Chief named for embattled East Haven police

EAST HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) -- The troubled East Haven Police Dept. has a new leader, Chief Brent Larrabee. This is his fourth time running a police department and he admits there will be challenges but he believes he can revamp the reputation of East Haven Police.

"I didn't think I would be but I'm a little emotional. I did have a little difficulty for a moment," said Chief Larrabee.

Larrabee was named interim police chief in East Haven last year. At that time, then police chief Leonard Gallo was placed on administrative leave while the justice department conducted an investigation. That led to the arrest of four police officers and charges of racial profiling.

One of the officers charged, former policeman Jason Zullo was in court last week. Zullo is to be sentenced on one count obstruction of justice for what prosecutors call a pattern of civil rights violations against Hispanics in town.

"I don't pass judgment on any of them. I expect that the government knows what it's doing in saying what it did," said Chief Larrabee. "In general, they are a very good bunch of men and women and they just got a bad name."

Turning that bad name good is Larrabee's goal. Can he do it? East Have residents News 8 spoke to have mixed feelings.

"I think it could. I think it could because the people that they had that were doing the profiling are gone. Yeah, I think it could," said Lisa Grzedzinski.

"It's not going to change. Nothing changes," said Tim Adamczyk.

"If they get, you know, a ticket or something, it'll be for legitimate reasons, not just because someone may have targeted them," said Chief Larrabee. "That is not going to happen while I'm here. It just won't happen. It's just not me."