Fung: Finalists chosen in police chief search

Daniel Kittredge
Posted 7/17/14

Finalists have been selected in the Cranston’s search for a new police chief, Mayor Allan Fung has announced.

In an open letter to the city’s residents, dated July 15 and forwarded to the …

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Fung: Finalists chosen in police chief search

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Finalists have been selected in the Cranston’s search for a new police chief, Mayor Allan Fung has announced.

In an open letter to the city’s residents, dated July 15 and forwarded to the media on Thursday, the mayor indicates a selection will be made “in the coming weeks.”

The precise number of finalists – chosen from a field of six external candidates – is not specified, nor are they identified.

“Finalists have been chosen from a pool of six applicants, all from outside the department,” Fung’s letter reads. “Over the coming weeks, I will complete face-to-face interviews with each of the finalists to determine which applicant is best suited to lead our police force into the future. I am very impressed with the credentials of all the finalists, and I am confident we will select a highly-qualified professional who will do just that.”

State Police Capt. Kevin Barry has served in the chief’s post on an acting basis since January. Col. Marco Palombo Jr., the former chief, retired in March after being placed on paid leave during a Rhode Island State Police investigation into retaliatory ticketing allegations.

Administration officials have previously said the hope is to have a new chief in place by September at the latest.

The search has been the subject of some controversy, with the City Council passing a resolution calling for an outside hire and the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers at one point criticizing the process as being “severely lacking in inclusiveness.”

Fung, in his letter, thanked the selection committee that recommended the finalists. Its members include Chief of Staff Carlos Lopez, Director of Administration Gerald Cordy, South Kingstown Police Chief Vincent Vespia, New Shoreham Police Chief Vincent Carlone, attorney Christopher Stowe and NAACP Providence branch president James Vincent.

He also applauded the men and women of the Cranston Police Department “who have served and continue to serve the residents of our City so faithfully.”

“We are about to embark on a new era of professional service and reform, and the selection of a new Chief is critical to those efforts,” the letter reads.

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