Connecticut council member sounds alarm after city opens law enforcement jobs to noncitizens

Danbury Council Votes to Open Police Hiring to Permanent Residents and DACA Recipients

In a decisive 18‑to‑2 vote last week, the Danbury City Council approved a change to the city’s police hiring ordinance that will allow lawful permanent residents and recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to apply for positions with the Danbury Police Department. The decision aligns the town’s hiring rules with those set by the Connecticut Police Officer Standards and Training Council, which extended eligibility to lawful permanent residents in 2020 and to DACA recipients in 2025.

The measure was introduced to address recruitment challenges faced by the department. Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour had previously testified in a city committee meeting in early April that attracting “the best qualified candidates” remains a priority, a sentiment echoed by the council’s majority.

“We’re removing an unnecessary barrier for qualified people who already call Danbury home and want to serve their community,” said Mayor Roberto Alves, a Democrat, in a statement to the local media. “It’s about ensuring our police force reflects the diversity of the city it serves.”

Council member Joe Britton, also a Democrat, added that Danbury “is an immigrant city” and that allowing lawful residents to join the force “should have the opportunity to do so.”

Opposition came from Councilwoman Candace Fay, a Republican. In an interview with Fox & Friends First, Fay argued that the ordinance change was a political move rather than a practical solution to public safety needs. “There’s no public policy reason behind what the council did. There’s no overarching need for police officers in our city. There’s no demand that this will meet,” she said. Fay added that the measure “was done simply as a political narrative, overwhelmingly done by virtue signaling, and it’s further dividing our city.”

Fay insisted that U.S. citizenship should remain a requirement for officers. “I’m asking for an objective standard. I’m asking that someone be a citizen. That’s it,” she told the show. “It is a reasonably objective standard whether they should be a citizen in order to be a police officer and enforce the state of Connecticut laws over citizens.”

The council’s vote is expected to take effect immediately, pending any required changes to the hiring process and training curriculum. City records indicate that the ordinance amendment was added to the council’s agenda in April, and a formal vote was carried out in early May.

No comment has yet been received from Chief Ridenhour regarding the new hiring criteria, and the police department has not issued an official statement. The department’s website remains unchanged, though it now references the updated ordinance in the “Hiring” section.

The change follows a broader trend in Connecticut, where local governments have begun to revise their hiring practices to include lawful permanent residents and DACA recipients. The state Police Officer Standards and Training Council’s 2025 guidance made the amendment for DACA recipients nationwide, while the 2020 ruling opened the doors for lawful permanent residents across the state.

City officials say the move will not affect the department’s current personnel or its standard operating procedures. “We’re simply broadening the pool of applicants to ensure we can recruit the best qualified candidates from our community,” the mayor said. The council’s decision reflects a growing recognition that police departments across the country are seeking ways to increase diversity and strengthen community ties.

For residents who qualify under the new criteria, the application process will now be the same as for U.S. citizens. Applicants must still meet the department’s physical fitness, background check, and training requirements. The city is expected to begin accepting applications shortly after the ordinance takes effect, with an anticipated start date for new officers in late summer.

As the policy takes effect, Danbury will be among the first municipalities in the state to formally welcome non‑citizen residents into its police ranks, a move that could have implications for community policing strategies and for the broader conversation about immigration status and public service roles in Connecticut.