Newport Police Department is holding a community meeting on March 31, 2025, to discuss public safety and speed camera enforcement. The event will take place at Salve Regina University’s O’Hare Academic Building in the Bazarsky Lecture Hall from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Chief of Police Ryan Duffy will lead a panel of senior officers […]
Police & Fire
Posted inCity & Government
Newport Police need help identifying Walmart theft suspect
Newport police are asking for help to identify a suspect in a theft at Walmart. The police department shared a photo of the person on social media Tuesday, March 18, and is urging anyone with information to get in touch. Officer Fails is handling the case. You can reach him at (401) 845-5779 or sfails@cityofnewport.com. […]
Posted inPolice & Fire
Newport Police Chief addresses use of force incidents on parade day
Newport Police Chief Ryan G. Duffy has addressed the department’s use of force policies following incidents during the city’s recent St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Duffy acknowledges that large events often require police intervention. “With any big gathering, you’ll have people who might get sick or hurt, and unfortunately, some who don’t behave appropriately,” he explains. […]
Posted inCity & Government
Don’t click on those road toll texts. FBI issues fresh warning about the smishing scam
WASHINGTON (AP) — State officials are warning Americans not to respond to a surge of scam road toll collection texts. The texts impersonating state road toll collection agencies attempt to get phone users to reveal financial information, such as credit or debit cards or bank accounts. They’re so-called smishing scams — a form of phishing […]
Posted inNews, Police & Fire
Tiverton woman pleads guilty in bank fraud scheme
A 54-year-old woman from Tiverton has pleaded guilty to attempted bank fraud in a scheme that diverted nearly $225,000 from a Tennessee construction company. Brenda Partin entered her plea in federal court on Tuesday. Her sentencing is set for June 10, 2025. The fraud took place in August and September 2022. It involved a hacked […]
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Stolen firearm and prohibited weapons seized in Tiverton traffic stop
A traffic stop in Tiverton has led to the arrest of a 36-year-old Tiverton man on multiple weapons charges. David Souza was pulled over on Feb. 21 when Sgt. Jason Kobelecki spotted him driving without a seatbelt on Main Road near Chace Avenue. According to Tiverton Police Department, a quick database check revealed Souza’s driving […]
Posted inNews, Police & Fire
Portsmouth Police assist in cracking multi-state bank fraud ring
A 54-year-old Bronx resident has admitted to his part in a bank fraud conspiracy that targeted financial institutions across at least 10 states, including Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Paul Keenan entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to commit bank fraud in federal court on February 27. The scheme aimed to defraud banks of about $143,000, […]
Posted inNews, Police & Fire
DEA Operation at Home Depot leads to officer injury, shooting, and pursuit
A DEA operation in Middletown took an unexpected turn Thursday, resulting in a shooting and car chase. The incident unfolded around 12:30 p.m. in the Home Depot parking lot at 878 West Main Road. DEA agents were trying to arrest a suspect when things went sideways. As officers moved in, the suspect hit an agent […]
Posted inCity & Government
Tiverton Fire Department applauds tenant’s quick thinking in putting out fire
A tenant’s fast action with a fire extinguisher helped stop a fire from spreading at 32 Main Rd. in Tiverton on Tuesday evening. Tiverton firefighters arrived at the scene around 6:30 p.m. to find that a quick-thinking tenant had already used a fire extinguisher to control the flames. The fire department praised the tenant’s actions […]
Posted inNews, Police & Fire
Jamestown Fire Department rescues person stranded on rocks
Quick action by Jamestown’s volunteer firefighters has led to the successful rescue of a person stranded on rocks near Beavertail Road. The Jamestown Volunteer Fire Department got the call at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22. Someone was stuck on the rocks close to 530 Beavertail Rd. As soon as they arrived, firefighters started searching […]
Posted inNews, Police & Fire
Fatal crash claims life of Tiverton woman on Lake Road
A tragic car accident on Lake Road in Tiverton has claimed the life of a local woman. Jennifer M. Sylvia, 52, died after her 2014 Subaru Impreza crashed into a tree and caught fire Wednesday night. The incident happened around 9:53 p.m. near 840 Lake Rd. When emergency services arrived, they found Sylvia’s car engulfed […]
Posted inCity & Government
Parking Ban in effect for Tiverton and Portsmouth on Thursday
Ahead of some winter weather, Tiverton and Portsmouth Police Departments have put parking bans in effect for Thursday, February 6. Portsmouth’s parking ban will be in effect from 7 am to 7 pm on Thursday. Tiverton’s parking ban will be in effect from 5 am to 5 pm on Thursday. As of 6:10 pm on […]
Posted inCity & Government
Medical emergency leads to pedestrian being struck by car on bike path near Connell Highway
A 58-year-old Newport man is in serious condition after being hit by a car on Connell Highway near #199 early Monday. Newport police say the crash happened around 6:30 a.m. when a 50-year-old Middletown woman apparently had a medical issue while driving. “Our initial findings suggest the driver’s medical condition caused her to lose control […]
