Col. O’Donnell Says Corruption Allegations Should be Referred to RI State Police
Sunday, April 24, 2016
The head of the Rhode Island State Police has said that any allegations of criminal misconduct pertaining to a public official should be referred to the Rhode Island State Police.
“Those should absolutely come to us,” said Rhode Island State Police Superintendent Colonel Steven O’Donnell on Friday. “If they sent it to the AG, they would refer it to us. This is not something for local police.”
In an unusual situation, the City of Pawtucket announced it was referring allegations of political corruption not to the State Police, but that it had hired a private lawyer to look into accusations of criminal misconduct by the Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTIn a letter sent from the City of Pawtucket dated March 11 to lawyer James J. Caruolo appointing him Special Counsel, City Solicitor Frank Milos wrote, “I am appointing you as Special Counsel to investigate an allegation against Mayor Donald R. Grebien made to Police Chief Paul King…I am requesting that you review the package and investigate the allegation, which suggests that criminal laws were violated.”
GoLocal reported on Friday that the City of Pawtucket hired James J. Caruolo, who is the son of State Democratic Committee James Caruolo. Both the senior Caruolo and Grebien serves on the Democratic Committee gping back to 2011. The younger Caruolo who has been hired by Pawtucket to investigate the matter is primarily a real estate attorney is Warwick. It is unclear why Pawtucket chose a private attorney over referring the matter to the State Police.
“We have a major crimes unit that handles public corruption cases,” said O’Donnell. “I would say that that we frequently look into municipal matters.”
Questions Surrounding Investigations
Caruolo said on Friday said he did not know why the City of Pawtucket didn’t go to the State Police.
“That’s a question for Tony Pires,” said Caruolo, of the City of Pawtucket’s Director of Administration.
Caruolo said that he was looking into the criminal allegations made against the Mayor — not the sender of the package, who Pires had previously said that the city would be looking into.
“I’m not sure of your conversation with Tony Pires, but I’ve been hired to look into the criminal allegations levied against Mayor Grebien, and no one else,” said Caruolo.
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