2014 -- H 7159

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

HONORING OFFICER PAUL O'ROURKE ON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT

FROM THE PROVIDENCE POLICE DEPARTMENT

     Introduced By: Representatives Hull, Malik, Canario, Carnevale, and Johnston

     Date Introduced: January 22, 2014

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, To the very good fortune of the residents of Providence, Officer Paul

O'Rourke chose to pursue a career in law enforcement after joining the Community Service

Officer Program, which consisted of unarmed patrol officers making the rounds of some of the

city's high crime neighborhoods and reporting any suspicious activity; and

     WHEREAS, In 1972, Officer O'Rourke underwent training at the Providence Police

Academy to become a Community Protection Officer (CPO), later renamed as the Housing

Security Force (HSF); and

     WHEREAS, Over the course of the next decade, Officer O'Rourke earned the rank of

Corporal, the nickname of "Porky," and the respect of his peers and Police command; and

     WHEREAS, In 1981, Officer O'Rourke was promoted and transferred to the Providence

Police Department as a Patrol Officer. He was placed in command of the HSF officers who were

later also promoted and transferred to the police department. By 1983, Officer O'Rourke and his

partner remained the only two officers assigned to Providence's housing developments; and

     WHEREAS, In 1985, Officer O'Rourke was involved in a shooting with an armed

suspect. He and his partner were transferred to the Providence Police Neighborhood Response

Team where he continued to patrol the housing developments until losing partial sight after being

shot with a BB-gun while on patrol; and

     WHEREAS, Dedicated and determined, Officer O'Rourke refused to retire and was

eventually back on the Public Housing beat in the city, where he remained until his retirement in

January of 2014; and

     WHEREAS, In addition to his on call duties, Officer O'Rourke volunteers and oversees

the Providence Canteen, a truck that responds to major fire and events within the city, and plays

an important role in building community relations through its Hot Dog Roasts; and

     WHEREAS, Officer Paul O'Rourke has devoted decades to keeping Providence's housing

developments safe. Along the way he earned the trust of the people who reside there, knowledge

and expertise that has been adopted by the department, and a panoply of awards, medals, and

citations; and

     WHEREAS, An officer and a gentleman, Officer O'Rourke has served and protected the

people of the City of Providence for forty-two years and he is eminently worthy of our emulation

and acknowledgement; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby recognizes, honors, and thanks Officer Paul O'Rourke for forty-

two years of dedicated service with the Providence Police Department. We moreover wish him

good health, much happiness, and continued success in all his future endeavors; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Officer Paul O'Rourke.

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