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URI Public Safety Department honors officers, employees for outstanding service

Officer Shawn Richards is honored with the Life Saving Medal

PUBLIC SAFETY EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR: Mary Beth Boettger, second from left, proudly displays her Public Safety Employee of the Year Award, with from left, Deputy Police Chief Paul Ricci, Cody Ochs coordinator of Transportation and Parking, and Police Chief Michael Jagoda, also director of public safety. (URI photos/Michael Salerno)

KINGSTON, R.I. – Feb. 21, 2023 – The University of Rhode Island Department of Public Safety recognized the accomplishments and contributions of its staff during its recent Awards, Recognition and Swearing In Ceremony, held recently at the Higgins Welcome Center.

Michael Jagoda, chief of police and director of public safety, delivered the opening remarks and presented the awards for the Life Saving Medal, the Medal for Outstanding Service, and for the dispatcher, officer, and public safety employee of the year. Jagoda also swore in seven new officers and recognized 17 new employees at the ceremony.

EXCELLENCE IN PUBLIC SAFETY: University of Rhode Island officials join honorees, newly sworn in members of the URI Police Department and newly hired employees during the URI Department of Public Safety Awards Ceremony.

“I would like to congratulate all the award recipients for their accomplishments,” Jagoda said. “I continue to be impressed by the dedication and commitment that all of our co-workers put forth daily. I sincerely appreciate their hard work throughout the year and want to commend them for their efforts to serve the URI community effectively and efficiently.  Their efforts make our campus a safer place to live, work, and learn in.

“As public servants, they have shown a true commitment to our community and their efforts and hard work are moving our department forward in providing the best delivery of public safety services for all community members. I also know that it is not always easy to meet every challenge we face, however, they are making a positive difference every day.”

Officer Shawn Richards received the Life Saving Medal for his quick thinking in a life-or-death situation. Richards has been with the URI Police Department for over 20 years and is currently working on the Providence Campus.

Last February, Richards responded to an emergency call regarding a sleeping man in the roadway on Clemence Street. A friend of the man told Campus Patrol Person Roland Benoit that he had been “high on heroin and meth” and had been awake for eight days straight. Richards noted a syringe near the man and his breathing was shallow. In response, Richards made the decision to administer the man one dose of Narcan. Thanks to Richards’ quick thinking, the individual regained consciousness minutes later and was convinced to go to the hospital for treatment. 

Transportation and Parking Information Aide Mary Beth Boettger of South Kingstown was named Public Safety Employee of The Year for her outstanding customer service skills and professionalism. She works hard to coordinate daily transportation and parking operations. She cheerfully updates community members with information and important changes in parking and traffic flow. A key team member for more than five years, Boettger was honored for her exceptional work ethic and rapport with students, faculty, and staff. She has been active on the office’s social media platforms and has worked hard to improve the efficiency of operations. 

Six officers awarded Medal for Outstanding Service

Police Capt. Michael Chalek and Sgt. Michael Flanagan received the Medal for Outstanding Service for their work on a sexual assault case at URI’s Narragansett Bay Campus. Chalek has been a police officer in Rhode Island for 44 years and has worked for the URI Police Department for over 17 years. Flanagan serves as the URI Police Department’s range officer, TASER administrator, and active shooter training instructor. Prior to working at URI, he was a sergeant with the Coventry Police Department. Using their experiential knowledge and training, the two officers worked with the Narragansett Police Department, South County Hospital, and the Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General to develop evidence for the case. After working tirelessly on the investigation for more than five years, the case was finally brought to a close and the perpetrator was found guilty thanks to their dedication. 

Sgt. Erica Vieria, Cpl. Paul Hanrahan, Campus Preparedness Planner Brittany Moreira, and Fire and Life Safety Technician David Cavallaro were also recognized with the Medal for Outstanding Service.

The department also honored three public safety staff members.

Dispatcher Justin Dubios received the award for Dispatcher of The Year. He is described as efficient and always willing to go above and beyond to ensure the campus community with the best service. 

Larry Silvestri received the award for Officer of The Year for his ongoing traffic safety efforts. Silvestri has been with URI for three years, coming to URI with more than 20 years of experience with the Westerly Police Department. Silvestri patrols the campus to ensure that motorists, cyclists and pedestrians obey traffic laws. 

Deputy Chief Paul Ricci and Lieutenant Bruce Atwell were recognized and sworn in at the ceremony. 

Ricci has been with the URI Police Department since 2013. He previously served 21 years with the North Providence Police Department, where he served as deputy chief and retired at the rank of captain. In this role, he focused on community policing initiatives throughout Rhode Island. Currently, “he provides strategic and operational oversight of sworn police, security, and dispatch operations for URI,” Jagoda said. 

Atwell was also sworn in at the ceremony. Following his 25-year career with the East Providence Police Department, Atwell was hired at URI in 2018. He was promoted to lieutenant in January 2022 and works as a day-shift patrol commander. In addition, he is the evidence control officer for all URI campuses.

Morgan Maleonskie, an intern in URI’s Office of Marketing and Communications, wrote this press release.