Gallo: "It Feels Wonderful" to Return as East Haven Police Chief (VIDEO)

Updated at 6:45 p.m.

In addition to Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr, newly reinstated East Haven Chief of Police Leonard Gallo also shared his thoughts during this morning's press conference at East Haven Town Hall.

The video of Gallo's comments, as well as some Mayor Maturo's remarks regarding the continuing federal investigation into the police department, are included in the gallery that accompanies this article.

Updated at 2:45 p.m.

Fr. James Manship, the pastor of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church and  awsuit alleging racial profiling and police brutality against Latinos by East Haven police, released a statement in reaction to the news East Haven Chief of Police Leonard Gallo was reinstated as the active head of the town's police department earlier this morning. 

Gallo was one of the defendents specifically named in the  in October 2010.

The following is Manship's statement in full:

"It is astounding that Mayor Maturo has chosen to reinstate a police chief who presided over an institution that created a culture of impunity for harassment and abuse of Latinos.

"Law enforcement experts, from the Police Executive Research Forum to the United States Department of Justice, identified fundamental policy deficiencies within the East Haven Police Department under Gallo’s watch. Many community members, myself included, suffered firsthand the consequences of these deficiencies.  

"The Department needs to change. East Haven deserves a Department that respects and protects all of its residents, not one that sticks to the failed policies of the past that eroded public confidence in the police."

Updated at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday

At this morning's press conference at East Haven Town Hall, Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr officially announced he had reinstated Chief of Police Leonard Gallo as the active head of the East Haven Police Department as of 9:30 a.m. this morning.

Video footage of Maturo's full statement regarding his decision on who will serve as the town's chief of police is included in the gallery that accompanies this article.

East Haven Patch will continue to provide updates, as well as additional video footage from today's press conference, as more information becomes available.

Updated at 6:45 p.m.

Mayor Joseph Maturo will reportedly reinstate East Haven Chief of Police Leonard Gallo to the active head of the East Haven Police Department at tomorrow morning's press conference, according to a New Haven Register report.

Last Wednesday, Maturo announced he would be commissioning on Gallo, who has been on administrative leave since April 2010.

The police chief was placed on administrative leave by prior Mayor April Capone following the receipt of a .

Over a year later at the June 2011 meeting of the Board of Police Commissioners, the commission  for “possible discipline, up to and including termination.” 

Following the meeting,  to consider the charges against Gallo. However, the hearing was never held because an impartial arbiter.  

When announcing that he would commission a review of the internal report on Gallo, Maturo stated that: “I promised the taxpayers that our administration would take a long, hard look at the situation.  The goal is to resolve it in the most efficient, fair manner possible. However, that cannot be done until this administration knows all of the facts.”

As mentioned in our original story below, East Haven Patch will be at tomorrow morning's press conference at town hall, so keep an eye out on our Twitter and Facebook pages for on the scene updates from the talk.

Original Story (Monday at 4:15 p.m.)

Mayor Joseph Maturo has just announced that will be holding a press conference tomorrow, Nov. 29 regarding the .

According to a press release late this afternoon from the Mayor's Office, the talk will begin at 10 a.m. in the front foyer of .

No other information was released regarding the specific area or areas that the mayor will address in relation to the department.

Last week, Maturo said his administration would be commissioning who has been on administrative leave since April 2010.

East Haven Patch will be at tomorrow morning's press conference at town hall, so keep an eye out on our Twitter and Facebook pages for on the scene updates from the talk.