MAYOR JUSTIN ELICKER NAMES JOSEPH F. VITALE JR. AS DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS TO OVERSEE THE CITY’S EMERGENCY 9-1-1 CALL CENTER
Vitale, a near thirty-year veteran of the Yale University Police Department, will start Monday, May 23
NEW HAVEN, CT – Today, Mayor Justin Elicker announced the appointment of Joseph F. Vitale, Jr. as Director of Public Safety Communications, overseeing all aspects of New Haven’s Emergency 9-1-1 Call Center, also known as the City’s Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP. PSAP receives all 9-1-1 calls and then dispatches the appropriate emergency response services, including police, fire, and ambulatory responses.
“New Haveners’ 9-1-1 calls must be received and responded to in a professional, effective, and efficient manner -- and, as a former EMT, I know first-hand that when there is a medical, fire or public safety emergency, every second counts,” said Mayor Justin Elicker. “Joe Vitale brings to the job an impressive mix of public safety and emergency response experience, deep knowledge of the New Haven community, and longstanding relationships with the New Haven Police Department and other local, state, and federal partners. It’s a critically important job and I’m thankful that Joe Vitale is willing to take on the assignment to serve and lead the City’s 9-1-1 telecommunications center.”
Vitale most recently served as the Captain of Operations for the Yale University Police Department, working his way up the ranks from officer to senior leadership over the course of his near 30-year career (1990 – 2019). As Captain of Operations, Vitale’s responsibilities included command of the Uniformed Patrol Division, a unit consisting of approximately seventy uniformed patrol officers. In this capacity, Captain Vitale supervised the Communications Division and police dispatchers, the bicycle and motorcycle units, the emergency services unit, SWAT and hazardous devices-bomb squad, among other responsibilities such as special events, scheduling and fleet management.
For over a decade, Vitale served as the Communications Center Supervisor where he directly supervised police dispatchers, operated the Yale Police Department Emergency Operations Center, and maintained operations of the Yale University desk within the City of New Haven’s Emergency Operations Center. Prior to his time at Yale University Police Department, Vitale served in the East Haven Police Auxiliary from 1986 – 1990, including as president of the auxiliary division.
“I am honored to serve as the City of New Haven’s Director of Public Safety Communications and to work with Mayor Elicker and alongside the City’s first responders to ensure that when residents call 9-1-1, they get the emergency response and help they need when they need it,” said incoming Director of Public Safety Communications Joe Vitale. “9-1-1 is the front line of public safety 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, and I’m committed to doing everything I can to support our 9-1-1 dispatchers as they provide this critical life-saving service to New Haven residents.”
In 2021, New Haven PSAP received 123,801 total 9-1-1 calls and texts, the highest number of any municipal PSAP in Connecticut. As a reminder, residents should call 9-1-1 when there is a(n): emergency, lives are in danger, serious injury, serious medical condition, crime in progress, or any other situation needing emergency attention. Try to speak slowly and clearly when you explain what's happening. The 911 emergency dispatcher may ask what, where, and who questions such as these: What is the emergency? What happened? Where are you? Who needs help? Who is with you? Are you safe where you are?
