After Racial Abuse Scandal, New Police Chief for East Haven

EAST HAVEN, CT - FEBRUARY 01: An East Haven Police car is viewed on February 1, 2012 in East Haven, Connecticut. Following an investigation by the FBI, four East Haven police officers were arrested last week and accused of abusing Latinos in the working class community of 28,000 people which was nearly predominately white a generation ago. A recent civil rights investigation which was released last month revealed a pattern of discriminatory policing East Haven and the town has been warned by the U.S. Justice Department to make reforms. The arrested officers have been accused of subjecting Hispanics to beatings and false arrests among other things. Currently East Haven's Latino population is around 10 percent. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) (2012 Getty Images)

A Connecticut town at the center of a police scandal over alleged abuse and harassment against Latinos has a new police chief.

East Haven Mayor Joseph Maturo named Interim Police Chief Brent Larrabee as the new permanent head of the embattled police department, according to the New Haven Register.

The new chief succeeds Leonard Gallo, who retired a year ago amid accusations that under his watch town police officers violated the rights of Latinos through beatings, false arrests and unnecessary searches.

Four police officers were arrested in a probe conducted by the Department of Justice.

Two pleaded guilty to charges that don't involve Latinos and await sentencing, while the other two pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.

As a result of that probe, city and the federal investigators reached a settle that required the town to have mandatory training on bias-free policing and develop up-to-date policies and measures when applying for search warrants.

East Haven, a seaside city of about 28,000 people, has a Latino population of about 7 percent.

A year ago, Mayor Maturo made headlines of his own when he announced he might “eat tacos” when asked what he would do for the local Latino community after the FBI arrested four officers.

Based on reporting by The Associated Press.