Ph.D. City University of New York Graduate Center
M.Phil. City University of New York Graduate Center
M.A. John Jay College of Criminal Justice
M.S. Tiffin University
John DeCarlo is a nationally recognized expert in community policing and on perceptions of race in policing. He previously was a member of the Branford Police force for 34 years, including six years as chief
Dr. DeCarlo’s current research focuses on police contagion shooting, looking closely at what causes violence to escalate. He is the co-principal investigator on a $1.5 million National Science Foundation grant to study racial profiling.
The co-author of three books and numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals, Dr. DeCarlo’s book, Police Leaders in the New Community Problem-Solving Era, examines community policing in Boston, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, and Newark, studying how police leaders successfully implemented community-policing strategies.
His research focuses on police management, police unions, policing methods, and eye witness identification. His published work includes "Perceptual Differences between Police and Citizens Encountering Weapons Focus Effect" in Police Quarterly and "Does Video Recording Alter the Behavior of Police During Interrogation? A Mock Crime-and-Investigation Study" in Law and Human Behavior.
His wide-ranging research interests also include environmental criminology. Exploring the effect of weather and environmental variables on crime, Dr. DeCarlo discovered that many long-held myths on weather and lunar cycles and their impact on crime appear to be untrue.
As police chief in Branford, Dr. DeCarlo was credited with making the department a model of community policing. He works closely with the New Haven Police Department, looking at gang affiliation and differential association, and at ways to thwart gun violence through the collaborative efforts of police, parole, probation, and the larger community.
The founder of the Center for Advanced Policing at the University of New Haven and co-founder of NexGen Solutions, Inc., Dr. DeCarlo was previously the coordinator of the Police Studies program at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. He received his Ph.D. in criminal justice and a master’s degree from the City University of New York Graduate Center. He also earned an M.A. from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and an M.S. from Tiffin University. He currently serves as chair of the police section of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.
Often quoted in the media about police issues, Dr. DeCarlo has been featured on CBS News, NPR’s All Things Considered, Al Jazeera Television, and in the New Haven Register. A widely sought-after speaker, he participated in Yale University’s Seminar on Racial Disparity in Criminal Justice and the Vera Institute’s conference on Police Change and Legitimacy.
DeCarlo J. and Markovic V. (2017) Performance Enhancement in Policing. Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences Annual Meeting, Kansas City, MO.
DeCarlo, J (2015)South Norwalk Against Crime BCJI P1.
DeCarlo, J (2016) NSF – Racial profiling study NSF LSS.
John DeCarlo, chair of the department of criminal justice, discusses the importance of communication between police departments across the country.
John Decarlo, associate professor of criminal justice and retired Branford police chief, discusses the importance for officers to understand cultural sensitivities.
John Decarlo, associate professor of criminal justice and retired Branford police chief, discusses the importance of police communicating with the public during an ongoing investigation.
Associate professors of criminal justice John DeCarlo and Michael Lawlor discuss the importance of the state’s analysis of police data in light of a recent fatal shooting during a traffic stop in Wethersfield.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice, discusses recent New Haven police shooting.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice and a former Branford police chief, talks about what can be learned on from a recent probe into possible criminal activity of Bridgeport police officers.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice and a former Branford police chief, talks about how changes need to start within the police department.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice and program coordinator for the online M.S. in criminal justice program, brings attention to the issues within the current criminal justice system.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice and program coordinator for the online M.S. in criminal justice program, notes the lack of a failsafe system in place when it comes to vigilante groups.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice and program coordinator for the online M.S. in criminal justice program, talks about the personal research he has done about hiring leaders of police departments.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice and program coordinator for the online M.S. in criminal justice program, talks about the personal research he has done about hiring leaders of police departments.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice, says that despite recent media and community focus on police shootings, these incidents remain uncommon. They are a tiny percentage of the thousands of contacts the public has every day, he notes.
John DeCarlo, an associate professor of criminal justice, explains how the public might believe that crime is on the rise despite the steady decline over years.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice, comments on police use of a Taser after one was used on Bridgeport City Councilwoman Karen Jackson’s son when fleeing from police.
John Decarlo, associate professor in criminal justice, comments that the rise in New Haven shootings could be explained by a theory known as differential association.
John DeCarlo, former police chief and chair of criminal justice, discusses how an off-duty officer use unreasonable use of force by pulling out a gun as a first step.
John DeCarlo, former police chief and chair of criminal justice, comments on how an off-duty police officer drew his firearm immediately upon speaking with a man in a convenience store and why this behavior was so unreasonable. This story was picked up by dozens of media outlets in the U.S. and Australia.
John DeCarlo, former police chief and chair of criminal justice, comments on the dangers of a domestic violence incident and why officers are injured more during those types of calls than on the streets.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice, comments on how the admission of perjury by New Haven District chief judicial marshal Thomas Bouley damages public trust and expectations.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice, discusses the lack of standardized leadership structure for police departments.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice, discusses how the increasing number of fatal overdoses in Connecticut can be more accurately seen in rates rather than totals for each affected city. This story ran in other Hearst Media in Connecticut.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice, comments on the increasing rates of fatal overdoses in Connecticut and how the rising prevalence of fentanyl is to blame. This story ran in other Hearst Media in Connecticut.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice, discusses how social media allows false information to easily spread and cause mass hysteria, as seen with a false school shooting threat in Milford, Connecticut.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice, comments on the public and law enforcement response after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice, discusses how the marketing and glamorization of the AR-15 semi-automatic rifle is contributing to its increasing use in mass shootings.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice at the University of New Haven, comments on the state police report about the response to the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
John DeCarlo, chairman of the criminal justice department and associate professor of criminal justice, discusses how the operating style of New Haven police has contributed to the decrease in New Haven’s homicide rate.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice, comments on the after-action state police report of the investigation of the police response to the Sandy Hook shooting. The report has not been released, even though the tragedy occurred five years ago. This story was picked up by local and national media.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice, comments on Bridgeport Police advertising their profession on their clothing. This article was picked up by local media around the state.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice, comments that while the price of police equipment is expensive, it is worth it.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice, comments on head-on car accident in which a Seymour man died Thursday night. The crash involved an East Haven motorist who allegedly was fleeing Orange police following a hit-and-run traffic accident.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice, comments on the trends with social media responses in crime investigations, especially in regards to Kenneka Jenkins’ death.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice and a former police chief, comments on the type of force Law Enforcement officers use today. They often consider public opinion and decisions on using heavy equipment is likely a political decision.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice, comments on how the Petit home invasion tragedy has affected law enforcement agencies and how it forced them to step up their training.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice, comments on the need of many police officers for extra income and says that off-duty work can supplement their incomes without costing the city budget.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice and a former police chief, comments on the dilemma police are faced with when a victim has been shot. Covering the body can compromise evidence; not covering it can upset people. This story also appeared in other Hearst papers in Connecticut.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice and a former police chief, comments on the value of police body cameras. This story also appeared in other Hearst papers in Connecticut.
John DeCarlo, assistant chair of criminal justice department, comments on the high-profile slaying of Ecuadorian immigrant Marcelo Lucero and accusations of discriminatory treatment of Hispanics.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice, comments on federal agents posing as police to conduct an operation in Hartford to enforce federal immigration laws. Advocates worry the episode could damage the relationship between local law enforcement and the city's population.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice, comments on the increasing number of women now working in law enforcement. The story was picked up by media outlets around the country including Richmond County Daily Journal, Reflector.com, WRAL, and WBT-FM.
John DeCarlo, associate professor of criminal justice, comments on the increasing number of women now working in law enforcement.