One of the Leading Candidates for Providence Police Chief Has a Complex Background
Friday, December 30, 2022
Providence Mayor-Elect Brett Smiley announced this week that current Police Chief Hugh Clements is stepping down — and who will fill the position immediately became a hot topic in the city.
Those rumored to be in contention include current members of the Providence Police Command staff — newly appointed Deputy Chief Major Oscar Perez; Investigative Division Majors David Lapatin and Kevin Lanni, and Uniform Division Major Henry Remolina.
Also potentially in the mix are former Providence Police Sergeant Anthony Roberson — now Chief of the Central Falls Police Department; former Providence Police Deputy Chief Thomas Oates — now the Chief of the Woonsocket Police Department; and former Providence Police Captain Dean Isabella — now the Chief of the Seekonk Police Department.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTSmiley will officially be sworn into office on Tuesday, and is expected to name a new Chief shortly.
Nearly 25 years ago, Isabella was in the headlines in Providence — for being indicted on two felony counts.
Charge of Misappropriation of Funds -- Followed by Plea
In May of 1998, Isabella was indicted on two felony counts of misappropriating funds from a Police Department account.
Richard Dujardin for The Providence Journal reported the following:
“Isabella, 35, of 10 Wood Driver Lane, West Greenwich, is accused of unlawfully withdrawing money from the Police Department's Bureau of Licenses for his own personal benefit by twice writing and cashing checks totaling $3,100 made out to ‘cash.’
Gregg Perry, a spokesman for the attorney general's office, said the indictments grew out of information obtained from the Providence Police Department's own internal-affairs unit, which started its own investigation into Isabella's check-cashing activities several weeks ago.
Isabella, who has been in the news frequently in the past two years as the officer in charge of the three-member unit that investigates bars and adult-entertainment establishments, is alleged to have cashed checks for himself on Feb. 14 and April 7 last year.
Although Isabella was found to have returned the money to the account before the internal-affairs panel completed its investigation, the panel nonetheless believed there was sufficient evidence of wrongdoing on Isabella's part to bring the case to the attorney general, according to Perry.”
In October 2018, Isabella pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges.
“Unlike most no-contest pleas, Isabella did not acknowledge that he did anything wrong,” reported Jonathan Rockoff for the Providence Journal. “As a result of the agreement, Isabella loses his sergeant's rank but not his job.”
Rockoff continued:
“Before Superior Court Judge Ronald R. Gagnon, Isabella pleaded no contest to two counts of misappropriating funds under $1,000. On each count, he received six months' probation.
Isabella waived the Bill of Rights hearing that police officers must receive when facing criminal accusations. And he lost his sergeant's rank, as well as half a patrolman's pay that he had lost since being suspended May 4.
But Isabella will receive the other half of his pay, and he can apply to become a sergeant the next time a position opens up. In addition, he did not have to admit in court that he did anything wrong, as normally happens.”
Isabella Responds
When reached on Thursday about being among the names being mentioned for Providence Police Chief, Isabella said he “didn’t know anything about it.”
“There’s a lot of rumors,” said Isabella.
“I haven’t been contacted about the position — I’m honored that anyone would consider me for [it],” said Isabella. “I’m happy of being the Chief in Seekonk. It’s been a great opportunity.”
When asked about the plea deal from 1998, Isabella said he had “no comment.”