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ORDER OF THE BOARD OF ALDERS OF THE CITY OF NEW HAVEN APPROVING THE REQUEST FOR AN EXCEPTION TO THE CITY CHARTER REQUIREMENT CONCERNING RESIDENT ELECTOR STATUS FOR CHIEF OF POLICE DAVID ZANNELLI.
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WHEREAS, under the revised City Charter, passed on November 7, 2023, Article II, Section 12 of the Charter ("Charter") of the City of New Haven ("City") there is set forth an Elector and residency requirement for certain appointed Public Officials, Department Heads and Deputies, unless otherwise provided by Law or waived in accordance with the provisions of ? 12.D of the Charter; and
WHEREAS, on June 1, 2026 the New Haven Board of Alders, via Chapter 2, Art. IV, Division 1, Sec. 2-221 of the New Haven Code of Ordinances (OR-2026-0016), established an exception process to the Charter's elector and city residency requirements for individuals in roles subject to resident elector requirements under the Charter; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Zannelli has been serving in the capacity as the Chief of the New Haven Police Department since May of 2026; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Zannelli was originally hired in 2008 by the New Haven Police Department, rising through the ranks of the department over 20 years of distinguished law enforcement service and having held all supervisory ranks; and
WHERAS, Mr. Zannelli possesses a master's degree in public administration, a Masters Certificate, and a bachelor's in administration of justice, in addition to having graduated from the FBI National Academy and the Senior Management Institute for Police through the Police Executive Research Forum; and
WHEREAS, prior to the submission and approval of Mr. Zannelli to serve as Police Chief of the New Haven Police Department, he had been serving as Assistant Chief since 2022 with exemplary assignments at Patrol and Head of the Investigative Services Unit; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Zannelli owns a home in Mystic, Connecticut, where his three school-aged children have grown up and established themselves at their...
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