RI trooper charged in assault of Providence sergeant
6:35 PM Mon, Sep 07, 2009 | Permalink
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By W. Zachary Malinowski, Journal staff writer PROVIDENCE -- A fundraiser for a deceased Providence police officer turned ugly early Saturday when an off-duty state trooper allegedly punched a Providence police sergeant in the face at the police union hall. The trooper, Edward J. Stenovitch, 41, was charged late Monday afternoon with one count of simple assault and battery, a misdemeanor. He was arraigned before a bail commissioner at Providence police headquarters and released on his own recognizance. Providence Deputy Police Chief Paul J. Kennedy said that the "unprovoked attack," on Sgt. Edward "Teddy" Gannon, who was also off duty, left him with a broken nose and a laceration that required medical treatment at Roger Williams Hospital. "This investigation revealed that this was an unprovoked attack of a Providence police officer,'' Kennedy said. "He was not even in a conversation with this guy. He never saw it coming." Both officers are from police families. Stenovitch's father, Edward Stenovitch, is a retired state trooper, while Gannon's father, Bernard E. Gannon, retired as Providence police chief and is now the police chief in Burrillville. Teddy Gannon's brother, Danny, is a Providence police lieutenant. Hundreds of police officers from city, state and local departments gathered Friday night at the Providence Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge No. 3, at 40 Sheridan St., off Manton Avenue. They each paid $20 for the buffet and entertainment to raise money for Gladys Rocchio, the widow of Providence Patrolman Peter A. Rocchio. Rocchio, 52, of North Providence, died on June 6 from injuries he sustained in an off-duty car crash in the city's Mount Pleasant neighborhood. It's not unusual for the fundraisers to raise $10,000 or more for the families of deceased police officers. The Providence police said that there were about 15 to 20 police officers inside the union hall when Stenovitch allegedly punched Gannon once in the face. State police Maj. Elwood M. Johnson Jr., who heads the state police Professional Standards Unit, said that Stenovitch has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the results of an internal investigation. He has been a state trooper for 15 years and he was most recently assigned to the Lincoln barracks. Johnson would not confirm reports that several Providence police officers may have retaliated against Stenovitch. "Certainly, the investigation is not done," he said. "The whole thing is very disheartening.'' -- With reports from G. Wayne Miller, Journal staff writer
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It seems to be a precedent that when two cops on RI get into an altercation with one another, criminal charges are filed. At least it was that way in Cranston where one of the officers was black I believe.
Let's see if the State Police charge their own with Disorderly Conduct like they charged the Cranston officers with. We will be watching and waiting for the double standard that RI is famous for.
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What is wrong with this picture? Why are police officers above the law? Why are the Providence Police Assn. allowed to have their bar open at 3:00-3:30 AM?
I would like to see if the City of Providence Licensing Board act on this!
That is where the real investigation should begin.
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What time does that bar close?
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To Trooper Stenovich, it's a fundraiser for a deceased Man, not a happy hour to get gased up. GROW UP YOUR 41 !!!!!!!!!!!
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this is NOT GOOD!!
lately more and more of RIs "finest" are getting into theatrics like this.
what are they thinking?
last year one of them gets punched out while drinking off duty trying to arrest someone
now, you have another drinking and getting into fisticuffs with another policemen
what is going on here?
the RISP have lost a lot of credibilty over the past few years.
and that not even including the rap they deserved for beating up the indians a few years ago.
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Sad - had a few too many and ruined a 15 year career.....
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Punching a police officer IN THE FACE?! If you or I did that, we'd end up in the ACI, for MONTHS or YEARS.
But the reality - and let's be honest, we all know this - is the Trooper will never see day one inside any kind of lockup or detention for this violent action.
The prosecutorial and judicial systems in RI know how to protect their own, and police officers, even violent State Troopers, are "their own."
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hang in there trooper!!!!!!!!!
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Way to go, lets make everyone look bad.
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What's the world coming to?
An off duty cop hits another off duty cop, and gets arrested?
It would never have happened when their fathers were on the job.
I guess they ain't making 'em like they use to.
This is not good for either department.
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This is a sad situation. Having a law enforcement officer assaulting another is not only unlawful, but it is also dumb. These people should know better. Where is the professinalism?
I am sure the command staff of both departments are having a major league fit over this.
This puts a strain on both departments as it looks like a crack has developed between them. I am sure this is an isolated incident but it does raise eyebrows.
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This story only reinforces what those of us living on the plantation already know. Good, honest, hard working citizens are AFRAID of the police. There are MANY bad apples out there.(Remember the stickup kid a few weeks back?) The story last week about Providence Police and RI State Police working together was a joke and full of lies.
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Alcohol plus testosterone = bad behavior.
How many of these drunken cops (whether state or city) got into their cars and drove home with blood alcohol levels above the limit?
Actions speak louder than words, gentlemen!
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What are policemen and troopers doing drinking anyway, and especially at 3:00 am. This is a great tribute to a deceased friend and co-worker. How many of these officers drove home after all that drinking, all ,I guarantee, and not one got stopped for DWI, of course not.. What a farce this whole story is...
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Cops and Booze are a lethal combination.Luckily it didn't turn into the Wild West and guns being fired off in the year. As the saying goes, Being A Trooper Allows You To get into A Drunken Stooper.
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