A Superior Court judge in Bridgeport said the city was wrong to name Rebeca Garcia as assistant police chief in 2019. Garcia is now the city’s acting chief. The ruling leaves her future uncertain.
Judge Barry Stevens said the city didn’t follow its own rules, but let former chief Armando Perez choose whoever he wanted for the spot. Perez is now in prison for rigging his own hiring process.
Former Bridgeport Mayor Thomas Bucci represents the captains who challenged Garcia’s appointment. Bucci said the city bypassed more qualified candidates and didn’t put Garcia through the same tests as other applicants.
“In essence, they rigged the process for the selection of Garcia so she would not have to compete with those who had more superior qualifications,” Bucci said.
Bucci said the ruling shows Garcia shouldn’t be in her current position, and he said he’ll go to court to have her removed as acting chief if the city doesn’t remove her.
A city attorney said Bridgeport’s charter doesn’t list specific procedures for the appointment. They disagree with the ruling.
