2023 -- H 5244
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S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N
CONGRATULATING PROVIDENCE POLICE CHIEF HUGH T. CLEMENTS JR., ON
BEING APPOINTED TO DIRECT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S COMMUNITY
POLICING PROGRAMS AN D THANKING HIM FOR MORE THAN THIRTY-SEVEN
YEARS OF DISTINGUISHED PUBLIC SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF PROVIDENCE
AND THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
Introduced By: Representatives Hull, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, J. Lombardi, Costantino,
Slater, Felix, Batista, DeSimone, and Perez
Date Introduced: January 26, 2023
Referred To: House read and passed
WHEREAS, Police Chief Hugh Clements began his exemplary law enforcement career in 1
1985, when he was appointed to serve on the Providence Police Department as a night Patrol 2
Officer in the Uniform Division, and later on the Neighborhood Response Team Uniformed Task 3
Force before being transferred to the Special Investigations Bureau and the Department's Vice 4
and Drug Unit. Thanks to his strong work ethic and superior policing skills, Chief Clements 5
steadily rose through the ranks; and 6
WHEREAS, In 1990, Chief Clements was promoted to the rank of Detective and 7
returned to the night squad. In 1992, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and served for three 8
years as a night Sergeant, before being transferred to the Detective Bureau where he spent the 9
next seven years supervising the investigation of all major crimes; and 10
WHEREAS, In 2002, Chief Clements was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and 11
transferred to the midnight shift of the Patrol Bureau. He was later assigned to serve as the 12
District 5 Commander, where he embraced the department’s philosophy of community policing. 13
Under his leadership numerous innovative and creative initiatives were carried out. He was later 14
transferred back to the Detective Bureau, and in late 2008, he was promoted to the rank of 15
Captain and became responsible for all major crimes operations in the Investigative Division; and 16
WHEREAS, Chief Clements was promoted to the rank of Major in 2008, serving for one 17
year as the Commander of the Homeland Security Division, before being reassigned to serve as 18
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the Commanding Officer of the Uniform Division. He later served as the Deputy Chief and was 1
appointed Acting Chief of Police in July of 2011, before being appointed the 37th Chief of the 2
Providence Police Department and promoted to the rank of Colonel. In his more than eleven years 3
of meritorious service as Providence’s Police Chief, he has received almost unanimous praise 4
from all quarters for his abiding integrity, tireless work ethic, strong leadership and 5
communicative skills, and his notable desire to connect with the average citizen living in the 6
neighborhoods of Providence; and 7
WHEREAS, Chief Clements holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the 8
University of Rhode Island, a Bachelor of Science degree in the Administration of Justice from 9
Roger Williams University, and a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Boston 10
University. He has also attended numerous specialty schools including the New York State Police 11
Williams Homicide School, the Illinois State Police Supervisor’s School, the ATF National Gang 12
School, and graduated in 2005 from the Leadership RI Alpha11 Class and the Senior 13
Management Institute for Police from the Harvard Kennedy School at Boston University; and 14
WHEREAS, Chief Clements has received numerous commendations including receiving 15
the Chiefs Award three times, awards from the FBI, Attorney General’s Office, ATF and other 16
police agencies, and several awards for his participation in a RICO Latin King investigation; and 17
WHEREAS, As a result of Chief Clements decades of distinguished public service, he 18
has been appointed by the United States Attorney General to direct the federal government's 19
community policing programs within the Department of Justice with the mission of strengthening 20
the trust between police officers and the public. Chief Clements is the beloved husband of Donna 21
and the devoted father of Kayleigh and Kourtney; now, therefore be it 22
RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby 23
thanks Chief Hugh T. Clements, Jr., for his more than thirty-seven years of devoted and dedicated 24
service as a law enforcement officer and public servant and wishes him well with his new duties 25
and responsibilities as the Director of the federal government’s community policing programs; 26
and be it further 27
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to 28
transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Chief Hugh T. Clements, Jr. 29
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