New Haven - WTNH
Feb. 25, 2005 5:54 PM

The New Haven Housing Authority is ready to restart its officer-in-residence program. It was put on hold in November after an officer shot a man inside a city apartment building.

• by News Channel 8's Chris Velardi

"I think it can be, and has been, a good working program in other developments," says Kathy Leahy, but she says the New Haven Police Department's officer-in-residence program hasn't worked well at the William T. Rowe Apartments.

Leahy has lived in the building for more than 16 years. She was here last November when long-time resident Mack Lucky was shot and killed inside an elevator by New Haven police officer Elliot Rosa.

Rosa had been on the force just two years when he was assigned to become the resident officer here.

"I don't feel they should send a young rookie in here," Leahy says. "He does not have enough experience on his own job yet."

After the shooting the Housing Authority launched a complete review of the program and decided not to assign any new officers to live in public housing until that review was complete.

Here's what they found: the program is important, but the residents have to have more of a say.

"A uniformed officer in the building everyday means a lot to people who live in public housing," says former New Haven police chief Mel Wearing.

Wearing is the housing authority's new security chief. He hopes to provide a bridge between residents and the police department to help find the right officer for the job.

"We want the residents to look at the officer as a neighbor first, then as a police officer."

Kathy Leahy wants to see her building's resident officer as a neighbor, but she says the officer has to see her the same way.

"They have to follow the same rules we do. They have to show the same respect we do, and they have no right shoving their weight around."