Cynthia Herriott-Sullivan named interim police chief in Rochester, first woman in that role

Mayor Lovely Warren named Cynthia Herriott-Sullivan, a former lieutenant with the Rochester Police Department, as its interim chief Saturday morning. 

The Rochester native becomes the first woman to lead RPD.

Her appointment is effective Oct. 14, and the mayor — whose term expires next year —has said a national search for a permanent chief won't begin until June 2021, presumably after the Democratic primary.

Background:What to know about Cynthia Herriott-Sullivan, Rochester's incoming interim chief

"I've got a year to do the best I can to help the city and get things on track," Herriott-Sullivan said, and left open that she might apply for the permanent appointment.

She currently serves as interim deputy executive director at the Rochester Housing Authority, and deputy executive director of Rise Up Rochester, a nonprofit that provides support to the families of victims of violent crime.

She steps into a department facing multiple investigations and outside reviews over the in-custody asphyxiation death of Daniel Prude in March. The entire RPD command staff resigned their positions earlier this month, and Warren later fired Chief La'Ron Singletary.

The mayor cited Herriott-Sullivan's extensive community and non-profit work, coupled with a 24-year law enforcement career, saying she is uniquely qualified for the role.

"I am confident that she will bring a different perspective, and instill a fresh approach to policing, both of which are very much needed in our city — particularly at this particular time," Warren said.

More:A county supervisor passed Daniel Prude psychiatric info to police. Now she's resigned

Though out of law enforcement for a decade, Herriott-Sullivan expects to move quickly yet deliberately to assess the department and begin naming her command staff. More announcements could come in the days ahead, she said, even before she officially begins work.

She made clear that she doesn't see her role as placeholder, instead planning to be active in reforming the department.

Her last appointment in the department, prior to retirement in 2009, was as an executive lieutenant in the chief's office. In that role she oversaw Neighborhood Empowerment Teams and served on the critical response team that investigated in-custody deaths.

Asked how she viewed the actions of officers who restrained and ultimately suffocated Prude back on March 23, she did not offer an opinion but said she wanted to first "read all the reports. I want to look at all the video. I'm not one to make comments unless I've done all my homework."

She plans to meet with acting Chief Mark Simmons next week. And said she wants to meet with protesters as well, some of whom she knows.

"It's not always about race ... there has to be a level of trust," she said.

Warren took no off-topic questions Saturday. She similarly took no questions back on Sept. 14, when she announces Singletary's dismissal, released more than 300-pages of emails, reports and other records related to Prude's death, and outlined a series of planned police reforms and actions. She promised then to "regroup in a few days" to answer questions on the matter but has yet to do so.

For subscribers:Did Strong Memorial provide proper care to Daniel Prude? Two agencies are looking into it

Born and raised in the city, Herriott-Sullivan currently lives in Penfield. She will not be required to move as an interim but would if given a permanent appointment.

Her salary will be $145,390. 

Given that she is drawing a New York state pension, the city likely will need to seek a waiver to hire her back. That request could be justified citing an urgent need with the unplanned vacancy. The city has secured such waivers previously for Cedric Alexander (former RPD) when he was brought back as deputy mayor, and currently with Michael Cerretto, director of the Emergency Communications Department. 

A resume for Herriott-Sullivan in her Justice Speaker's Institute profile says that she was with the RPD between 1985 and 2009; spent two years as the deputy director of the National Drug Court Institute in Virginia, in addition to other management consulting roles. From 2014 when she was CEO with Rise Up Rochester she was overseeing programs, financial management, community relations and board administration.

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"Ironically, I left law enforcement because I wanted to have a bigger hand in keeping people out of jail...", Herriott-Sullivan said, highlighting her work to craft a new CIty School District policy that reduced suspensions. 

Herriott-Sullivan has an master's degree in Criminal Justice from Keuka College and a bachelor's from Roberts Wesleyan.

The mayor also made two additional appointments to the RPD command staff.

Daniel Prude:What's coming next in the ongoing investigations?

RPD Capt. Gabriel Person, who joined the force in 2005, will become Deputy Chief of Operations, a decision Herriott-Sullivan said she had a hand in making. And Officer Moses Robinson, a crime prevention officer well-known in the community, has been promoted to a role in the command structure Warren said, focused on community engagement and violence reduction.

“As a law enforcement officers for 34 years I’ve seen the beauty in our community, but I have also witnessed the tragedy,” Moses said. “And I strongly believe that, at times, law enforcement strategies across the country need to be reformed readjusted. 

“We need to now look at a multi-cultural, muti-disciplinary approach to how we do law enforcement,” he said; one centered on trauma-informed care, and prevention strategies, “that help us, and  give us a lens, truly a lens of what we are seeing and what we are dealing with.”