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WPD Chief Connor Retiring June 29

[CREDIT: Mayor Picozzi's Office] Warwick Police Chief Col. Brad Connor speaks following his swearing in as the RI Police Chiefs Association President.

[CREDIT: Mayor Picozzi's Office] Warwick Police Chief Col. Brad Connor speaks following his swearing in as the RI Police Chiefs Association President.
[CREDIT: Mayor Picozzi’s Office] WPD Chief Connor speaks following his swearing in as the RI Police Chiefs Association President in 2024.
WARWICK, RI — WPD Chief Brad Connor will retire June 29 after 27 years with the Warwick Police Department, Mayor Frank Picozzi announced on his Facebook page today.

Remarking that the announcement was “very difficult,” Picozzi praised Connor’s dedication and character while leading the department.

“Colonel Connor has led with unwavering integrity, strength, and a deep commitment to public service. His leadership has earned him the respect and admiration not only within our city, but throughout the law enforcement community across Rhode Island. As past President of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association, his influence and dedication have left a lasting mark on policing statewide,’ Picozzi wrote.

Connor started with the WPD in 1996, according to his LinkedIn profile. He served as Deputy Chief in 2019 when former Mayor Joseph J. Solomon appointed Rathbun Chief of Police. He briefly retired from the WPD while serving as Deputy Chief, taking a position as Director of Security at Women & Infants Hospital. In 2021, Picozzi named Connor WPD Chief the day before the Mayor himself was sworn in for his first term.

Connor held various roles in the Patrol, Detective, and Professional Standards Divisions, eventually becoming Commander of the Operations and Administrative Bureaus, and was a prominent face of WPD leadership during high profile incidents including the peaceful resolution of an evening report of shots fired on Gordon Avenue April 22, 2017 and the WPD investigation of a father for felony neglect of his child Feb. 22, 2017.

In 2023, he served as the Vice President of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association, and was named its president in 2024, a one-year term.

“Here in the city the Colonel was the one I turned to for opinions and advice. He is a born leader. We thank Colonel Connor for his decades of service, his steady leadership, and his commitment to the safety and well-being of our community. We wish him all the best in this next chapter,” Picozzi wrote.
Rob Borkowski
Author: Rob Borkowski

Rob has worked as reporter and editor for several publications, including The Kent County Daily Times and Coventry Courier, before working for Gatehouse in MA then moving home with Patch Media. Now he's publisher and editor of WarwickPost.com. Contact him at editor@warwickpost.com with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.

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