The city of Bridgeport's new police chief spoke publicly for the first time Wednesday about the changes he plans to make.

Mayor Joe Ganim named Capt. A.J. Perez as chief of the police department on Tuesday. The announcement came after Ganim said he received the resignation of Chief Joe Gaudett, who will take on a new job with the city.

Perez said he will place a heavier emphasis on community policing, along with focusing on the people who make up his department.

He said he plans on reorganizing the police department, including changing workers' schedules and giving broader powers to department heads so they can manage their staffs more effectively.