PROVIDENCE — Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association (RIPCA) Executive Director Sidney Wordell and President Brian Sullivan, and Rhode Island Municipal Police Training Academy (RIMPTA) Executive Director Lt. Christopher Zarrella are pleased to announce a donation made last week to the Academy by the 100 Club of Rhode Island.
The donation, which totals $29,985.95, was voted on by the 100 Club on Thursday, June 18. The money will be used to purchase a variety of training and fitness equipment used at the Academy.
“I can’t say enough good things about the 100 Club for all they do,” Lt. Zarrella said. “They learned of our need for new equipment and were quick to answer the call and provide the necessary funding. Their support was unanimous, and everyone at the Rhode Island Municipal Police Training Academy thanks them for their tremendous support.”
Zarrella first mentioned the need for new equipment to 100 Club President Joseph Terino earlier this year. Terino, a RIPCA member and former Rhode Island fire chief, was familiar with the Academy and eager to help, even attending a training session to see first-hand the Academy’s need for new equipment.
“Our trainings at the Academy are very hands-on, and having the proper gear is vital to ensuring recruits receive the most thorough and comprehensive instruction possible,” Lt. Zarrella said. “This donation will allow us access to state-of-the-art equipment in teaching use-of-force classes, deescalation techniques, physical fitness and wellness programs, and more.”
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic slowed the process, but when Terino was installed as the new 100 Club President at last Thursday’s board meeting, one of his first orders of business was to request the money for the donation.
“We had a meeting over Zoom, and I read off a list of each piece of equipment they needed to the group,” Terino said. “I told my fellow members about their need, and we were all in agreement that making this donation to the Academy fit perfectly with our mission of supporting first responders across the state.”
Terino informed Zarrella on Friday, June 19 that the donation was official, and Zarrella hopes a significant portion of the equipment will be ready in time for the start of the Academy’s summer session on July 27.
“The 100 Club has a long history of supporting first responders and their families throughout the state of Rhode Island,” Executive Director Wordell said. “The new equipment that will be purchased as a result of this donation will have a direct impact on the recruits who will be entering the field, and on behalf of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association I thank them for their continued generosity and support.”
About the Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association
The Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association (RIPCA) was established in 1950 and is comprised of more than one-hundred members; including active and retired police chiefs, and associate members – representing nearly 50 municipal, state and campus agencies that serve more than 1 million Rhode Islanders living in communities across the Ocean State.
The Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association has been – and will continue to be – committed in its pursuit of excellence as we strive to work closer with citizens and community partners alike in an ongoing effort to form sustaining foundations for safe and secure communities; foundations formed to endure socioeconomic instability and variations in crime rates. Our active engagement on issues of public safety policy and legislation will help shape the future of law enforcement, and strengthen trust and respect of the policing profession.
About the Rhode Island Municipal Police Training Academy
The Rhode Island Municipal Police Training Academy (RIMPTA) was established in 1969 to train and certify all municipal police officers, except those for the City of Providence. Additionally, the Academy is given the responsibility of training police officers from several state agencies that have law enforcement powers.
The Academy runs two sessions per year, one in the summer and one in the winter. Approximately 50 recruits attend each session, and learn a variety of skills to be used during their career in law enforcement, such as proper use of force, de-escalation, firearms training and more.
About the 100 Club of Rhode Island
The 100 Club of Rhode Island was founded in 1972 by a group of local businessmen as a private charitable organization. Its primary mission is to provide financial assistance to the families of police officers, firefighters and paramedics who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
The Club is also dedicated to providing scholarships and financial aid to the families of Rhode Island active duty police and firefighters, as well as making financial contributions to police and fire departments and related law enforcement agencies across the state.
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