NEW HAVEN, Conn. — After years of operating without a formal oversight agreement, Yale University and New Haven officials have finalized a plan to manage civilian complaints against the Yale Police Department.
A new memorandum of understanding (MOU) went into effect on January 1, establishing a legal framework between New Haven’s Civilian Review Board and Yale’s newly formed Public Safety Advisory Board, reports the Yale Daily News.
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According to Yale public safety officials, the agreement marks a significant step toward transparency and accountability. It ensures that all policing agencies within New Haven city boundaries now participate in a citizen-led review process for complaints.
Agreement Details to be Made Public
The specific terms of the MOU have not yet been released. However, Duane Lovello, Yale’s head of public safety, stated that the Civilian Review Board plans to make the document public at its meeting scheduled for January 26.
Former Civilian Review Board administrator Alyson Heimer confirmed the agreement addresses key concerns regarding data transparency. The MOU ensures that data will be available to the public and that Civilian Review Board members can attend Yale Public Safety Advisory Board meetings.
Background on the Oversight Boards
The path to this agreement began with a 2019 city ordinance requiring the Civilian Review Board to develop an MOU with the Yale Police Department. Progress remained slow until recently.
In 2024, the Yale Police Advisory Board was discontinued. Its successor, the Public Safety Advisory Board, was established in late 2025. While the new board’s charter does not explicitly mention civilian complaints, the new MOU clarifies the process for handling such issues, reports the Yale Daily News.
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Negotiations accelerated following an August town hall meeting attended by former Yale Police Chief Anthony Campbell and former New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson. Both chiefs have since left their positions. Jacobson retired amid an ongoing investigation into allegations of misappropriating funds, while Campbell moved to the Harvard University Police Department.
Despite the leadership changes, Heimer noted that Jacobson was instrumental in facilitating the discussions that led to the final agreement. She described the MOU as a major success for agency transparency.
“We should be really proud that we actually have something in paper, a written agreement, to have reporting and transparency between the agencies,” Heimer said.
