It wasn’t easy to find a parking space anywhere near City Hall Thursday evening. Both sides of Post Road in front of the building were filled, as was the lot behind City Hall including the future site for an outdoor skating rink. Finding a seat in council chambers was equally challenging, even the balcony was packed. Not in recent memory including the year when athletics was cut from the city budget (they were restored) was there such a turnout.

But this was not a rally in opposition to a budget cut, a controversial zone change or a hike in taxes. That’s not to suggest the audience was passive. Rather, spouses, children, parents, grandparents and friends cheered on seven police officers promoted to the ranks of detective, elven probationary officers who received their badges and eleven officers recognized with commendations or awards. Here are the stories behind those awards and commendations as read by master of ceremonies, Lt. Matthew J. Higgins and the names of those promoted to the rank of detective and Warwick probationary officers:

Kimberly Mallet
Civilian Life Saving Award

True heroes emerge in a crisis, and Kimberly Mallett exemplifies this unwavering courage and selflessness.  She is set to receive a well-deserved award for the extraordinary act of saving Jesus Noriega’s life.

The incident unfolded on October 15, 2023, at City Park, where Kimberly Mallett witnessed Jesus Noriega drowning in the bay. Kimberly pulled Noriega from the water without hesitation and regard for her own safety. She performed life-saving efforts including CPR, as she waited for the arrival of police and rescue personnel.

Mallett’s timely intervention undoubtedly prevented a tragic outcome and saved the life of Noriega, who has since made a full recovery.

This award serves as more than just a recognition of courage; it symbolizes the indomitable spirit of compassion and the willingness to go above and beyond for the well-being of others.  Kimberly Mallett is an inspiration to the community, reminding us all of the potential for heroism that resides within each individual.

Michael Grant
Civilian Employee of the Year

During Thursday’s ceremony, the department presented its first Civilian Employee of the Year Award. The award is presented to a non-sworn employee of the department who performed with true dedication and interest in their assigned position. Their consistent, high-quality service to the public or department reflects a yearlong of exceeding performance expectations. This may be awarded to any civilian employee of the police department other than an administrative/executive assistant to the Chief of Police or command staff member.

The Police Civilian Employee of the Year award was presented to Michael Grant who has been employed with the City of Warwick since 2019 as Fleet Manager for the police department.  Before his employment, he served as a police officer in the City of East Providence for 26 years, retiring in 2017 as a Sergeant.  He held the title of Fleet Manager for the City of Providence from 2017 until he was hired by the City of Warwick in 2019.

“Michael is an outstanding individual who has gone above and beyond the call of duty, not as a sworn officer but as an essential member of our police force family.   While the spotlight often shines on our brave officers, a group of unsung heroes works tirelessly behind the scenes, providing invaluable support and contributing to the seamless functioning of our department,” reads his citation.

“Michael has demonstrated an exceptional ability to handle all challenges in his role.  He has worked tirelessly to improve the fleet condition by constantly staying up to date with police cruiser purchases and outfitting and even improving the auxiliary fleet by purchasing two new Ford F150 trucks, a plow truck for the garage, and a bobcat to assist with the daily operations of the police department.  He takes pride in his personnel, workplace, and equipment.  He purchased custom-made shirts and jackets for his staff and the building custodians to make the garage look more professional.   His knowledge and expertise have played a vital role in supporting the agency as we worked to secure a new Bearcat for SWAT/rescue operations and a new Mobile Command Center vehicle… Michael truly represents the backbone of our department, and we are privileged to have him as a vital member of our law enforcement family.”

Officer Ryan Shibley
Mayor’s Service to the Community Award

Officer Ryan Shibley is a five year veteran of the Warwick Police Department, hailing from a family with deep roots in law enforcement. Officer Shibley served four years in the patrol division, Ryan was selected for the Community Policing Division in 2022. Since his time in the division he has taken on many duties to serve this community. He has taken over as the director of the Warwick Police Explorers program to great success.  In addition he has partnered with our Police Athletic League to put his years of basketball experience to work as a coach and mentor to dozens of young Warwick athletes.

