Deputy Chief Oscar Perez named new Providence police chief
PROVIDENCE – Oscar Perez, a seasoned decision-maker who has spent nearly three decades on the city's police force, is now the department's chief.
Mayor Brett Smiley announced Perez's promotion from deputy chief Friday morning.
"I'm extremely proud and humbled to be selected as the next police chief of this great city," said Perez, who called it a "dream come true."
Perez, whose rank was immediately elevated to colonel, takes the job following the departure of the city's longtime chief, Col. Hugh T. Clements Jr.
Emphasizing Perez's long record of professionalism, Smiley noted that he is Providence's first Latino police chief, and suggested that his new rank is a triumph for the city's Latino communities.
"I am confident that he will take this department to new heights," Smiley said.
More:Mayor Smiley names top candidates for Providence police chief job. Here are the finalists
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From Colombia to Providence to chief of police
A Spanish speaker, Perez arrived in Providence from Colombia as an immigrant when he was 13 years old. Providence provided what he calls "an opportunity of a lifetime."
He graduated from Central High School. His first shift as a patrol officer was in 1994.
His assignments have ranged from working in the Youth Services Bureau as a detective in 2001 to overseeing patrols in South Providence, Washington Park, Elmwood and the Reservoir Triangle neighborhoods.
He has worked in the department's bureaus of intelligence, community policing, narcotics and organized crime, in its gang intervention unit and on the Neighborhood Response Team.
He has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Roger Williams University and a master's degree in criminal justice from Boston University.
He also oversaw a professional standards-unit within the department that is responsible for investigating alleged lawbreaking by police officers.
Perez was a regular presence at the trial of a police sergeant who was found guilty of assaulting a man in custody in April 2020.
Speaking at a community forum on Wednesday, he said putting handcuffs on another officer is "not a nice thing to do" in terms of camaraderie, but that holding officers accountable is essential.
"That's the only way to ensure we are policing in a constitutional manner," Perez said.
Perez also talked about a police misconduct case in Memphis, Tennessee.
Five police officers face second-degree murder charges in the death of Tyre Nichols, 29-year-old FedEx worker and photographer.
Perez referred to the situation as an embarrassment to those who wear the uniform. He noted that not one of the five officers called on the others to stop, he said, adding, "that's a problem."
"I couldn't believe what happened," he said.
Smiley decides soon after community forum
Smiley announced his pick within 48 hours of the forum in which Perez, Lanni and Lapatin took questions before an audience that nearly filled the auditorium at the Providence Career & Technical Center.
The forum had been designed to bring community input into the selection process.
"There was not going to be a winner or a loser," Smiley said. "However, being able to effectively communicate with the community is a job requirement for the chief of police. And it's a job requirement that's very hard to test other than putting someone in front of a crowd."
More:The candidates for Providence police chief took public questions. Here's where they stand on issues.
Who were the other candidates?
Smiley thanked the other two finalists for the job, Maj. Kevin Lanni and Detective Maj. David Lapatin, saying both of them were capable of successfully leading the force.
Lanni, a member of the department for 25 years, has supervised efforts focused on narcotics, firearms and organized crime. He headed two police training academies.
Lapatin was the most experienced candidate among the trio of finalists.
His wide portfolio has included managing detectives, which includes major crime investigations, license enforcement, intelligence, youth services and narcotics investigations.
Lapatin graciously accepted Smiley's decision, saying that Perez is a "wonderful choice" and emphasizing that he "is 100% behind him in furthering the administration of the department."
Taking the helm of a police department
Perez said "listening" would be his first order of business. He will meet with the city's police officers and with community leaders. Decisions on staffing, such as who will become the department's next deputy chief, await him.
Perez's predecessor, Clements, was the city's longest-serving police chief. His last day was Friday, Jan. 27, and on Monday, Jan. 31, he was working at his new job as the director of a U.S. Department of Justice office that seeks to strengthen trust between police officers and the public.
Clements said Friday that Perez is an outstanding leader with abundant credibility inside and outside the department.
"I truly know that Oscar has the passion for the work," Clements said.
"The bench is strong," Clements said. "I knew it would be a difficult choice."
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Deputy Chief Oscar Perez named Providence Police chief by Mayor Smiley
