2019 -- S 0732

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LC002191

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

THANKING FORMER EAST PROVIDENCE POLICE CHIEF CHRISTOPHER PARELLA

FOR HIS NEARLY TWENTY-NINE YEARS OF MERITORIOUS AND DEVOTED SERVICE

WITH THE EAST PROVIDENCE POLICE DEPARTMENT

     

     Introduced By: Senators Lawson, Coyne, Conley, Ruggerio, and Cano

     Date Introduced: March 27, 2019

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

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     WHEREAS, Christopher Parella began his distinguished law enforcement career in

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November of 1990, when he joined the East Providence Police Department. Through the years his

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tireless work ethic, attention to detail, and strong leadership and communication skills impressed

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both his colleagues and superiors as he steadily rose through the ranks; and

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     WHEREAS, Since joining the Department, Mr. Parella has held every position but

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corporal, including serving four years and eight months as Police Chief, and for the last six

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months of 2018, holding the dual role of Chief and Acting City Manager; and

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     WHEREAS, During his tenure as Chief from June of 2014 to February 15, 2019, Chief

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Parella worked to diversify the members of the Department in order to better reflect the

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community they serve. He also helped to secure three collective bargaining agreements with the

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officers’ union, and secured the right of the City to initiate a lateral entry program in order to

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bring experienced officers into the Department from other jurisdictions; and

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     WHEREAS, Chief Parella takes great pride in the excellent working relationship he had

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with the East Providence Police Department. School safety was always one of his top priorities

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and safe schools were a hallmark of his exemplary record as Chief; and

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     WHEREAS, Another area of success Chief Parella had was in fostering better

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community relationships between the Police Department and the minority community. As he

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concluded his tenure, there were no racial profiling complaints from civilians, no disparate impact

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complaints from within the Department, and not one outstanding grievance or civilian complaint

 

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about any officer’s treatment of the public; now; therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

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hereby recognizes and extends gratitude to former East Providence Police Chief Chris Parella for

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his more than twenty-eight years of exemplary service to the citizens of East Providence and the

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State of Rhode Island; and be it further

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

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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Mr. Christopher Parella, retired Police Chief,

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City of East Providence.

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LC002191

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