Assigned as the community police officer responsible for community relations in the district 3 area of the city, Ryan has wasted no time in making connections with the public. He operates out of our Pontiac Village Substation where he has an open door policy, welcoming in the pubic for scheduled and impromptu community conversations. Ryan has also made it a point to make regular visits to elderly housing to provide presentations on protecting themselves from fraud targeting the elderly along with creating a bond between law enforcement and our vulnerable citizens. Ryan is never one to say no to an assignment, he has recently been working with other members of the unit and our mental health liaison to check on individuals struggling with homelessness and work on providing them resources and entry into the state housing portal to get them into safe and reliable housing.

Officer Ryan Shibley is an asset to the Community Services Division, the Warwick Police Department and the City of Warwick as he continually strives to help those in need, be a mentor to our youth and ease neighborhood issues as they arise. It is a pleasure to recognize him as this year’s Community Service, Officer of the year.

Detective Gilda Fortier
2023 Investigator of the Year

Detective Fortier is a 20 year veteran of the department, assigned to the Special Victims Unit of the Detective Division.  She is also the leader of our Crisis Negotiation Team and has assisted with Criminal Intelligence duties over the course of the year. 

In January of 2023, Det. Fortier was an integral part in solving a crime series involving burglaries into 4 commercial businesses.  Her investigative efforts in collaboration with other members of the Detective Division led to the arrest and confession of the person responsible for these crimes.

In March of 2023, Det. Fortier assisted Homeland Security Investigations and RISP Internet Crimes Against Children in a sting operation.  Her assistance in this operation led to the federal arrest and charging of two potential child predators.

In September of 2023, Det. Fortier led an investigation into a juvenile missing person.  Through Det. Fortier’s investigative methods, she was ultimately able to locate the missing juvenile in Massachusetts and refer that missing person and her family to proper services.

As a member of the Special Victim’s Unit she led many Extreme Risk Protection Order investigations leading to preventing potentially violent people from buying and/or possessing firearms.

In addition to her investigative accomplishments, Det. Fortier has been called from patrol officers and detectives within the department and neighboring agencies for Spanish translation.

Throughout 2023, Det. Fortier has been involved in numerous special victim related investigations.  Her attention to detail and compassion with victims make her an ideal investigator for these types of crimes.

Officer Connor Bemis
Chief’s award for Officer of the Year

Officer Connor Bemis joined the Warwick Police Department in June of 2021.  He brought with him a wealth of knowledge and experience from time with the Warren Police Department.

Officer Bemis has been assigned to the Uniform Patrol Division where he has worked as a member of both the Second and Third Platoons.  As a member of the Third Platoon, Officer Bemis has been an asset in assisting and providing guidance to the newer Officers on the Shift.

Officer Bemis is one the most active officers of the Warwick Police Department.  Connor is heavily involved with Traffic Enforcement and DUI Recognition. Over the past year, Officer Bemis has issued 484 Traffic Citations and been involved in 43 DUI arrests.

In just 2023 alone, Officer Bemis had 135 arrests, including 25 narcotics arrests and 4 weapons arrests, one involving a firearm.

Officer Bemis has attended several trainings and schools, including Field Training Certification to achieve the necessary qualifications to become a Department Field Training Officer.  Officer Bemis is also a Certified Drug Recognition Expert.

This past year, Officer Bemis has also taken a proactive approach by participating in the Opioid Crisis Intervention Detail to combat Opioid drug abuse and more importantly assist those with opioid dependency in receiving the treatment they need.

Sergeant Steven Moretti
Officer Ryan Costa

On the afternoon of June 27th 2023, a man was riding his motorcycle, headed east on Main Ave. Unfortunately, the flow of traffic changed abruptly as he approached the area of Trinity St. and he was unable to adjust to the vehicles around him.  As a result, his motorcycle crashed.

