conceicao, and 17-year veteran of the department Arpad Tolnay. All have worked in the Dwight section under Sgt. Stephan Torquati.

“Sarge is going to be recruiting hardcore,” Cameron remarked with a chuckle.

The new detectives are: Jeremy Cordero; Robert Clark Jr.; Christopher Cameron; Carlos Conceicao; John Folch; Arpad Tolnay; Rosa Melendez; Kyle Malloy; Steven Cunningham; Matthew Abbate; Jarrod Boyce; Steven Formica; and Dana Martin