Markeshia Ricks
It turns out that Deirdre M. Daly isn’t packing up quite yet.
Daly, who announced her resignation last week as U.S. attorney and handed the reins to a deputy, announced a change in plans Monday: She will now stay on until October, when she reaches the 20-year mark in holding various posts in the Justice Department.
She will assist in the transition to a new appointee of President Donald Trump.
“I thank the Attorney General and the Administration for affording me the opportunity to remain as the U.S. attorney for the District of Connecticut so that I might complete 20 years of service to the Department of Justice in October,” Daly was quoted as saying in a release issued by her office. “I look forward to continuing to work on behalf of the residents of Connecticut in my remaining time, and I will focus on an orderly transition as I complete what has been a rewarding tenure in the office.”
Following is an earlier version of this article:
U.S. Attorney Resigns; Tenure Hailed
Markeshia Ricks Photo
Daly: Bridge-builder.
At the request of President Donald Trump, Deirdre M. Daly has resigned as Connecticut’s top federal prosecutor — and New Haven Police Chief Anthony Campbell, for one, will miss her.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Gustafson is overseeing the New Haven-based office of 63 attorneys until Trump names a permanent replacement.
Changes of U.S. attorneys are common when new presidents take office.
Since assuming the post of U.S. attorney in 2013, Daly has overseen her office’s collaboration with city police in an anti-gang violence program called Project Longevity, which has been credited with helping to reduce shootings in New Haven while also giving young people second chances. Her prosecutors and city detectives now meet weekly to share intelligence and plot strategy.
Under Daly’s direction, her office has also worked with city police and community groups to improve ties between law enforcement and the public. In the wake of protests over police shootings of civilians around the country, her office organized a Civil Rights Summit that brought included Muslim, NAACP and LGBTQ rights activists; enlisted an African-American ex-FBI agent to train people about how to deal with cops without getting hurt.
She organized a Community Policing Week series of events to recognize effective cops while also bringing police critics face to face with prosectuors and chiefs. She openly addressed questions raised about decisions made by her office. She came up with the idea for a “cops and ballers” tournament bring teams of law enforcement officers and citizens on the basketball court for friendly competition.
Thomas Breen Photo
Daly and Campbell at “cops and ballers” tourney.
Chief Campbell, who worked with Daly on that tournament as well as other efforts, this weekend called her “a true class act,” someone who “truly understands the importance of keeping people safe” and who “genuinely cares about the community.”
“Deirdre Daly was not just the first female U.S. attorney in the state of Connecticut,” Campbell said. “She was by far one of the best U.S. attorneys that this state has ever known. … [She] brought all of the law enforcement community closer together. New Haven is a safer, healthier and richer community thanks to Deirdre Daly.”
When the opiolds crisis hit the state, Daly set up a task force to concentrate on prosecuting dealers and invited families to speak publicly about the problem.
President Trump, like his predecessors, asked for many his U.S. attorneys (46 in this case) to offer their resignations. His attorney general, Jeff Sessions, has vowed to take the Justice Department in a new direction on civil rights, police accountability, and drug enforcement.
Both of Connecticut’s Democratic U.S. senators issued statements this weekend praising Daly’s tenure. “She is totally non-partisan, and her thoughtless removal makes for a sad day for our state,” Sen. Chris Murphy stated.
In a statement released by her office, Daly called serving as U.S. attorney “the gift of a lifetime.”
“I am extremely proud of the tremendous accomplishments of the men and women of this office during my tenure,” she stated. “I applaud their tireless work holding our most violent offenders accountable, protecting our children and our environment, standing up for our most vulnerable victims, and not hesitating to stand up to the powerful. Together, we also built bridges and trust with communities. I hope all of this work continues to thrive.”
Click on or download the above sound file to hear a September conversation with Daly and Campbell about federal-state community effortson WNHH radio’s “Dateline New Haven” program …
… and the above audio file to hear an earlier “Dateline New Haven” interview with Daly about Project Longevity and other crime-fighting efforts by her office.