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Newport seeks more police officer applicants
Newport is expanding its search for new police officers by extending the application deadline to Friday, February 7. This move aims to bring in more candidates for entry-level positions. The city’s Human Resources Department pushed back the original February 4 cutoff to give potential applicants extra time to submit their materials. To be considered, you […]
Posted inCity & Government
Newport Police to conduct active shooter training at Boys & Girls Club
The Newport Police Department is gearing up for active shooter training at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport County. These exercises are scheduled for February 3-7, 2025, running daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the club’s 95 Church Street location. If you’re in the area during this time, don’t be surprised to […]
Posted inCity & Government
Newport Police confirm single immigration enforcement action
Newport police say one person was arrested Wednesday in a targeted immigration enforcement action on Thames Street near Cottons Court. The individual was taken into custody in connection with other criminal offenses, according to Lt. Joseph C. Carroll, who oversees the Community Policing Unit and serves as the department’s public information officer. Carroll stresses there […]
Posted inCity & Government
Newport Police announce temporary road closure on Van Zandt Ave
Newport Police Department is closing a section of Van Zandt Avenue for road construction. The closure affects the stretch between Tilley Ave and Condon Ave from January 29 to 31, 2025. The road will be closed daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during these three days. Drivers should plan to use different routes during […]
Posted inNews, Police & Fire
Jamestown Police Officer dodges close call during traffic stop on Route 138
A Jamestown police officer’s sharp instincts kept him out of harm’s way during a recent roadside incident. Officer Liam Robberson was talking to a driver on Route 138 when a car came barreling towards him. Robberson jumped to safety just in time, then chased down and caught the reckless driver. The Jamestown Police Department shared […]
Posted inNews, Police & Fire
Fall River woman arrested in Portsmouth for DUI with toddler in car
A 24-year-old woman from Fall River, Massachusetts is facing DUI charges after being arrested by Portsmouth police on January 24. The incident, which involved a child passenger, occurred on East Main Road near Walgreens around 7:22 p.m. Police stopped Dara Dupre for speeding and noticed several signs of alcohol impairment, including a strong smell of […]
Posted inNews, Police & Fire
Two arrested in Portsmouth transfer station bribery scheme
Two Portsmouth Transfer Station contract workers are facing charges for allegedly accepting bribes to allow unauthorized trash disposal. Paul Lapierre, 46, and Ricardo Torres Alcantar, 45, both from Providence, Rhode Island, were arrested on January 18 following an investigation by the Portsmouth Police Department. The investigation kicked off earlier this month when someone spotted a […]
Posted inCity & Government
Nine-year-old Sammy Alejandro named honorary Newport Police Officer
The Newport Police Department on Thursday, January 16 gave 9-year-old Sammy Alejandro a day he’ll never forget, making him an honorary police officer in front of his classmates. On January 16, 2025, the department shared the heartwarming story on Facebook. They wrote, “We had the pleasure of welcoming Sammy Alejandro as our ‘honorary’ Newport Police […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Aquidneck Island’s Guns N’ Hoses Hockey Game returns for 2025
The annual Guns N’ Hoses Charity Hockey Game is set to return to St. George’s Ice Rink on Jan. 19, pitting Aquidneck Island’s first responders against each other for a good cause. This year’s event will benefit a local Middletown boy battling medical issues and raise awareness for first responder mental health. Doors open at […]
Posted inNews
108 DUI arrests made in Rhode Island around New Year’s holiday
Rhode Island police arrested 108 people for driving under the influence during the recent New Year’s holiday period. This information comes from a statement by the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association. The arrests took place from December 27, 2024, to January 5, 2025. It was a joint effort involving all 38 municipal police departments and […]
Posted inPolice & Fire
Rhode Island Police Chiefs urge sober driving on New Year’s Eve
Rhode Island police chiefs are ramping up efforts to keep roads safe this New Year’s Eve. They’re putting extra patrols on the streets to catch impaired drivers and urging residents to make smart choices. “We all share a responsibility to keep our roads safe this New Year’s season,” said Colonel Bradford Connor, President of the […]
Posted inPolice & Fire
Rhode Island State Police make two arrests on Aquidneck Island
Rhode Island State Police recently made two arrests on Aquidneck Island, both involving separate incidents. On December 28, at 2:10 p.m., officers arrested Kevin Donohue, a 51-year-old Newport resident. Donohue was charged with failing to stop after an accident that caused damage to another vehicle. This arrest came after an investigation into a hit-and-run crash […]