SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. A new deputy chief and a designated community resource officer are among the South Kingstown Police Department promotions taking effect this month. Ian Grant, 36, was arrested in Connecticut after leading police on a chase through Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Students told the school resource officer that the teen hand a gun in his car during a fight in the school parking lot. Alfred said scrutiny into the now retired EMS Director William Howe, who was suspended last month without pay for failing to hold the necessary state paramedic license, was not a factor in Vespias decision to retire. A sharply dressed trooper was at the front desk. Cianci drew a line down the middle of the tablecloth with the pen that Vespia had given him as a Christmas present. Alex Rolin, 26, of Charlestown, was charge with murder in connection to the death of Grya Pihlkrantz, 45. He knew the law enforcement duo had gleaned information from sources held in protective custody. I dont think Im totally incompetent Ive been chief for 30 years but the greater number of duties of a police chief are administrative and that was not my first interest, my first love. The Dispatch Center of South Kingstown Police Department is staffed 24 hours a day, with 2 dispatchers, from a roster of 8 full time dispatchers and 1 part-time dispatcher. In June of 1941, the town of North Kingstown appointed its first full-time police officer. Let us know in this week's poll question below. If somebody would remember me as, There goes a guy who tried to be a good cop, Im happy.. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Other projects or efforts will include more social media notices about safety tips and information from the department, a citizens police academy to offer a look beyond simple explanations about law enforcement operations and outreach to elderly citizens to help them recognize scams. People say, Oh, he was a hell of a guy, at Thanksgiving time, hed give out turkeys. Vespia said. A member of the scam posed as a general in the U.S. military, feigning personal interest in his victims before asking for money. Although preservation of peace and protection of lives and property are the principle duties of a police officer, South Kingstown Public Safety Personnel, both sworn and civilian, also function as public service officers responsible for identifying and responding to service needs of all our citizens. Joel Ewing-Chow said. My question is, Have they switched to a digital frequency?, which I will not be able to receive on this scanner. You have permission to edit this article. Police Chief serves as chair of Transportation Traffic Safety Committee. At the time, he was the youngest man elected to the office. 7201. Also: New details in NK naked "fat tests" investigation | Unmasked Catholics will not be turned away from Mass, says bishop | more. A legendary professional career that began by chance. Patriarca would die of a massive heart attack in 1984 before he could ever be tried. Cianci was concerned there would be too much press and Vespia would be criticized for his association with him, Vespia said. Or are they using a different frequency, which is not yet able available in the database? I didnt go to court with him.. Narragansett police ruled the 64-year-old man's death accidental. All the police work required in a town as large as North Kingstown could not have been accomplished with a department which, for nearly its first two decades, rarely exceeded ten men, without the help provided by the assistance of the auxiliary police, later to be known as the police reserve. 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He added up both columns [and] it was cheaper to run for mayor than buy a boat, Vespia said. - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. I have a radio shack pro-528 scanner. Smelled good, Vespia remembered. It suffered [out] of necessity.. In 1981, nearing mandatory retirement from the State Police, he applied for the job in South Kingstown. Best way to find Freq and DMR TGs in a new undocumented area? That request came after he investigated the murder of a Coventry man in a gravel bank. mayor buys Columbus statue for $50K, Change in law allows more to scrub their criminal, 109-year-old Bristol native shares secret to a long, Office chairs recalled due to fall, injury risk, Dont answer phone calls from these 5 area codes, Overnight Snow/Sleet Changing To Rain; Strong Winds, CT shelter needs to find homes for 30+ animals, Olive oil in coffee? 