[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 135 (Thursday, July 30, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4629-S4630]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO RICHARD S. TAMBURINI

  Mr. REED. Mr. President, today I recognize Chief Richard S. Tamburini 
for his longstanding service and dedication to Rhode Island and our 
Nation. Chief Tamburini has serviced as chief of police for the town of 
Johnston for the past 25 years and will retire at the end of next 
month.
  Chief Tamburini's public service began almost 60 years ago when he 
served with the U.S. Army's 72nd Signal Battalion. While with the Army, 
he advanced to the rank of specialist 4th class. After leaving the 
military, Chief Tamburini returned home to Providence's Federal Hill 
neighborhood and joined the Providence Police Department--again 
committing himself to serving and protecting others. He spent his first 
29 years in law enforcement there, rising to deputy chief of police and 
earning degrees from then-Bryant College and then-Roger Williams 
College while with the department. After he ascended to the rank of 
lieutenant, Chief Tamburini gained distinction in combating organized 
crime, gambling, and narcotics trafficking. His integrity and skill led 
him to become the first sworn police officer outside of the Rhode 
Island State Police to be granted authorization to conduct court-
ordered wiretapping in Rhode Island.
  In 1995, Chief Tamburini assumed his current role in Johnston, where 
he has become both the town and the State's longest serving chief of 
police. In his 25 years leading the Johnston Police Department, he has 
continued to serve as a role model for his fellow officers and has 
worked to strengthen the community's relationship with his department. 
His many accomplishments include instituting several popular programs, 
such as Walk with Cops to keep the department connected with Johnston's 
senior citizens, the Johnston Police Explorers program to help train 
the next generation of police officers, and the Johnston Citizens' 
Police Academy to give local residents a better understanding of the 
day-to-day operations of the police force.
  Chief Tamburini, who is a member of the Rhode Island Criminal Justice 
Hall of Fame, has called his time in law enforcement his ``life's 
work.'' Time and time again, he has been recognized for his innovative 
and outstanding police work, earning recognition from the Rhode Island 
Governor's Office, the Rhode Island General Assembly, and the throated 
U.S. Attorney General's Office--to name a few. I think we can all agree 
it has been work well done. I join my colleague, Senator Whitehouse, in 
expressing my heartfelt gratitude for Chief Tamburini's years of 
exemplary dedication and service to Johnston, Providence, and our 
entire country. I wish Chief Tamburini, his wife Marie, his children 
and his grandchildren, the very best in the years to come.
  Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I join my senior colleague to rise 
today in acknowledgement of the ending of an era in Rhode Island with 
the retirement of Johnston Police Chief Richard Tamburini next month. I 
want to thank Chief Tamburini for his five decades of service and 
community leadership. Prior to beginning a career in law enforcement, 
Chief Tamburini served honorably in the U.S. Army's 72nd Signal 
Battalion. The chief worked his way up the ranks of the Providence 
Police Department over nearly three decades, including a stint as part 
of a legendary organized crime investigative team along with then-
detective and future fellow chief, Vincent Vespia. Tamburini would 
eventually become deputy chief of police in Providence prior to his 
retirement from the Department.
  Chief Tamburini has led the Johnston Police Department for 25 years. 
His tenure as chief has been marked by an increase in community 
engagement through bicycle patrols, and through the Walk With Cops and 
Johnston Police Explorers programs. The chief's leadership and 
community-minded efforts have earned him a place in the

[[Page S4630]]

prestigious Rhode Island Criminal Justice Hall of Fame.
  As Chief Tamburini told the Johnston Sunrise last year, trust between 
a police department and the community it serves is the key to effective 
law enforcement. He said at the time:

       I really want to focus on that [trust], because as chief of 
     police it's important to me that no matter what we do with 
     the community, [we need] a strong relationship and a level of 
     trust. I think that carries through to the rest the 
     department, so they can be assured of that.

  Today, we pay tribute to a great Rhode Islander, my friend, Chief 
Richard Tamburini. I am grateful for his contributions to Rhode Island 
and wish him many years of well-deserved rest and relaxation with his 
family and friends. Godspeed.

                          ____________________