2019 -- H 5055

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LC000481

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CONGRATULATING MIDDLETOWN POLICE CHIEF ANTHONY PESARE ON HIS

RETIREMENT AFTER FORTY-FOUR DEVOTED AND DISTINGUISHED YEARS OF

SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF RHODE ISLAND AND THE TOWN OF MIDDLETOWN

     Introduced By: Representatives Ruggiero, Cortvriend, Canario, Shekarchi, and Noret

     Date Introduced: January 09, 2019

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, Middletown Police Chief Anthony Pesare is retiring after fourteen years of

exemplary service as the Chief of the Middletown Police Department, and an exemplary forty-

four year career of public service, primarily as a law enforcement officer; and

     WHEREAS, Chief Pesare is a native Rhode Islander who grew up in a predominately

Italo-American neighborhood in Providence. He began his law enforcement career with the

Rhode Island State Police in 1974, and throughout his twenty-four year career with the State

Police, steadily rose through the ranks thanks to his tireless work ethic and strong leadership

abilities. He was ultimately promoted to the rank of Major and made second in command of the

Department. In his last two years of service with the State Police, he was in command of all

uniformed troopers and detectives; and

     WHEREAS, Upon retiring from the State Police, Chief Pesare was selected to be the

Dean of Roger Williams University's School of Justice Studies. He enjoyed his six years in

academia and credits his experience at Roger Williams University for making him think more

about the decisions he made as a police officer. Soon, the call of being a police officer tugged at

him and in 2004, he accepted the offer to become the Police Chief of the Town of Middletown;

and

     WHEREAS, During his distinguished term as Chief, he instituted a community policing

approach to the Department, which included having specific officers serving as liaisons to

different parts of the Middletown community. Chief Pesare also strived to diversify the

Middletown Police Department. Another accomplishment that occurred on his watch was the

construction and completion of a new police station on Valley Road, which opened in 2009; and

     WHEREAS, Chief Pesare and his wife, Mary, are the parents of two daughters, Jennifer

and Amy. Though he may be retiring from police work, Chief Pesare has no intention of leaving

Middletown, stating "There's no place like Aquidneck Island." He will continue to teach courses

at Salve Regina University, where he is an adjunct professor, and will teach a justice course at

Roger Williams University; now, therefore be it

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

Providence Plantations hereby thanks Middletown Police Chief Anthony Pesare for forty-four

years of honorable and distinguished service to the State of Rhode Island and the citizens of

Middletown. We wish him a most happy retirement 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 Chief Anthony Pesare.

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