Governor Announces New State Police Commissioner

Gov. Dannel Malloy has announced the new commissioner of the new Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.

The governor said he is nominating Dora B. Schriro, who is the current Commissioner of the New York City Department of Correction.

"The doctor is immensely qualified and has proven herself to be an exceptional leader across the country. Her efforts working directly with victims of crime and developing innovative, state-of-the-art processes to reduce violence and keep offenders from returning to jail will be of great value to our state as we continue to implement these types of techniques in our state," Malloy said.

Schriro is expected to begin work in Connecticut at the end of the month and will earn a salary of $178,000.

She will take over from Commissioner Reuben Bradford, who plans to retire on February 1.

The state police union supports the appointment.

Malloy said he believes Schriro is the first woman to take on the role. 

"It is a great honor and an exceptional opportunity to be selected to serve as the commissioner of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.

The Permament Commission on the Status of Women released the following statement about Schriro's appoitment.

"For years, the PCSW has challenged the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP), formerly the Department of Public Safety, on its historically poor track record when it comes to the promotion and retention of women to leadership positions. So we welcome the appointment of Dora Schriro to this critical and highly visible appointment, and we look forward to working with her on policies and procedures that will help remedy gender inequity among the DESPP’s ranks and leadership."

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg appointed Scriro to direct the New York jail system on September 21, 2009.

Before that, she was special advisor to Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano on Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Detention and Removal and director of the Office of Detention Policy and Planning for the Department.

Prior to that, she served for six years as the director of the Arizona Department of Corrections. From 1993 to 2001, she was the director of the Missouri Department of Corrections.

In each state, she was the first woman selected to lead the agency.

During his announcement, Malloy said crime in Connecticut is at a 44-year low.

"In every community, there are good people, raising families and operating businesses, wanting to live free of crime and the fear of crime. And in every place, there are crime victims who want no one else to experience all that they have endured. In every place, there are opportunities for both improvement and innovation," Schriro said. "In my opinion, there is no better place than here, right here, right now, to serve."

She said her plan is to start by going around the state and meeting with members of the department and members of the communities they serve and form a plan of action.

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