166 were here. Partly cloudy skies. Dispatchers conduct computer searches through local, state, and national crime databases for wanted subjects, stolen property, driver and vehicle information. If we can find out their needs, we can build on it.. Hundreds of people in support of Black Lives Matter marched in early June on Kingstown Road. Town Manager Stephen A. Alfred confirmed Vespias upcoming retirement. As lore has it, Vespia was so fearless in his work that he once climbed into the basket of a cherry picker decked out in football gear and armed with a shotgun, then crashed through the second-story window of an illegal gambling house on Federal Hill. In 1952, the N.K. In 1984, he pleaded no contest to an alleged assault on Raymond DeLeo, a contractor Cianci claimed was having an affair with his wife while they were estranged. That conviction came after a 2001 indictment on 27 charges that included bribery, extortion and mail fraud. Patriarca. Patriarcas lawyer and a cardiologist soon joined them. Dispatchers maintain an accurate status of Police/Fire/EMS personnel via a computer aided dispatching (CAD) system. Saying Rhode Island "can't afford" to go back to pre-pandemic days where students were unable to eat at school because their parents couldn't afford to pay for them, Representative Teresa Tanzi (D-Dist. Soon after he got the job, his longtime friend, the late Providence Mayor Vincent A. You cant be successful unless you have a good partner, and Vinny was the best.. On November 1, Tamburini will take over his dear friends status as the Ocean States most senior chief of police. Exeter is patrolled by Rhode Island State Police, and they use the RISCON system in the clear. Public Safety 1 : Online Southern Rhode Island and Southeastern . Cloudy and windy at times with occasional rainmainly in the morning. South Kingstown. Prepare Police Department Annual Report by calendar year to provide transparent reporting of Departmental statistics to the public. In 2012, he was inducted into the Rhode Island Criminal Justice Hall of Fame. You brought him to your home?. Im just very, very fortunate to be able to call Vinny Vespia a colleague, Tamburini said. In the early 70s, Cianci was mulling a first run for mayor. At the peak of his career, Vespia found himself rounding up wise guys in the Federal Hill neighborhood where he had grown up, and where he learned about virtues like friendship. So close in fact, each man stood alongside the other at the altar, as best man. This practice was carried out in Wickford up until recent times. A stark contradiction, if ever there was one. I believe he just should have known what was happening around him and didnt know, and thats what caused his demise.. RADIO: RadioShack PRO-197 Scanner ANTENNA: Yagi, pointed to South Mountain, Phoenix, AZ. Address traffic safety issues in the community. The public safety building can be viewed and recorded on closed circuit TV cameras and monitors located in the dispatch center. If you did your job, he supported you, and he really truly appreciated a good policeman. In the 1970s, Vespia was credited with developing evidence that led to the successful prosecution of crime boss Raymond Patriarca and the arrests of Gerald and Harold Tillinghast, brothers eventually convicted of murdering a mob loan shark. Develop and submit recommended annual operating budget and 6-year capital improvement plan to the Town Manager. Monte also pointed to a book drive done for low-income residents who cannot afford actual print books. And the way he tackled it was just as groundbreaking. Last year parents drove through the public safety complex that had stations at which candy was available for children in socially distanced and safe ways. Vespia vividly recalls a night in 1971 when he was acting police chief in Coventry and Cianci was working on the attorney generals Anti-Corruption Strike Force. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Mr. Edwards, in June of 1941, became North Kingstown's first Chief of Police presiding over a department consisting of one man. All operations for both are fully encrypted. Low 28F. In 1959, Vespia was fresh out of the Army. All operations are fully encrypted. Freq PL/M Ty Input InpPL Channel Notes; 155.550 : Police Disp. Area Frequencies. Amateur Radio 0 Online: North Kingstown Fire Department . He served briefly as the Acting Coventry Chief of Police, and was named to South Kingstowns top law enforcement job in 1981. (The office is closed on observed holidays.). I remember he told me, Im thinking about running for mayor against Joe Doorley, but I also want to buy a boat, Vespia said, with a chuckle. . High around 40F. I look at some of the people who I have arrested through the many years and I look at them and say, There but for the grace of God go I, Because I came from the same background, and same neighborhood as some of those people.. SK Police Chief Vincent A. Vespia Jr. recalls his long friendship with the late Buddy Cianci. Remember that this FEED ONLY CONTAINS THE DISPATCH FREQUENCY AND CONTAINS NO LAW OPS . Bradford FD (northeast part of town) uses Southern League North Fire Channel for dispatch/ops. During my whole career, I was most happy when I was a street cop and investigator., One of the early cases he worked on was the murder of Jason Foreman. He said the streets definitely were no safer. At the beginning of Chief Moon's tenure, the Department consisted of six men, including himself. Directions: It was hard for him to draw the line between their association, but he said Cianci was always concerned for his reputation and understood the necessary boundaries. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, Weather Alert: Messy Mix This Morning with Strong, 2 high schoolers credited with saving friends life, RI lobster trap tag washes ashore on Scotland beach, Sports legends among Mass. Primary operations are in the clear. Theyd hand you a cup of coffee, or theyd make some indication, Look, were having meatloaf at 6 oclock tonight. His killer, Michael Woodmansee, was charged in 1982, after a teenager came forward to say Woodmansee had tried to lure him into the woods, a report that brought renewed investigation into the Foreman case. He said that idea came after visits to homes in which he didnt see books. 