Many officers were dispatched to the scene due to the severity of injuries described by callers reporting the crash to 911 Dispatchers. The first two to arrive were Sergeant Moretti and Officer Costa. They observed a man lying in the middle of Main Ave., unresponsive and bleeding profusely.  Officer Costa took immediate action and applied multiple tourniquets to the man’s right leg.  With the assistance of Sergeant Moretti, he was able to successfully stop the bleeding prior to the arrival of Warwick Rescue personnel.

The quick actions of Officer Ryan Costa and guidance under stress provided by Sergeant Steven Moretti on this day undoubtedly helped to save the life of this critically injured man.

Officer Bruce Law
Life Saving Award

On the afternoon of April 23rd, 2023 Officer Bruce Law was dispatched to an address on Merle St. for the report of a medical emergency in progress.

Officer Law entered the front door of the residence and was advised by the reporting party that her son, Lewis, was located in the back bedroom of the residence. Officer Law located Lewis and observed him to be unconscious and not breathing. After checking for a pulse, and not finding one, Officer Law very quickly made the determination he needed to begin CPR.

Officer Law immediately began CPR until the arrival of the Warwick Fire Department Rescue personnel.

The Warwick Fire Department continued to conduct CPR on Lewis for approximately 40 more minutes as members of Engine 6, Engine 4, and Rescue 3 worked to achieve a return of circulation.

While describing the heroic actions taken by Officer Law, Warwick Fire Rescue Lt. Robert Cember later wrote in a memo addressed to Colonel Connor, “There is no doubt that Officer Bruce Law’s actions on this day contributed to a positive outcome.”

The decisive actions taken by Officer Law in a difficult and emotional situation were significant contributing factors, ultimately saving the life of this man.

Here to be recognized and receive the Life Saving Award, Officer Bruce Law.

Officers Kevin Grant
Charles Walker
Life Saving Awards

On the evening of November 14th 2023, a man entered the bathroom of Cumberland Farms on West Natick Rd. and began to overdose from the use of narcotics. 

When Officers were dispatched, Officers Kevin Grant and Charles Walker were the first to arrive on-scene.  After locating the victim and realizing that he was unconscious, barely breathing and seeing that he had locked himself in the stall, Officer Walker had no choice but to crawl under the stall door to assist this man.  Officer Walker did this without hesitation and immediately recognized the victim’s symptoms to be consistent with that of an opioid-related overdose.  Officer Walker administered one dose of Narcan.

As the victim’s condition did not improve, Officers Grant and Walker began to perform CPR until the male began to show signs of life.  As the male started to gasp for air, the male took a few more shallow breaths but did not continue breathing on his own.  Officer Walker administered another dose of Narcan.

After approximately four minutes of CPR and a fourth dose of Narcan was administered by Officer Grant, Officers Grant, and Walker were relieved by arriving Warwick Fire Rescue personnel.

The quick actions of Officers Kevin Grant and Charles Walker under stress on this day undoubtedly helped to save the life of this man.

Commendations and Life Saving Awards

On the afternoon of January 14, 2022, a man walked into the lobby of the Warwick Police Station.  As members of the Second Shift entered the lobby and asked how they could assist this man he removed a knife from his pocket and charged toward them. This man charged at Officer Masso, and without hesitation. Sergeant Larson immediately responded with commands for the attacker to stop and to drop the knife, but when he refused, Sergeant Larson, along with Officers Bailey, Pinheiro, and Masso fired multiple rounds at the attacker striking him multiple times as he continued to run toward officers, flailing his knife, getting so close that the blade cut Officer Masso’s uniform shirt.

Just as quickly as Officers, Masso, Bailey, Pinheiro, and Sergeant Larson responded to the attack, Lieutenant Curley, Sergeant Austin, and Officer Distelhurst arrived to assist them.  As the attacker attempted to stand and charge Officer Masso for a third time, Officer Distelhurst deployed his Taser, and along with Sergeant Austin, was successful in disarming and subduing the attacker.

