New Bedford's New Police Chief: Jason Thody Is City's Top Cop

NEW BEDFORD (WBSM) — New Bedford has a new police chief, as Mayor Jon Mitchell introduced Jason Thody as the new top cop in the city Tuesday morning.

“I’m honored to accept the role of New Bedford Police Chief,” Thody said. “I’m looking forward to meeting the men and women of the NBPD to listen to their ideas, engaging with the residents of New Bedford on how the department can work hand-in-hand with them, and connecting with critics and supporters to make New Bedford a safer city.”

Thody succeeds Paul Oliveira as Chief of New Bedford Police, after Oliveira announced back in February that he would be retiring on May 3. Assistant Deputy Chief Derek Belong had been serving as Acting Police Chief since that date.

Mitchell had said following Oliveira's announcement that he planned to "cast a wide net" to find the next chief, and created a screening committee to assist in the search. However, the final decision was made solely by Mitchell.

Who Is Jason Thody?

Thody, who served as Chief of Police in Hartford, Connecticut for just over five years after rising through the ranks of the department, was most recently working as Data Program Director for the Division of Criminal Justice for the State of Connecticut, a job he began in March of this year. He also founded Glass Shield Consulting LLC in October 2024 to “offer consulting services related to public safety leadership,” according to his website.

Thody holds a Masters in Public Safety from the University of Virginia, and has worked in law enforcement since joining the Hartford Police Department in 1996. He was promoted to Sergeant in July 2004 and served as Commander of the Crime Scene Division and Property Control Division while holding that rank. He was promoted to Lieutenant in May 2009 and then Captain in October 2014.

He became Assistant Chief of Police in August 2018 and then served as Interim Chief of Police beginning in April 2019, before being chosen for the position permanently by then-Mayor Luke Bronin in February 2020.

During his time as Hartford Police Chief, Thody faced a vote of no confidence from the police union in June 2021, citing issues such as officers being denied time off, being forced to work long hours with no breaks, loss of seniority benefits, facing “unfair discipline” due to “political pressure” and more.

He was also involved in an incident in July 2020 when he scraped his police vehicle against a guardrail while responding to a protest, admittedly driving while distracted. He took full responsibility for the incident, paying for the damage and accepting a formal reprimand.

Why Did Jason Thody Step Down as Hartford Police Chief?

Thody said Tuesday during the press conference that part of the reason he decided to step down as chief in Hartford in March 2024 was because Bronin did not seek re-election, saying he and Bronin “had a great relationship.” Bronin was succeeded by current Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam.