The “Proud” RI State Police Are Facing Significant Challenges — It Is Not the First Time
Monday, October 28, 2019
The Rhode Island State Police — considered one of the state's most respected and revered organizations — is now facing a number of complex controversies that are linked to former superintendents and members of the Command Staff.
“It is one of the most difficult times in the State Police’s history,” said James Manni, who was sworn in as the State Police’s 14th Superintendent.
In a number of instances over the State Police's history, the agency seemed to be catching up with change. In the past, it may have been dealing with issues and gender and now it may be transparency -- forced by technology.
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The Rhode Island State Police stand out, dressed in uniforms that functionally have not changed since the agency was formed by retired Army Col. St. John Chaffee in 1924.
Today, there are ongoing controversies tied to the incident between Patrolman Jamie Donnely-Taylor and Lionel Monsanto -- as well as allegations of mismanagement and potentially a cover-up of other activities by the command staff.
Manni called in an outside agency — the Connecticut State Police — to investigate these issues. That report has been completed and is now pending before Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha’s office and in the United States Attorney’s office.
Wreaking havoc over the agency are video and audio tapes and claims of cover-ups. Last week, GoLocalProv unveiled a copy of a recording of a telephone conversation between three of the top members of the Rhode Island State Police (RISP) command staff including then-Superintendent Ann Assumpico as well as Rhode Island State Trooper Jamie Donnelly-Taylor on the call.
On that call, Donnelly-Taylor made allegations of a cover-up in the department - HEAR THE TAPE HERE.
Constant Change
Over the nearly 100 year history of the agency, there have been a number of high profile controversies, but the agency has always been resolute. The State Police as an organization has adapted.
Today, all law enforcement face increasing pressures and a realization that nearly all of their individual actions are videotaped.
Manni told GoLocal that as technology drives society to move at a faster pace, it impacts policing. “Technology has a lot to do with that [the increased pressure] and translates into law enforcement at a faster pace,” said Manni.
America’s first female Attorney General Arlene Violet said she has great respect for the agency and spoke to how she worked closely with the legendary Superintendent of the State Police Colonel Walter Stone.
“We met every Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. at the Scituate barracks. His deputy, Major Pete Benjamin, would also attend the hour meeting,” said Violet.
“We would review the cases under investigation by RISP, particularly organized crime cases and public corruption matters. From time to time some of the rank and file would come in and brief me if the case investigation was in their wheelhouse,” said Violet who served as Rhode Island's Attorney General from 1985 to 1987.
“Colonel Stone had a high standard of discipline. The troopers wouldn't even think about getting out of line since he emphasized the privilege of being a trooper. He maintained a rigorous standard of ethics,” she added.
Bigger than Life
The modern State Police began with Stone. He was a legendary police officer with a national reputation for crimefighting and taking on the mob.
Stone dominated Rhode Island law enforcement for more than 50 years. He served as Providence Police Chief and Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police in two separate terms. His tenure was interrupted when Raymond Patriarca put pressure on then-Governor John Notte to remove Stone.
The New England crime family feared Stone and saw him as an impediment to their business interests.
The FBI files on Raymond Patriarca unveil that the FBI was investigating that Rhode Island Governor John Notte took a series of bribes in exchange for firing Stone, and allowing gambling and specifically to allow a high rollers craps game to be played at the Cliff Manor in Newport (now the Chandler Hotel).
What may be most surprising and may have never been reported before is who tipped the FBI off about the $25,000 to Notte in exchange of Stone’s firing -- U.S. Attorney Raymond Pettine. Five years later, Pettine was named to the Federal Court by President Lyndon Johnson. During his tenure on the federal bench, he made a number of landmark decision relating to Rhode Island's courts, allowing a gay student at Cumberland High School to attend the prom with another male student and banning a nativity scene to be installed on public land in Pawtucket.
In the early 1960s, the FBI planted a bug in "The Office" and over three years, agents recorded hundreds of conversations between Patriarca and other mobsters. Some of the most damaging recordings involved a $25,000 bribe paid to the late Gov. John A. Notte Jr.
When John Chafee upset Democrat Notte by less than 400 votes to win the governorship in 1962, he restored Stone as head of the Rhode Island State Police.
According to the FBI files on Patriarca secured by GoLocal via a Freedom of Information Act request to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Stone intervened to protect a law enforcement source.
