After being canceled in 2021 and 2020, The Aquidneck Island National Police Parade will celebrate its 37th Police Parade in Middletown and Newport on May 1.
“After a very trying two years for the law enforcement community, we are pleased to announce the return of the Aquidneck Island National Police Parade,” the Aquidneck Island National Police Parade shared on Facebook.
Begun in 1973, the parade’s intent is to celebrate a history of recognizing law enforcement officers past and present for their duty, honor, and sacrifice to the communities they serve.
The National Police Parade is one of only a handful of parades of this type around the country outside of Washington D.C., according to organizers.
“As a committee, we felt now was the right time to honor those men and women who served honorably for the past two years, they endured public distrust, the call for defunding, and a pandemic, all without wavering from our common goal, to protect and to serve,” the Aquidneck Island National Police Parade said on Facebook. “Please join us in honoring and thanking all of them for their continued service to an honorable profession. This year we will be honoring all past and present as the Grand Marshal, as well as the 139 officers who dies in the line of duty in 2019, 295 in 2020, and an astonishing 458 officers in 2021. This is the largest number since 1930 when 312 officers died in the line of duty”.
The Parade, which will be held rain or shine, will begin at 11:50 am in front of the Hampton Inn, 317 West Main Road. The parade will proceed southbound on West Main Rd into Newport and ends at the reviewing stand located in Washington Square.
Traffic Advisory
Newport Police issued the following press release on April 28.
The Aquidneck Island National Police Parade, which kicks off at 11:50 AM on Sunday, May 1, 2022. Traffic flow and parking in Newport will be affected by in the Lower Broadway and Washington Square area from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. and parking will be limited.
Parade participants will begin staging on West Main Road at 10:00 AM, it is recommended that people coming to Newport approach from either Memorial Blvd or Connell Hwy to America’s Cup Ave.
The two best routes into the city with available public parking are:
• Westbound on Memorial Blvd, right onto Bellevue Ave (northbound), left on Church St and right into the Waterfront parking lot (situated between Church and Mary St). • Farewell St south to America’s Cup Ave and right into the Gateway parking garage
Parking is prohibited on the following streets from 5:00 AM to 3:00 PM. All vehicles parked in restricted areas will be towed:
• Broadway from Admiral Kalbfus to Washington Sq. south (both sides) • Touro Street from Thames St to Spring Street • Charles Street and Duke Street