Speech is a Featured Event of Black History Month at College
What: Daryl K. Roberts, who became Chief of the Hartford Police Department in July 2006, will deliver a lecture entitled, “Focus on Community Leadership,” and discuss other topics as part of Trinity’s ongoing commemoration of Black History Month.
When: Monday, February 18, 2008 at 7 p.m.
Where: Rittenberg Lounge, Mather Hall on Trinity campus.
Background: Roberts’ career in law enforcement spans nearly 25 years, culminating in his being sworn in as Hartford’s 21st police chief on July 12, 2006. A 1982 graduate of the Hartford Police Department Training Academy, Roberts has led every major division of the department. He began his career as a patrol officer, and then worked his way up the chain of command, becoming a detective, sergeant, commander, lieutenant and deputy chief.
Roberts’ appearance at Trinity comes amid a debate over whether Hartford’s crime rate has declined in comparable numbers to other similarly sized cities. Although property crimes such as robbery, auto theft and larceny have decreased over the past five years, the number of murders has increased. Also, shootings continue to plague certain Hartford neighborhoods.
The police chief’s office has been something of a revolving door over the past decade. Roberts is the 8th person to serve as either permanent or temporary police chief since 1999 and followed two men who had not spent their law enforcement careers in Hartford. In appointing Roberts to the top post, Mayor Eddie Perez viewed his familiarity with the city and with community policing as major attributes. Indeed, he co-authored the Police Department’s neighborhood policing plan in February 2004.
During his tenure, Roberts has served in the Vice and Narcotics Unit; the Crimes Against Persons and Major Crimes Division; the Community Oriented Policing Operations Unit; and the Juvenile Investigative Division. He also has been Patrol Commander of Field Operations in the South District Police Service Area, and Chief of the North Division of the City.
Roberts has continued to put emphasis on the city’s neighborhood policing plan through the creation of Quality of Life Teams, increased foot beats and bicycle patrols, and the establishment of a program to reduce truancy.
A graduate of Tunxis Community College and Charter Oak State College, Roberts has won numerous awards, including the “Chief’s Medal of Valor,” the highest honor that can be bestowed on a member of the Hartford Police Department. He also has three Distinguished Service medals, six Exemplary Service Medals and a Merit Award.