Updated: State Police Probe of Cranston PD Highlights Interference, Friction, Misconduct

A leadership void, extensive factional friction, misconduct and interference from the city administration are the highlights from the Rhode Island State Police investigation into the operations of the Cranston Police Department.

A letter summarizing the hotly-anticipated findings was set to be released at Monday night’s City Council meeting. Patch obtained a copy of the letter on Monday afternoon and in it, it paints a picture of a dysfunctional police department rife with problems.

Problems that officials noted have been rectified following appointment of a new leadership team and extensive internal shakeup.

It also highlights the strong relationship between Cranston Mayor Allan W. Fung and the former head of the police union, Stephen Antonucci, who resigned in the wake of the so-called Ticketgate scandal that erupted after he admittedly ordered the mass-ticketing of several neighborhoods against City Council members who rejected a police contract. It also mentions Fung’s relationship with the former Cranston Police Chief, Marco Palombo Jr., who was placed on administrative leave and later resigned after the controversy boiled over and sparked the probe.

“There was a consistent theme that pointed to a lack of leadership and mistrust within the highest levels of the department.” - Col. Steven G. O’Donnell

Many of the details revealed in the letter, which was sent to Fung on July 22 from Rhode Island State Police Superintendent Col. Steven G. O’Donnell, are not new, such as the deal Fung attempted to work out with Antonucci to let him return to the department “with minor sanctions.”

In the letter, O’Donnell said that “This behavior illustrates one of the core problems which came to light during the assessment, the secretive interference by you and your staff in the operations of the police department.”

The investigation began after Fung asked the state police to conduct an independent investigation into the department’s operations on Jan. 8 of 2014.

The controversy erupted after Antonucci ordered the ticketing barrage on the nights of Nov. 15 and 16.

It was agreed that the state police would conduct the investigation without interference and Palombo was placed on administrative leave.

On Jan. 9, Capt. Kevin M. Barry assumed command of the department and was sworn in as chief while remaining a member of the state police. Immediately, O’Donnell wrote that Barry recognized there was a “void in leadership at the top of the department as well as a divide between personnel.”

They later learned that there were two ”teams” in the department, the ”A” team and the “B” team. Based on that information, Lt. Matthew C. Moynihan of the state police was assigned to assist Barry.

The assessment identified “numerous managerial issues,” O’Donnell wrote, both within the department and the city’s administration.

Many of the concerns during the 10-month tenure at the department were addressed, specifically matters pertaining to training, budget issues, personnel matters, equipment, fleet and other day-to-day issues.

But the review morphed into a deeper, more “intensive review into the cultural practices and personnel complaints of members of the organization who came forward to share their experiences,” O’Donnell wrote. “There was a consistent theme that pointed to a lack of leadership and mistrust within the highest levels of the department.”

There were also complaints about “political interference and influence from you and your staff as well as the extraordinary relationship between the IBPO, Local 301 President Stephen Antonucci, the Chief of Police Marco Palombo Jr., and you.”

The state police interviewed more than 50 people to obtain a “fair and impartial overview” of the issues, and those interviews revealed the root causes of the deep problems within the department, O’Donnell said.

There were several specific investigations that Fung requested to be looked into during the probe, which are detailed within the full report. O’Donnell did not outline all of the details in his letter, but mentioned the suspension with pay of Major Todd Patalano (now a captain); retired Major. Robert W. Ryan’s “alleged misconduct”; retired Capt. Dodd’s “forced medical retirement”; Capt. Antonucci’s ticketing; Capt. Karen Guilbeault’s gender discrimination allegation; the demotion of Officer Josefson; the hiring of “private investigators to conduct surveillance on members”; and the “alleged problems with the promotional system, allegations of illegal audio recordings and the overall mistreatment of members of the department.”

The findings of the investigation were reviewed by the attorney general and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, O’Donnell said, and it was their conclusion that there was not enough evidence to go forward with an arrest or indictment.

