2020 -- H 8108

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LC005405

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2020

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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 HIS

RETIREMENT ON AUGUST 31, 2020, AFTER MORE THAN FIFTY YEARS OF

DISTINGUISHED AND DEVOTED LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICE TO THE STATE OF

RHODE ISLAND AND THE CITIZENS OF JOHNSTON

     Introduced By: Representatives Fellela, Ucci, Mattiello, Mendez, and Hull

     Date Introduced: July 16, 2020

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, Chief Richard Tamburini was born in the Federal Hill Neighborhood of

Providence. He served our nation with distinction in the United States Army, serving with the

72nd Signal Battalion, where he rose to the rank of Specialist 4th Class and received top-secret

clearance in cryptology. His specialty was electronic counter measures for jamming electronic

signals; and

     WHEREAS, Chief Tamburini began his exemplary law enforcement career in 1966 as a

second-shift Patrolman with the Providence Police Department. His tireless work ethic and

attention to detail was quickly noted by his superiors and he began to rapidly rise through the

ranks. He was first promoted to Sergeant and served as the Night Commander of the Detective

Division, where he was responsible for the investigation of crimes, finding fugitives from justice,

the arrest of suspects, recovering stolen property, preparing court testimony for prosecution, and

coordinating investigative efforts at the division level; and

     WHEREAS, Chief Tamburini was later promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and assigned

to the Providence Police Department’s Detective Bureau where he formed a legendary

investigative team with Detective Vincent Vespia. Chief Tamburini assigned and monitored the

case investigations of the detectives under his command and made Rhode Island law enforcement

history when he became the first police officer outside of the Rhode Island State Police to be

granted the right to conduct wiretapping. He planned and developed surveillance operations that

investigated and brought charges against organized crime figures and those involved in the illegal

trade of narcotics. Together with Detective Vespia, their investigative team severely hampered

the activities of both organized crime and narcotic trafficking; and

     WHEREAS, In 1988, Chief Tamburini was promoted to the rank of Deputy Police Chief

of the Providence Police Department, where he was responsible for more than 500 police officers

and civilian personnel. His duties were numerous and varied, from managing personnel and

overseeing budgets, to conducting community and press relations, to making command decisions

regarding a broad range of Providence Police Department policy positions and protocols; and

     WHEREAS, Since 1995, Chief Tamburini has served as the highly respected and beloved

Police Chief of the Town of Johnston. A leader by example, Chief Tamburini brought with him

new and innovative ideas that have improved the training and performance of the Johnston Police

Department, as well as closer relations with the community and superb fiscal management. Chief

Tamburini instituted bicycle patrols, the Citizens Police Academy, the award-winning Johnston

Explorers Program, and the very popular “Walk With Cops” program. Under his direction,

guidance and leadership, the Johnston Police Department has become widely recognized and

admired as being one of the very best police departments in the State of Rhode Island and the

wider New England community; and

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

Josephine and Joseph Tamburini. He is the loving father of Lisa and Joey, daughter-in-law Erika

and son-in-law Frank, and the devoted 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 his

retirement on August 31, 2020, after more than fifty years of distinguished and devoted law

enforcement service to the State of Rhode Island and the citizens of Johnston; 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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LC005405

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