Bryan T. Norwood became Richmond’s 16th police chief on Nov. 3, 2008.
In Richmond, he manages operations of the Richmond Police Department with 760 sworn officers, 170 civilian employees and an annual budget of more than $79 million.
Chief Norwood brings more than 20 years of law enforcement experience with him to Richmond Police, including his previous tenure as chief of police in Bridgeport, Conn., and a brief stint as a DEA special agent.
Since his arrival in Richmond, Chief Norwood has established several programs and initiatives the Department uses to maintain and enhance outreach in the community, including monthly community walk-throughs with his Command Staff and the Department’s leadership team, deployment of alternative patrols utilizing bikes and walking beats and enhancing relationships with community partners – from Richmond’s Mayor Dwight C. Jones to members of City Council to the residents and the local business owners.
New Richmond Police programs instituted and planned by Chief Norwood include:
- The Young Adult Police Commissioners to gain input and insight from high school youths representing Richmond Public Schools. The commissioners meet monthly with Chief Norwood and his Command Staff during the school year.
- SRT— Support through Rapid Tactical Response — involving targeted SWAT participation in patrols. The success of this new program was touted in the local media.
- The Community R.E.S.E.T. — Rapid Engagement of Support in the Event of Trauma. “The premise behind Community R.E.S.E.T. is to restore a community to its level of normalcy after a shooting, a traffic accident or any traumatic event that disrupts the daily life of that neighborhood,” Chief Norwood said. “But the programs mean nothing without the people. We’ve got to be together and work together on all of this to ensure our success continues.”
Chief Norwood’s law enforcement experience includes work with the police departments of New Haven and Bridgeport, Conn., in community patrol and narcotics, homicide, robbery and burglary investigations. He also served as a liaison to the FBI and Connecticut Homeland Security. He was a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration special agent in New York during an undercover investigation of international drug trafficking.
Notable achievements during Chief Norwood’s extensive career include:
- Sworn as an officer with New Haven, Conn., Police Department in 1989
- Awarded New Haven Police Medal of Honor in 1994
- New Haven 2000 Police Officer of the Year
- Appointed New Haven’s assistant chief of police in 2002
- Named chief of police in Bridgeport, Conn., in 2006
Chief Norwood has a bachelor’s in psychology from Hampton University and is a graduate of the Harvard University Senior Management Institute for Police.