“SOURCE became very emotional, stating that he would testify and would not consider entering the federal witness protection program. On April 15, 1981, a meeting was held at the offices of Colonel Walter E. Stone, RISP. Present were representatives of the State of R.I. Attorney General’s Office, the New England organized crime strike force and FBI, in addition to the RISP. Stone advised that even though the source had become uncooperative and is refusing to testify in this matter, a responsibility exists on the part of the RISP with respect to the safety of the potential victim. Stone advised it is the intention of the RISP to, at the very least, confront the subjects in this matter..”
The Big Change
But by 1986, the Department was under tremendous pressure. Times had changed. Women wanted to join the State Police. “The commandant of the state police academy sexually harassed three women training to become state troopers and top law enforcement officials attempted to cover up the incidents, according to a federal lawsuit. The Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 25, and five state troopers, including Detective Linda Bailey, Rhode Island's first woman trooper, filed the suit in U.S. District Court," according to UPI.
Stone was from a time in the past.
A Los Angeles Times feature on written in 1986 Stone reported, “In the lobby of the state police headquarters at North Scituate, a lone photograph hangs on a wall, a portrait of [J. Edgar] Hoover, the late, long-time director of the FBI. ‘Hoover was my idol. I run this department on the Hoover philosophy,’ said Stone.
The courts ruled in 1988 that the State Police had violated the rights of at least one of the female troopers.
“A federal court jury ordered the Rhode Island State Police’s two top officers to pay $125,000 to a woman trooper who was the victim of their harassment, sex discrimination and retaliation,” reported the Associated Press.
"Trooper Mary Nunes, 25, said she was 'just really happy that it ended this way. Ecstatic, actually.' The defendants and their attorneys refused to comment. The seven-person jury, which in late October found the state and three other defendants liable, reached its verdict on damages after about 1 1/2 days of deliberations. The state; Col. Walter Stone, the police superintendent; Maj. Lionel Benjamin, Stone’s deputy; and Lt. Walter Reynolds, commandant of the police training academy, were found liable for various counts of sex discrimination, harassment, retaliation or invasion of privacy," reported the AP.
The Nunes case ultimately led to the departure of Stone — he was replaced with the first -- and last --out-of-stater Ed Culhane.
Raid on the Narragansett Smoke Shop
The next controversy exploded in 2003 and made news around the world. It raised questions about the Department's ability to work with minorities and especially with the Native-American community.
"About two dozen Rhode Island State Troopers forcibly entered the Narragansett Reservation on Monday, arresting seven tribal members, including chief sachem Matthew Thomas and council member Randy Noka, in an escalating feud over a tribally-owned tobacco shop. Armed with guns, dogs and a state court warrant, the troopers pushed past tribal police and onto Narragansett property at around 1 p.m. They quickly made their way to the smoke shop despite protests from tribal members and tribal leaders who were on the scene," reported Indianz.com.
A review by a special commission led by Brown University President Ruth Simmons found a multitude of failures, including:
• Governor Carcieri’s instructions that the police should withdraw in the face of significant resistance were not well understood or known by all of the troopers taking part in the raid.
• Tribal police were told by tribal leadership to resist the entrance of the State Police onto tribal land unless the State Police used excessive force. Other tribal members were given instruction to resist police in the absence of a federal warrant. The form that this resistance was to take was not made clear.
• Undercover agents inside the smoke shop were out of contact with the State Police as the latter arrived at the smoke shop. Concern about the safety of these undercover agents inside the smoke shop was a primary consideration in the “storming” of the smoke shop.
Today's State Police
Manni knows that are significant challenges, "It motivates the troopers we have the respect of RIers and it is critical."
"I have wanted to be a trooper since I was 14 years old," said Manni. He says the agency always endures as it is flexible and comprised of men and women completely committed to service.
"It is a great agency," said Manni.
Related Articles
- EXCLUSIVE: Audio Tape with Top RI State Police Unveils Charges of Cover-Up
- Connecticut State Police Report Deliver Investigative Report on RISP to Manni
- RI State Police Internal Survey Shows Poor Morale and Communications, Manni Committed to Improvement
- 38 Studios State Police Tapes — Listen to Interviews With Mattiello, Murphy, Carcieri and Others
- UPDATED: RI State Police Command Members Being Investigated By CT State Police
- UPDATED: Former Rhode Island State Police Officer Arrested After Fighting Newport Police Detective
