A Real Dressing Down
North Providence’s Acting Police Chief, Chris Pelagio, has punished the head of the local police union for wearing his uniform while attending a city budget hearing.
“I guess you can’t tell the truth at a public hearing if it strikes a nerve with certain people,” said Lt. Dennis Stone, president of the North Providence Fraternal Order of Police No. 13 in an email. “If you do, they file (bogus) internal charges against you.”
Stone wouldn’t say anything further about the internal charges, but two sources said it was levied because Stone wore the uniform as he spoke at the budget hearing.
Pelagio would not confirm that he filed charges against Stone, saying he can’t talk about the situation because of the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights, but he said the department does have strict regulations on when, where and how officers are to use their uniforms.
Punishments available to him if an officer does violate department rules on uniforms include a verbal or written reprimand or a suspension as long as two days, said Pelagio. The severity of the punishment would depend on the officer’s past history of discipline.
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