STATEMENT BY MAYOR JUSTIN ELICKER ON THE NEW HAVEN BOARD OF POLICE COMMISSIONERS VOTE TO TERMINATE OFFICER OSCAR DIAZ AND SERGEANT BETSY SEGUI FOR VIOLATIONS OF NHPD GENERAL ORDERS IN THE INCIDENT INVOLVING RICHARD “RANDY” COX
NEW HAVEN, CT – This evening, the New Haven Board of Police Commissioners held a special meeting to vote on the recommendations of Police Chief Karl Jacobson to terminate Officer Oscar Diaz and Sergeant Betsy Segui for violations of General Orders of the New Haven Police Department related to the incident involving Mr. Richard “Randy” Cox. On both motions, the Commissioners voted five (5) in favor and zero (0) opposed. At its previous meeting on June 7th, the Board also voted in favor of Chief Jacobson’s recommendations to terminate Officer Jocelyn Lavandier and Officer Luis Rivera for violations of General Orders of the New Haven Police Department regarding the same incident. Following tonight’s votes, Mayor Elicker released the following statement:
“The votes by the Board of Police Commissioners this evening and earlier this month to terminate these officers are important and necessary steps towards ensuring accountability for the mistreatment of Randy Cox while he was in their custody and care.
From day one, we promised accountability, transparency and action. While nothing can ever return Randy’s life to the way it was prior to this incident, with the police disciplinary process now complete, the civil lawsuit now resolved and the comprehensive set of reforms now adopted by the police department, we have demonstrated clearly and unequivocally as a community that Randy’s life matters, that Black Lives Matter and that we are resolved to do everything in our power to ensure an incident like this never happens again.
This has not been an easy process, but it has been a necessary one – and we are now a stronger city than we were before because of the conversation we’ve had and the actions we’ve taken as a community.
I want to thank Randy and his family for their patience as we worked through this difficult process together.”
PRESS CONTACT:
Lenny H. Speiller; (203) 725-4249; Lspeiller@newhavenct.gov
