Reuben Bradford sent a letter to Governor Malloy earlier this week announcing his retirement on February 1. Bradford was hired three years ago to head up the state department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, after serving as head of security for the National Football League, and before that in various posts for the Connecticut state police.
Given Bradford's credentials, landing him to be the head of public safety for the state was considered a coup. But his tenure has been marked by sharp criticism, most notably for the seemingly slow investigation into the Sandy Hook shooting. The state police have yet to issue a final report.
Bradford was also criticized by the police unions for his plan to consolidate dispatch centers across the state as a way to save money.
In a press release, Governor Malloy praised the 67-year-old Bradford for working through a massive backlog at the state's crime lab, for restoring the lab to national accreditation, and for "meeting every deadline during the implementation of the recent Gun Violence Prevention Legislation."
Bradford did not give a reason for his departure, although he does suffer from a neurological disorder called ataxia.
