September 15, 2022 

JOINT STATEMENT BY MAYOR JUSTIN ELICKER & POLICE CHIEF KARL JACOBSON PROVIDING AN UPDATE ON ACTIONS AND REFORMS TAKEN BY THE NHPD IN RESPONSE TO THE INCIDENT INVOLVING MR. RICHARD “RANDY” COX

NEW HAVEN, CT – Mayor Justin Elicker and Police Chief Karl Jacobson released the following statement after attending the press conference held today at City Hall by the family and legal team representing Mr. Richard “Randy” Cox:

“We appreciated the opportunity to hear from Mr. Cox’s family, his legal team, and New Haven residents today on the steps of City Hall, and we share their disappointment that Mr. Cox has been readmitted to the hospital for further care. Just last week we visited with Mr. Cox when he was in better spirits, and we continue to hope and pray for improvements to his health and recovery.

In addition to hope and prayers, we are also committed to action. After this tragic event occurred, we promised accountability and transparency, and we outlined a series of new initiatives and reforms that the New Haven Police Department would undertake to help ensure an incident like this never happens again to any individual while they are in the custody and care of the NHPD.

We are firmly committed to making good on those promises for the sake of the Cox family, New Haven residents and the integrity of the police department.

To this end, to date the following actions have been completed or are in progress:

• All five officers involved in this incident remain on leave as we await the outcome of the Connecticut State Police’s investigation on this matter. Once the state completes its investigation, the NHPD will move forward expeditiously with appropriate action for all the officers involved.  

• We conducted a series of public safety town halls and community conversations with residents about how we can strengthen and improve the city’s approach to public safety.

• The NHPD adopted and enacted new polices and standard operating procedures governing the transportation of individuals in NHPD custody and regarding detention facility operations, as codified in NHPD Special Order 22-03, and all police officers have been trained accordingly. Individuals taken into police custody are now being transported in the back of a police cruiser, except for those being taken to and from court where the vans in use have been outfitted with seatbelts.

• The NHPD adopted and enacted new polices and standard operating procedures governing individuals in NHPD custody who might be in need of medical attention, as codified in NHPD Special Order 22-03, and all police officers have been trained accordingly.

• New department-wide ICAT (Integrating Communications, Assessment, and Tactics) training has been completed by nearly all police officers, which focuses on de-escalation and “provides first responding police officers with the tools, skills, and options they need to successfully and safely defuse a range of critical incidents.”

• New department-wide ABLE (Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement) training is set to begin in early October, which is designed “to prepare officers to successfully intervene to prevent harm and to create a law enforcement culture that supports peer intervention” in order to help “prevent misconduct,” “avoid police mistakes,” and “promote officer health and wellness.”

• Random body camera audits continue to be conducted in the NHPD’s detention facility by a new supervising officer to help inform the NHPD’s review of related detention policies and procedures and the potential need for enhanced training.  

The incident and the mistreatment of Mr. Cox were completely unacceptable, and we are deeply committed to these initiatives and reforms and to making the necessary changes within the NHPD to ensure an incident like this does not happen.

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Press Contacts:

City of New Haven
Lenny H. Speiller (he/him)
Director of Communications
Mayor Justin Elicker | City of New Haven
165 Church Street | New Haven, CT 06511
Phone: (203) 725-4249
Email: Lspeiller@newhavenct.gov

New Haven Police Department
Officer Scott Shumway
Media Liaison & Public Information Officer
Office of the Chief of Police
One Union Avenue
New Haven, CT 06519
Mobile: (475) 331-3404
Email: sshumway@newhavenct.gov