2014 -- H 8185

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LC005686

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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

CONGRATULATING JOHNSTON POLICE CHIEF RICHARD TAMBURINI ON BEING

ELECTED TO THE RHODE ISLAND CRIMINAL JUSTICE HALL OF FAME

     Introduced By: Representatives Fellela, Ucci, Carnevale, Costantino, and Almeida

     Date Introduced: May 13, 2014

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, Chief Richard Tamburini was born in Providence in the Federal Hill

neighborhood. He served his nation with honor and integrity in the United States Army with the

72nd Signal Battalion, rising to the rank of Specialist 4th Class and receiving a top-secret

clearance in cryptology. Shortly thereafter, he began his long and illustrious law enforcement

career in the State of Rhode Island; and

     WHEREAS, Chief Tamburini began his distinguished law enforcement career as a

patrolman with the Providence Police Department. His diligence and devotion to duty was

immediately noticed by his superiors and he began to quickly rise up the ranks. He was first

promoted to Sergeant as the night commander of the Detective Division. He was responsible for

investigating crimes, the arrest and prosecution of suspects, seeking out fugitives from justice,

recovering stolen property, coordinating investigative efforts at the divisional level, and preparing

court testimony for prosecution; and

     WHEREAS, While he was assigned to the Providence Detective Bureau, Detective

Sergeant Tamburini was promoted to Lieutenant and formed a legendary law enforcement

investigative team with Detective Vincent Vespia. He assigned and monitored cases and

investigations of the detectives under his command. He was the first police officer outside of the

Rhode Island State Police to be granted the right to conduct wiretapping. As a result, he planned

and developed surveillance operations that investigated organized crime and the illegal narcotics

trade. Lieutenant Tamburini and Detective Vespia are credited with significantly hampering those

two illegal operations and for being "round-the-clock headaches for New England organized

crime leaders"; and

     WHEREAS, In June of 1988, Lieutenant Tamburini was promoted to the position of

Deputy Chief of the Providence Police Department. He assumed responsibility for more than 500

police officers and civilian personnel. His duties ranged from managing personnel and overseeing

budgets to handling community and press relations, as well as making decisions regarding a

broad range of policy positions and protocols within the Providence Police Department; and

     WHEREAS, Since 1995, Richard Tamburini has been the beloved and highly respected

Police Chief of the Town of Johnston. He has led by example and brought with him a range of

new innovative ideas that have improved training, fiscal management, and brought about closer

ties between the police department and the community. He instituted bicycle patrols, a very

popular "Walk with Cops Program," the Citizens Police Academy, and the award-winning

Johnston Explorers Program. Under his direction and leadership, the Johnston Police Department

has become widely recognized for being one of the very best run police departments both in

Rhode Island and in the New England region; and

     WHEREAS, Chief Tamburini is the loving husband and of Marie and the devoted son of

Josephine Tamburini and the late Joseph Tamburini. He is the loving father of Lisa and Joey,

daughter-in-law Erica and son-in-law Frank, and grandfather of Jessica, Angelica, Andrew and

Cecilia; now, therefore be it

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

Providence Plantations hereby congratulates Johnston Police Chief Richard Tamburini on being

elected to the Rhode Island Criminal Justice Hall of Fame; 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 Johnston Police Chief, Richard Tamburini.

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