Rhode Island Airport Corporation Police Chief Leo D. Messier has been promoted to chief public safety officer and Deputy Police Chief Stephen J. Cahill has been promoted as RIAC’s next police chief. Combined, Messier and Cahill bring over 70 years of law enforcement experience to the positions.

“We appreciate the dedication Chief Public Safety Officer Messier and Police Chief Cahill have brought to their posts and the Rhode Island Airport Corporation. They are an integral part of our management team and have earned these promotions through hard work. Their professionalism throughout the years has helped keep our passengers safe,” Iftikhar Ahmad, president and CEO of the Rhode Island Airport Corporation said in a statement.

Messier’s background includes 38 years of law enforcement, public safety and emergency management experience including 24 years with the RI State Police. Messier served as chief of police for the past eight years. He has also been an active reservist for FEMA for the last ten years, recently completing a deployment during Hurricane Harvey in Texas. His salary is $114,836.

As chief public safety officer, Messier will be responsible for airport readiness and preparedness in the event of natural disasters or acts related to terrorism. The position oversees training for airport employees on how to handle such events.

Chief Cahill is a 14-year veteran of the Rhode Island Airport Police Department. He is responsible for the management of the Airport Security Plan and liaising with the Transportation Security Administration regarding security matters. From June 2006 until December 2013, Deputy Chief Cahill was responsible for the command of the day-to-day operations of the patrol division. Cahill was promoted to captain in 2006 and deputy chief in 2012. As chief he will be paid $104,548.

Chief Cahill joined the airport police in March of 2003 after serving 13 years with the New Shoreham Police Department.

As police chief, Cahill is responsible for the overall supervision and administration of the RI Airport Police Department. He will establish and implement departmental policy and is directly responsible for the administration and enforcement of federal aviation regulations and the T. F. Green Security Plan.

The department has a complement of 33 sworn police officers.