The Hartford police union has endorsed former Stamford Mayor Dannel Malloy for governor, saying they expect him to create jobs and work with labor unions.
“Connecticut needs a change. We’re standing with Dan because he’s the candidate with the best track record and best experience to help Connecticut get back on track,” Hartford police union president Richard Rodriguez said in a statement released by the Malloy campaign. “Dan’s record in Stamford proves he’s committed to public safety, committed to partnering with police and other workers, and committed to growing jobs. And, his background as a prosecutor gives him a perspective on law enforcement that other candidates don’t have. He’s the kind of leader Connecticut needs.”
The union represents more than 460 workers in the capital city.
“As a former prosecutor and former mayor of a large and diverse city, I understand the pressures put on local law enforcement – especially in urban environments,” Malloy said in a statement. “Revitalizing Connecticut’s capital will be an essential part of revitalizing Connecticut, and the Hartford police will be a partner in that effort.”
Malloy touted his record as a former prosecutor in Brooklyn, N.Y., in which he tried 23 felony cases, including four homicides, that led to 22 convictions.
Malloy is running in a highly competitive primary against Greenwich cable television entrepreneur Ned Lamont, Simsbury First Selectman Mary Glassman, Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi, and former state Rep. Juan Figueroa of Meriden.
Lamont has been leading Malloy in the past three Quinnipiac University polls, and Lamont has been the front-runner among Democrats since Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz dropped out of the race in January in order to run for attorney general.