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Believing DeLeo was involved with his estranged wife, Cianci beat him with a fireplace log and burned DeLeo with a lit cigarette. I stopped receiving South Kingstown police over their assigned frequency of 155.55 approximately two weeks ago. Freq PL/M Ty Input InpPL Channel Notes; 154.4075 . North Kingstown's police presence at that time consisted of a Town Sergeant who also served as the Town Clerk; in 1941 that man was Elmer Edwards. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Write to Bill Seymour, freelance writer covering news and feature stories, atindependent.southcountylife@gmail.com. Community Resource Officer Bryan Monte, left, and Deputy Chief Alfred Bucco were recently promoted to their new positions in the South Kingstown Police Department. What I want to do is break that down, say Were here, were regular people like you are, we have families, emotions. Vespias nights often included breaking up brawls between sailors at bars around Quonset. The 5-year-old boy disappeared in 1975, but no arrests were made. These come as a new chief tries to strengthen community connections as national questioning continues about law enforcements culture and para-military style in which distancing is part of appearances. He said he is certain it would have been the same had he taken the job as chief of police in Providence, and served during the years Cianci was accused of crimes. According to a biography provided by South Kingstown Police, Vespia was a recognized expert in organized crime cases. South Kingstown Police Chief Vincent Vespia Jr., at right, said the late Buddy Cianci, at left, was one of his best friends, through good and bad times. RISCON use is only for interop. Now there are computers in cars, and when an officer stops you, they can query the computer first, and know who you are, and who the car is registered to, before the stop. Chance of rain 90%. Uniden BCD996XT No audio from certain channel. Vincent A. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Promote traffic safety initiatives through education and enforcement. All of these things have moved the department forward. I felt that close to him. South Kingstown Police Chief Vincent Vespia Jr. will retire Nov. 1 after 57 years in law enforcement, the last 35 years as South Kingstowns top cop. Also: Bristol man charged following early morning police standoff | Bowen's Wharf to host 51st tree lighting | more. Police Public Information Department News Police Log Police Log The media log of the North Kingstown Police Department represents a summary of those calls for service that are deemed to be a public record under Rhode Island General Law. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. New Shoreham PD, FD and EMS are operating on this trunk system now. Scroll down to see services other than Police/Fire/EMS. The Mission Philosophy of the South Kingstown Police Department is a component of the Department Rules and Regulations, which in accordance with the Town Charter were adopted and approved by the Town Council in August 1987. Cianci, twice elected mayor of Providence and radio show host, known as much for rebuilding Providence as his two felony convictions, died Jan. 28 at age 74, after complaining of stomach pains during a taping of his weekly television show. South Kingstown RI Police Frequency crusher13 May 14, 2010 Not open for further replies. I want to see us do more outreach, whether its to underprivileged groups, neighborhood groups, whatever it may be. Identify, report, and remove a variety of public safety hazards and to provide assistance to ensure citizen safety at every opportunity. Patriarca that are heavy on fantasy and light on fact. Also, two or three times I have heard their ems on this frequency, which I was never able to find before. Vespia said Patriarca took a few more bites of his dinner, got dressed, and threw on his coat. When Woodmansee was scheduled for release from prison in 2011, after his 40-year sentence was reduced by good behavior, it was revealed Vespia had kept the killers journal in a safe. Capt. Bucco told The Independent this week that officers have routinely had individual community-related projects or just simple efforts, such as pick-up game of basketball with teenagers, over the years. . I have too much respect for the office I hold, to go forward with a plan like that. Patriarca was at the dinner table, in his pajamas. Vespia is not sure that was what convinced Cianci to make the run for mayor, but as Vespia sat in his leather chair in his office in the Public Safety Building on Kingstown Road in Peace Dale, he said he wished he could go back to that night and take that tablecloth home with him. 