While off-duty and preparing to head home, Officer Reiff heard gunfire from his vehicle in the front lot of the police station. He ran to the sound of gunfire and entered the lobby where he observed the attacker on the floor and in need of emergency medical care.  Once disarmed by Sgt. Austin and Officer Distelhurst, Officer Reiff immediately began to provide emergency medical treatment that undoubtedly saved his life.

“This event highlights the courage and adaptability of these officers in the most challenging of circumstances. The leadership provided by Lt. Curley, Sgt. Larson and Sgt. Austin, the composure shown by Officers Masso, Bailey, Pinheiro, and Distelhurst, and the immediate shift to life-saving actions taken by Officer Reiff, showcase the dedication and professionalism that make us proud of their service to our community. Congratulations to this exceptional team for handling a tough situation with remarkable skill and control,” said Master of Ceremonies Lt. Matthew Higgins.

Receiving the Medal of Bravery were Sergeant Casey Larson, Officer Jessica Masso, Officer Michael Bailey, and Detective Oliver Pinheiro.

Receiving a First Class Commendation were Ret. Lieutenant John Curley, Sergeant Charles Austin, and Officer Andrew Distelhurst.

And receiving the Life Saving Award was Officer Jonathan Reiff.

Promotions

During the ceremony the following officers were elevated to the rank of detective and presented badges: Gregory C. Accinno,  Evan E.  Johnson,  Tyler M. Stone, Thomas R. Paine, Thomas W. Greene,  Nicholas E. DeMarco,  Kyle M.  Palmer and  Oliver M.  Pinheiro.  The evening included the pinning of the following probationary officers by Sergeant Nelson C. Carreiro:  Matthew P. Maloney,  Sydney R. Davis,  Nathan J. Skawinski,  Bryan C. Araujo,  Ryan E. Riecke,  Michael S. Petrarca,  Noah J. Kane,  Zachary I. Monaghan,  Yadira Allen and  Ryan A. Valentim.

ONE FOR THE ALBUM: Detective Gilda Fortier and Col. Bradford Connor strike a pose after Fortier was presented with the detective of the year award. (Warwick Beacon photos)

THEY HAVE THEIR BADGES NOW: Eleven probationary officers received their badges during the promotional and awards ceremony held Thursday night at City Hall.

STANDING OVATION: The audience that filled City Council Chambers stood in recognition for officers receiving awards.

TOP COMMUNITY OFFICER: Mayor Frank Picozzi congratulates Officer Ryan Shibley on his selection as the Community Services Officer of the Year.

LIFE SAVING: Sergeant Steven Moretti and Ryan Costa were recognized with life saving awards .

FRONT AND CENTER:  Officer Bruce Law was the recipient of a life saving award.

SAVED FROM OVER DOSE:  Officers Kevin Grant and Charles Walker received lafe saving awards for reviving a man who was found unconscious in a Cumberland Farms restroom.

PRAISE FOR THEIR INSTANT REACTION: Officers who responded to the Jan. 14, 2022 incident when a man entered police headquarters and charged Officer Jessica Masso with a knife were recognized for their bravery and life saving efforts. They are from left: Ret. Lt. John Curley, Officer Oliver Pinheiro, Sgt. Charles Austin, Sgt. Walter Larson, Officer Andrew Distelhurst, Officer Johnathan Reiff, Officer Michael Bailey, and Officer Jessica Masso.

Picture 4139 – Officer Ryan Shibley

Picture 4158 – Officer Ryan Costa and Sgt. Steven Moretti (left to right)

Picture 4162 – Officer Bruce Law

Picture 4160 – I believe that’s Officer Jessica’s Masso sister, but I am unsure.  I would have to find that out for you if you would like

Picture 4170 – Officer Charles Walker and Officer Kevin Grant (left to right)

Picture 4180 – Ret. Lt. John Curley, Officer Oliver Pinheiro, Sgt. Charles Austin, Sgt. Walter Larson, Officer Andrew Distelhurst, Officer Johnathan Reiff, Officer Michael Bailey, and Officer Jessica Bailey (left to right)