The motto of the recently-formed Forward Party to move “not left or right but forward” appealed to Police Commission member Neil Chaudhary, PhD. So, when it came time to decide on running for a second term, he decided to petition a position on the November ballot under the banner of that minor party instead of as a Republican.

The party change marks a distinct departure from what he has done for various elected offices over the past 15 years. Chaudhary made the announcement of the party change as part of the official launch of his campaign for re-election this week.

“The police commission is apolitical,” said Chaudhary, “and the Forward Party is about reaching across the aisle — what we can do to help the town.”

His goal has always been to maintain an effective justice-driven police agency — an apolitical, universally accepted ideal.

“Folks around town have come to know my slogan, Neil for Newtown, and there is nothing that is going to change about my dedication for Newtown with my shift to a petitioning candidate” said Chaudhary.

He is grateful for the many years of support and endorsements from local Republicans, and is proud of accomplishments made on behalf of Newtown residents over the past 15 years including serving as vice chair of the Legislative Council and on other boards prior to being elected to the police commission.

At the national level, Chaudhary said he sees two major parties pulling further and further away from each other, rather than finding compromise. Chaudhary decided he wanted to run as part of a party that is focused on getting things done at the local level and helping the community.

Chaudhary described his change as being driven by a desire to focus on solutions.

“I was fortunate to have attended an event in Monroe where former New Jersey Governor and US EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman spoke about her vision on politics,” said Chaudhary. “So, when she became a chairperson for the Forward Party, I became interested.”

The Forward Party, which merged with the SAM party (that counts First Selectman Dan Rosenthal among its growing list of political leaders), is not driven by politics, but by the motivation to get things done and find ways to build bridges that lead to forward progress in our country, according to Chaudhary.

Throughout his tenure on the police commission, he touts having an integral role in moving the Newtown Police Department through leadership changes, working with fellow commissioners to hire an unprecedented number of new police officers, and supporting policies so the department could earn higher levels of accreditation.

“It has been an honor to work with Newtown’s Finest, the women and men who have made Newtown the safest town in Connecticut for several years running,” said Chaudhary. With voters’ support, he is looking forward to applying more than two decades of working as an internationally recognized traffic safety expert, to benefit Newtown.

Since the Police Commission is Newtown’s traffic authority, the respected traffic safety scientist is able to provide insight and research assets that most towns and cities in Connecticut cannot access through a credentialed volunteer.

Chaudhary said his focus on the commission has always been speeding. If he spots a dangerous intersection, a missing sign, or a sharp curve in the road that does not have adequate warning, he always brings it to the attention of the commission.

Additionally, when residents come to the commission with traffic concerns, he always travels out to the area personally so he can witness the concerns expressed by constituents first-hand. He said he is always on the lookout and making the commission and police department aware of grants and funding opportunities as well, even though they “generally already know.”

Chaudhary also works with the police department to put together public safety announcement messages to help make the public aware of things such as distracted driving risks, not wearing seatbelts, and other traffic-related issues.

“I’m focused on safety,” said Chaudhary.

Chaudhary, CEO and co-owner of Preusser Research Group, holds a PhD in Experimental Psychology from the City University of New York (CUNY). While at CUNY, Chaudhary taught experimental research design, introductory psychology, personality and social psychology at Brooklyn College, and experimental psychology at Medgar Evers College.

He has contributed insights to more than 60 publications, mostly related to a variety of areas of traffic safety. He was project director for the evaluation of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) distracted driving law enforcement demonstration projects in California, Delaware, Syracuse, New York, and Hartford. He recently launched a media campaign in Hartford to promote rear seat passenger safety after the state ratified an “every passenger” seatbelt law.

Chaudhary was elected twice to the Town’s Legislative Council — spending five years of total service in this capacity with two years as vice chair. He was the chairman of the Council’s Education Committee and a member of both the Finance Committee and Ordinance Committee. He was elected to the Police Commission in 2019.

In order to continue his work on the non-political Police Commission, Chaudhary is asking Newtown voters to look for his name on this November’s ballot, and to continue supporting him for another term providing unique expertise in traffic safety to benefit the entire Newtown community.

Associate Editor Jim Taylor can be reached at jim@thebee.com.