Crime & Safety

City: Progress Being Made in Police Chief Search

Once the final choice is made, the council will then have the opportunity to affirm or reject the mayor's appointment.

Mum's the word when it comes to what's the latest on the search for Cranston's new police chief.

Carlos Lopez, Cranston's chief of staff, said he can't elaborate much if at all about the ongoing search process for a new police chief, but he said progress is underway and the City Council will soon learn of Cranston Mayor Allan W. Fung's final pick.

Once the final choice is made, the council will then have the opportunity to affirm or reject the mayor's appointment.

Meanwhile, the City Council is expecting a final name and a vote for approval and consent not before its August meeting.

That's because with no need to pay a police chief for the next few months, the city budget, which went into effect on Monday, contains no salary for a chief until September. 

The City Council, during its budget process, opted to instead use that money, totalling $66,000, to buy new police cars.

Lopez could not provide a timetable for when the mayor's selection would occur. But he did say the City Council will have ample opportunity to interview and present the final candidate to the public before their vote, whenever that happens.

The police chief job is a mayoral appointment, just like any other department head, Lopez said, subject to the same rules as any other department appointment. 

"The only difference is the chief happens to be a police officer," Lopez said.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.