NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Soon, the top law enforcement agency in the state will have a new leader in Ronnell Higgins.
This comes after the current commissioner of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, James Rovella, announced his retirement earlier this week.
“If not you then who? In this particular instance, I had to not point the finger but point the thumb and say, if not you then who,” Higgins said in a sit-down interview with FOX61 on Friday.
Higgins currently serves as the Associate Vice President of Public Safety and Community Engagement at Yale University, taking on that role in 2022. Prior to that, he served as Chief of the Yale Police Department. He joined the department as an officer in 1997. He started his career as a correction officer in 1994.
When Higgins got the call from Gov. Ned Lamont that he wanted him to be the next chief safety officer for the state, he said he had doubts. Then, his wife and kids reminded him what he’s made of.
“She just kept looking at me. Because she knows me. And she knows my heart and she knows that I desire to help,” Higgins said.
That desire came early for Higgins, watching his dad serve on the New Haven police force for 27 years. He wanted to follow in his footsteps. Then, the unthinkable happened. His brother became a victim of police brutality in the early 90’s.
“And at that point in time, seeing what happened to him and how it hurt my dad’s career and almost tore my family apart, I wanted nothing to do with policing,” Higgins.
But, the calling for the job grew louder and louder and he hasn’t looked back since. Higgins said his experiences both on and off the job have shaped the lens through which he sees the world. He plans to bring that experience to his new role, which he holds in high regard.
If appointed, he will serve as the leader of the six-division agency, made up of the Commission on Fire Prevention and Control, the Connecticut State Police, the Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, the Police Officers Standards and Training Council, the Division of Scientific Services, and the Division of Statewide Emergency Telecommunications.
“The troopers are some of the most skillful in this country. We, we’re going to be okay,” Higgins said.
But, it won’t be easy.
This all comes as the Connecticut State Police faces public scrutiny and a federal investigation into allegations about falsifying traffic tickets. While Higgins couldn’t comment on specifics, he said he plans to get up to speed on the situation and take it from there.
“Anyone who knows me knows that I am a people person. Knows that I am an organic collaborator, knows that I like to get out and talk to people. And meet them where they are and hear from them. And I plan on doing a lot of that,” Higgins said.
All while earning the trust of those in the department and, the community at large.
“I believe trust is earned one interaction at a time, each interaction at a time,” Higgins said.
Higgins said he has worked with Rovella in the past, and the two plan to get together to make this a smooth transition.
Higgins will serve as interim commissioner starting next month until the Connecticut General Assembly officially weighs in at the start of the 2024 legislative session.
Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com Follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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