Page 4 - 2021 A Year in Review

As we turn the page on the calendar with

great optimism with the new year upon us,
we must take a moment to reflect on the

challenges and successes we faced in 2021.
Officers and civilian personnel continued to
demonstrate their steadfast commitment to

service when the overall rates of COVID-19
declined but later made a resurgence in the

form of the Omicron variant. Fortunately,
we have learned a great deal about

protecting our personnel to lessen the impact on our overall staffing. I am incredibly
proud that we maintained the highest service levels for our residents throughout the
pandemic.

There were many bright spots for our department over the past year. The Community
Outreach Division, established in 2014, has now expanded with a Captain overseeing

a Sergeant and one Officer. The additional personnel will allow us to increase our
community engagement opportunities. We recognize that our citizens and community

organizations are our best resources in reducing crime and preserving the highest
quality of life in all neighborhoods across our city. You can expect more events where

citizens can directly interact with police officers representing all levels within the
department. The Community Outreach Division has also taken the lead to address
special populations, including individuals experiencing a mental health crisis and

substance abuse addictions. We have strengthened our partnerships with mental
health clinicians and peer recovery coaches so that specially trained officers can join

clinicians in the field to follow up on various calls for services. The goal is to help
connect affected individuals with various social service programs. I am also happy to

report that our department achieved state accreditation again through the Rhode
Island Police Accreditation Commission. On March 24, 2020, the Commission on
Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) awarded the Cranston Police

4
Cranston Police Department Year in Review 2021