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Recruit and train police officers, and provide training and professional development to all Department personnel. He reaches in the drawer and comes out with an application for him, and he hands me an application, he said. Brent Kuzman at 401-789-1091, extension 320. One of the smartest moves Ive ever made was to resist going to Providence, Vespia said. 1790 Kingstown Road South Kingstown, RI 02879 This site is the official Facebook page for the South Kingstown Police Department. The states longest-serving police chief submitted a very short letter Friday acknowledging he will vacate his position and retire from town employment, Alfred said. Crews from Kingston station and the Exeter tanker truck were called in to help extinguish the flames. One of the smartest moves Ive ever made was to resist going to Providence, Vespia told The Independent in February. The people who worked for him at city hall let him down, Vespia said. Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. Police said the postcards are in the mail and claim to have time sensitive information regarding victims' mortgages. Town of South Kingstown 180 High Street Wakefield, RI 02879 Phone: 401-789-9331 Fax: 401-789-5280 Email us Hours of Operation 34, South Kingstown, Narragansett) introduced legislation this week that would provide all students in Rhode Island with free break and lunch meals throughout the school year. Also: Gas prices fall for second week in a row | RI welcomes new U.S. Attorney | more. Ewing-Chow got a warm send-off last week at the police station, joined by fellow officers and police staff. He was a key player in busting organized crime boss, Raymond L.S. Amateur Radio 0 : Online: Choose a County. In 2012, Chief Vespia was the first-ever inductee into the Rhode Island Criminal Justice Hall of Fame, for his extraordinary contributions to law enforcement. In addition, they are planning an internship program for college-age individuals for both an initial look at a law enforcement career and opportunity for the department to recruit those interested. He was 74. But he also gave us the leeway for us to do what we needed to do. There will be food, games, bring the family, Bucco said. It serves all of the fire, rescue & EMS agencies in the towns of Westerly, Hopkinton, and Richmond. Fire and EMS services are provided by Richmond and Wyoming Fire Districts. Every 30 minutes, we would use our own 5 cents to call the barracks to see whether or not there was a call. They also provide a strong foundation for a new incoming chief., Hes been there for so long and I appreciate the fact hes been able to survive in this business; its not an easy business, said Charlestown Police Chief Jeff Allen, who served 26 years in South Kingstown under Vespia. Vespia oversaw the construction of the $5.9-million, 28,000-square-foot Public Safety Complex, 1790 Kingstown Road, Peace Dale, which also served the 17-member Emergency Medical Service Unit under his command. They also dispatch the Pawcatuck, Connecticut Fire Dept. Vespia turned him down. For the first time in perhaps several decades, the department will have a new deputy chief, Alfred E. Bucco III, who was promoted from within the department. Two people were taken to the hospital after a fight on a Block Island ferry forced police to jump onto the moving boat to break it up. What would seal Vespias place in history was his unrelenting work in the war on organized crime. Police connected themselves with the police departments of New England, New York, And Pennsylvania when it installed a Teletype machine, the 1950's version of the world-wide-web. and are the after-hours dispatch for the Westerly Water Dept. The victim was a commercial fisherman on a boat based in Point Judith. Injured Kayaker Found, Rescued With Drone: South Kingstown Fire Dep. As one career took a dive, the other continued to climb. The Department is committed to delivering the highest level of police professionalism to the Citizens of South Kingstown in a sensitive and efficient manner within the rule of law which guarantees individual rights to all our citizens. Administer traffic detail program for road projects, etc. Then Patriarca barked, that stool pigeon was talking.. You talk today about the philosophy of community policing that was really the beginning of it, he added. Townwide EMS/Rescue provided by Westerly Ambulance Corps on its own frequency, Please login with your Premium Subscriber Account, To learn more about our premium subscription program please see: RadioReference Premium Subscription, Rhode Island Statewide Communications Network (RISCON), Charlestown PD and EMS use the RISCON system for communications. I give him credit for his perseverance and getting through the good times and bad times to continue, and tough it out. Now Im not saying he made up his mind that night, but if I only had the presence of mind to roll up that tablecloth and take it with me it would have been certainly a conversation piece, if not a relic, these days.. He succeeded Clinton E. Salisbury who died Dec. 30, 2015, at age 91. One of them is that Federal Hill was a safer place back then. Sworn Police Officers also work in the dispatch center, when needed. In 1978, in an attempt to thaw the ice between competitive Rhode Island police departments, Vespia was paired up with a Providence police lieutenant named Richard Tamburini. I know many people who have fallen in disfavor with the law, Vespia said. Narragansett police K-9 Astor searched the woods and found the