Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Several Providence police officers and private security officers received honors at an annual awards ceremony Tuesday.

The event was held at the Rhode Island School of Design Auditorium. The awards were distributed by Mayor David N. Cicilline, Col. Dean M. Esserman, chief of police, and Lt. Kenneth M. Cohen, president of the Providence Lodge of the Fraternal Order of police.
The awards, and those honored, were:

2007 Commissioners Award to Patrol Officer Christopher M. Poncia, for work in the Olneyville and Hartford neighborhoods, for which he previously received ten letters of commendation.

2008 Commissioners Award to Patrol Officer Matthew M. Jennette, for firearms arrests in 2008.
Citizens Awards to security officers Orlando Marzilli Jr., Russell Gomes and David Luongo of the Providence Performing Arts Center. In February the officers chased and apprehended a suspect who had assaulted and robbed two elderly women, an act that led to two other arrests.

Chief's Award to Patrol Officer David D. Allen. After a victim had been assaulted fatally in January in the area of Cranston Street, Allen searched the area and halted a vehicle. That action led to a charge of murder against one of the occupants.

Chief's Award to Patrol Officer Michael A. Gammino. Gammino chased a car in the south side, then after it crashed against a parked car he struggled with the driver for possession of a firearm. The weapon discharged during the fight, and the suspect managed to break free and run off, only to be apprehended later.

Chief's Award to Patrol Officer Joseph R. Hanley III. Hanley, while off duty in East Greenwich in 2008, followed a suspicious car whose occupant turned out to be a bank robber. Hanley called the East Greenwich police and struggled with the suspect until other officers arrived. The suspect was later charged with five other robberies in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

Chief's Award to Patrol Officer John S. Abatiello. Checking out a 911 call, Abatiello forced open a locked door and came upon a man stabbing his wife with a bayonet. When the suspect refused to halt his actions, Abatiello shot him dead.

Chief's Award to Detectives Louis D. Stravato and Andres F. Perez. In 2008 the detectives investigated a heroin distribution operation, arrested two suspects and seized 4.7 pounds of the drug.

Chief's Award to Patrol Officers Thomas J. Zincone Jr. and Louis J. Gianfrancesco. In 2007, while conducting narcotics surveillance, the officers confiscated seven firearms, 2.5 kilograms of cocaine, and 70 pounds of marijuana.

Chief's Award to Patrol Officers Francisco Guerra and Ludwig Castro. In 2008 the officers entered a house and arrested three suspects in a homicide. Two of them later were charged with murder. They also confiscated a handgun that proved to be the murder weapon.

Chief's Award to Sgt. Patrick J. McNulty and Detectives Peter F. Conley and Juan R. Robles. The officers from 2006 to 2007 conducted an organized crime effort codenamed Operation Rosa. In conjunction with other law enforcement agencies, the officers' work resulted in the arrest of 29 individuals who were charged with conducting a racketeer-influenced and corrupt organization.

Chief's Award to Sgt. Peter J. Costello and Patrol Officers Amy L. Bibeault and David C. Moscarelli. The officers in 2008 worked to apprehend two suspects after a bank robbery. During the course of the incident the suspects fired at Bibeault and Costello. Moscarelli confronted one of the suspects in a driveway and ordered him to drop his weapon, but the man shot himself dead. The other was arrested nearby.

Unit Citation to the Special Victims Unit -- Detective Sgt. William Merandi, Detectives John F. Mellor, Douglas R. Allin and John M. Muriel, and Investigators Clarence W. Gough Jr., James F. Mellor and Maribel Patino. The officers conducted more than 700 follow-up investigations of domestic violence, sexual assault and crimes against the elderly.

Unit Citation to the Providence Police Department Gun Task Force -- Patrol Officers Thomas J. Zincone Jr., Louis J. Gianfrancesco, Leonel A. Pichs III and Jonathan A. Primiano. Their work in 2007 lowered the incidence of firearms and narcotics in neighborhoods, making 168 arrests and confiscating 27 firearms.

Unit Citation to the Providence Police Department Motorcycle Unit -- Sgt. William J. Gonsalves and Patrol Officers Edmond F. Malloy Jr., Timothy E. Pickering, Patrick Mulholland, John M. Reposa Jr. and Scott T. Keenan. The unit promotes traffic safety and took part in more than 200 special events.

Outside Agency Award to Special Agent Kevin McNamara of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. McNamara partnered with the Gun Task Force and helped remove dangerous felons and illegal firearms.

Outside Agency Award to Special Agent Kathy Kelleher of the federal Drug Enforcement Agency, and Assistant Attorney Generals Bethany Macktaz-Moore and James Dube. They were honored for the work in Operation Rosa and other cases.

The Fraternal Order of Police gave awards to four officers for their dedication to duty and their professionalism during 2007. They are Patrol Officers John Black, Robert Carlin Jr., Joseph R. Hanley III and Michael P. Commerford.

The FOP awards for 2008 went to Patrol Officers Thomas J. Zincone Jr., Louis J. Gianfrancesco, Brian Dyer and Everett Carvalho.

The Rhea Archambault award for 2007 went to Patrol Officers Matthew M. Jennette, John Bento and Kris Polaski.

The Rhea Archambault award for 2008 went to Patrol Officers John Bento, Christopher M. Poncia and Alex M. Gonzalez, and Sgt. Dennis P. O'Brien.

 Tags  Archambault Award Providence police

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