“Although the conduct did not rise to the level of a criminal prosecution, in some instances there was sufficient evidence to move forward with internal departmental charges,” O’Donnell wrote.

Two members of the department resigned while Barry and Moynihan were in control over allegations of wrong doing, including Capt. Antonucci who “may well have been facing additional internal charges after the assessment was brought forward to the chief of police.”

Strained Relations

When Barry and Moynihan returned to the state police after the assessment, they started the task of writing their report. At that point, the level of cooperation between the state police and the city’s administraton “became strained,” O’Donnell said.

In November, Fung told Winquist and O’Donnell that he had privately met with Anotuncci in September to have him return to the department with the minor sanctions. That occurred while the state police were still managing the department and “you told both of us that he was returning to the police department irrespective of how we felt,” O’Donnell wrote in his letter to the mayor.

“You still have not explained why you made this decision in September but waited until mid-November to advise us. Although you have not explained it, your rationale is very clear to me,” O’Donnell wrote.

O’Donnell said he was aware that Fung reversed his decision based on a Dec. 4 2014 meeting at City Hall with key members regarding the Antonucci matter. At the meeting, Fung presented the plan for Antonucci to return “which was met with strong opposition.”

Ultimately, Antonucci refused the offer, which is why the deal never happened.

“I detail this to you, Mayor, so we have a cler understanding on why this deal never came to fruition at that time,” O’Donnell said.

The state police estimates that about $500,000 in resources was spent to run and assess the department.

Mayor Responds

Cranston Mayor Allan W. Fung issued a statement on Monday afternoon following our report on O’Donnell’s letter.

Fung said that he has requested an advisory opinion from the attorney general about whether the contents of the full report are appropriate for public disclosure.

He did not address the concerns about interference raised in O’Donnell’s letter.

“My intention has always been transparency about this report and I await the opinion from the Attorney General’s office about what portions may be public. In addition, I have called for a meeting with the City Council on Wednesday to update them and allow access to the report,” Fung said.

Fung said that he and Acting City Solicitor Evan Kirshenbaum and himself drove to O’Donnell’s office to pick up the report.

“At that time, I thanked Colonel O’Donnell, Lt. Col. Barry and Captain Moynihan for their efforts on behalf of the City of Cranston and the Cranston Police,” Fung said.

Review some of our coverage on this issue dating back to 2013:

Police Chief put On Paid Leave

State Police are conducting a broad review of the department’s operations in the wake of an overnight parking ticket scandal.

Councilmen Say Their Wards Mass-Ticketed in Retaliation for Police Contract Vote

After voting against a new police contract, Councilmen Steve Stycos and Paul Archetto say their wards were targeted by a rash of tickets in retaliation.

Fung: “I Do Not Condone Any Type of Intimidating Behavior”

Cranston Mayor Allan W. Fung has responded to allegations of abuse of power at the Cranston Police Department over a flurry of parking tickets that two city councilmen say were issued in retribution against their votes.

Map of Tickets Appears to Support Councilmens’ Claims

According to this map of addresses where tickets were issued in the hours following the contract vote, there appears to be plausible evidence to support those claims.

Were you ticketed? Here’s the List

Look closely and click “download PDF” next to the image to check out the addresses.

Fung Taps Independent Investigator to Review Police Ticket Blitz

Cranston Mayor Fung announced that he has hired a private investigator to review the police department’s own internal review of “ allegations of improper use of police authority,” according to a release.

ACLU Says Review of Ticket Blitz Investigation Doesn’t go Far Enough

The RIACLU is asking Cranston Mayor Allan W. Fung to launch a full-scale independent investigation.

Marco Palombo Jr.: I’m Retiring as Police Chief

Capt. Patalano Files Complaint against City, Seeks More than $5 Million

Patalano, back on the job after a 20-month leave, was cleared of misconduct charges by Acting Police Chief Kevin Barry earlier this month.

High-Ranking Cranston Officer Retires
Department’s no. 2 ranking officer has filed paperwork to retire.

This story is being updated in real time. Refresh for updates and typographical corrections.