three teens, following a car chase, police said. Elmer Edwards served as North Kingstown's Police Chief until December of 1948. In 1974, Cianci, then 33 and a Republican, narrowly defeated Doorley, in part with the help of Democrats unhappy with the mayor. The document allegedly included writings depicting the gruesome murder, and a judge ordered Vespia to turn the journal over to state Department of Corrections officials, so a psychiatrist could review it as part of an evaluation of Woodmansees mental health. Town Manager Stephen A. Alfred confirmed Vespia's upcoming retirement. Winds NNE at 25 to 35 mph. Let us know in this week's poll question below. They last saw each other a week before Ciancis death, at a civic function, where they sat together. But when it came time to report to Fort Dix, Vespia offered to rent a car and drive Cianci to New Jersey. It think they have switched over to the RISCON system. I always referred to him as a Chief and I always will, Allen said. For instance, South Kingstown Police will join this year for the first time sponsoring on Aug. 3 a National Night Out, a community-building campaign that promotespolice-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie, Bucco and Monte said. He was the first Italian-American elected mayor of Providence, and the first Republican since the Great Depression. That scanner will not pick up P-25 (digital). It's not clear who the person was or if the death had a suspicious cause. We used to put newspapers in our shirts to stay warm. Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more. Along with the then-owner of the Old Canteen, they drew up the costs of owning a yacht on one side of the tablecloth: the slip, the insurance, a crew, maintenance. The Dispatch Center of South Kingstown Police Department is staffed 24 hours a day, with 2 dispatchers, from a roster of 8 full time dispatchers and 1 part-time dispatcher. Special to the Independent. Winds NNE at 25 to 35 mph. Prosecutors said Ramsundar Ramkalwan, 60, killed his roommate, Donna MacDonald, 65, by striking her with a rock several times in July 2022. Its late proprietor, Joe Marzilli, was sitting with them. I think he felt I didnt support him enough. He also is a member of the Rhode Island Justice Commission and its Law Enforcement Planning Committee. In 1984, Ciancis first mayoralty fell when he pleaded no contest to assaulting Raymond DeLeo at Ciancis East Side home. After his release, Cianci returned to radio, hosting a popular talk show on WPRO. As a young motorcycle trooper out of Wickford, Vespia said he and his colleagues regularly worked 16-plus-hour days. Interact cooperatively with the South Kingstown School Department, local institutional groups (URI, South County Hospital, and Fire Districts), neighboring police Departments, the RI State Police, multiple State and Federal agencies, and advocacy groups to form partnerships to make South Kingstown a safe community. Partly cloudy skies. Also: Amazon to open "4-Star" store in Providence mall | New developments in NK "fat test" controversy | more. Alfred lauded Vespia for being instrumental in guiding South Kingstown Police during his tenure. His election ended 150 years of largely Irish Democrat control of the city. Low 28F. I would never have allowed it to happen.. Dispatchers process confirmations on arrest warrants and relay information to requesting officers. Provide assistance and counseling for a wide range of services from simple street directions to referrals of services of other agencies not provided by police. Its a young mans job. SOUTH KINGSTOWN South Kingstown Police Chief Vincent Vespia Jr. said that in life, if you have good friends you can count on the fingers of one hand, you are a lucky person. Cianci said no, wanting to protect the chief from a media firestorm. At night a patrolman would be responsible for checking the doors and windows of all business establishments on his beat. Work in unison with Town Departments and multiple agencies on community emergency preparedness planning and administration; maintain state of readiness for emergency response; coordinate implementation of emergency evacuation shelters as needed. The crash killed Alan Albergaria, 54, of South Kingstown, who was out on a walk on Middlebridge Road. Investigate and prosecute all known criminal offenses. (Woodmansee ultimately voluntarily committed himself to a psychiatric hospital.). I said, You did what? And while Cianci eventually bought a yacht, Vespia lamented never joining his friend on it. William Shock, 27, was charged with two counts of distribution and one count of possession of child pornography. He retired in 2016 after 35 years in the chief's chair. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.. Fax: 401-294-4180. SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) Rhode Island's longest serving police chief is taking off his badge. Cianci and Vespias parents knew each other, Vespia said, but it wasnt until the late 1960s that Vespia and Cianci became close friends. Ive always gotten along with him. Do you believe schools have a responsibility to provide their students with universal, free breakfast and lunch? The departments annual Christmas holiday toy drive also is part of the community service connection, he and Bucco said.