NEWS

Rookie of year made 59 DUI arrests

McCartney, Enos honored at MADD recognizing heroes awards breakfast

By JOHN HOWELL
Posted 10/12/22

By JOHN HOWELL

Keara Enos was moved when she heard the stories of people maimed and killed on our highways by drunk drivers. At the time, she was a student at the Rhode Island Police Academy and …

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NEWS

Rookie of year made 59 DUI arrests

McCartney, Enos honored at MADD recognizing heroes awards breakfast

Posted

Keara Enos was moved when she heard the stories of people maimed and killed on our highways by drunk drivers. At the time, she was a student at the Rhode Island Police Academy and vowed to do something about it once she graduated and wore a badge.

Friday morning, Enos was seated beside retired Warwick Police Chief Col. Stephen McCartney at the MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) Rhode Island awards breakfast at the Crowne Plaza to recognize heroes in our community. Enos received the Rookie of the Year Award. McCartney was one of two recipients of a Lifetime Achievement Award. Col. Edmond Culhane, retired superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police was the second recipient.

McCartney, who served as Warwick chief for 18 years, said he was surprised when event chair Cathy Andreozzi and a member of the MADD RI Board of Directors and the Tori Lynn Andreozzi Foundation called to say he had been nominated for the distinction.

“Here’s who you should be talking to,” he said turning to Enos, “they’re doing the work.”

McCartney was not known for turning down an opportunity to comment as leader of the department. Whether providing the details of an incident or speaking out on legislation he believed was in the interest or to the detriment of the community and department, McCartney spoke his mind.

But on Friday, McCartney shifted the spotlight to those on the front lines and their achievements.  Even in receiving the award, McCartney deferred from stepping to the microphone to address an audience largely of law enforcement officers and those agencies working with them.

McCartney’s focus on the active members of the force is understandable given Enos’ performance as a rookie cop.

Enos joined the Warwick department in 2021 with her father Stephen Enos, retired Rehoboth Police Chief pinning on her badge in a Jan. 21, 2021, promotion ceremony at Veterans Middle School. She was first assigned to the 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. shift and later moved to the 4 p.m. to midnight shift. She largely patrolled the northern portion of the city.

In one year -- September 2021 to September 2022 -- Enos made 59 DUI arrests. She said most of them came after 11 p.m. as drivers were coming home, often from South County and the beaches. She’s encountered male drivers who questioned “her” authority as a police officer and she’s been in situations where she has had to physically restrain someone who was confrontational.

She feels good about getting drunk drivers off the street.

“I can’t imagine losing a loved one,” she said.

She’s been amazed by how impaired some drivers are. She recalled a stop a month ago when the driver was close of incoherent.

“He couldn’t even stand up,” Enos said. The man admitted he’d been drinking. She felt good to have made the stop.

Enos didn’t start thinking she would follow in her father’s footsteps. She wanted to be a hairdresser. She did that but something was lacking. She talked with her father and told him she wanted to go into law enforcement.

Her father was taken back. With five daughters, he didn’t imagine any would consider law enforcement as a career. But he wasn’t going to stop her.

“I told her, ‘I’ll support you,’” he said. Nonetheless, he didn’t want her to be blindsided once she landed a job.

“It’s a dangerous job,” he said. “I sent her every bad article I could find.” She confirmed that she received one story after the next describing events where police were thrust into life threatening situations.

“I wanted her to go in with her eyes open,” he said.

 He advised her not to date anyone at work and always be professional.

Enos began her law enforcement career at the South Eastern Massachusetts Police Training Academy, where she graduated as valedictorian of her class. She then served as a dispatcher and reserve officer in Westport, MA.

Enos started at the Rhode Island Police Academy in July 2020, and trained there for six months. Despite Covid interruptions, she rose to top of her class, securing the valedictorian spot.

In an interview shortly after joining the Warwick force, Enos described the academy training.

“I wish there were certain aspects of it that civilians could go through just to see what police officers do, so they understand what I mean,” she said.

At the academy, Enos had both classroom and physical training.

“The whole time, you’re learning under stress. So you have to get used to it, because it’s part of the job.”

Her father was happy with what he saw at the Police Academy and from her classmates.

“They treated her like a professional,” he said. She graduated at the top of her class.

“That was amazing,” he said with pride.

Most of all, he is happy she found her passion, “saving lives every day.”

Enos has her sights set on climbing the ranks on being chief one day. For now, her focus is making Warwick safe.

awards, recognition

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  • KeepCalmandCarryOn

    Congratulations to Officer Enos. She sounds like an amazing human! Glad she's on the beat in Warwick, we are lucky. As a resident, I am extremely proud of our Police Department and Fire Department for that matter.

    Keep up the great work, guys and gals!

    Sunday, October 16, 2022 Report this