New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell made the announcement Tuesday at City Hall. Thody, 49, served as chief in Hartford from 2019 until 2024, when he stepped down after serving 28 years with the agency.

Thody, 49, previously worked for the Hartford Police Department for nearly 30 years, serving as chief from 2019 until his retirement in 2024.

The Hartford interim police chief is James C. Rovella, who also served as commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection from 2019 until his retirement in 2023.