Brown University News Bureau

The Brown University News Bureau

1996-1997 index

Distributed December 30, 1996
Contact: Mark Nickel

Paul Verrecchia named chief of Police and Security Services at Brown

Paul V. Verrecchia, a 21-year veteran of the Providence Police Department, has been named chief of Police and Security Services at Brown University, succeeding Dennis L. Boucher.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Maj. Paul V. Verrecchia, a 21-year veteran of the Providence Police Department, has been named chief of Police and Security Services at Brown University. Verrecchia succeeds Chief Dennis L. Boucher, who announced his resignation last July to move with his family to Catawba County, North Carolina. Boucher agreed to remain at Brown while the University conducted its search for his successor.

"The search for a new chief was careful and extensive and identified many excellent candidates," said Walter Holmes, vice president for administration. "I'm extremely pleased that we were able to find in Paul Verrecchia an individual with the breadth of experience and depth of character appropriate for a post so critical to the life and well-being of the Brown community."

As head of Brown's Department of Police and Security Services, Verrecchia will direct the activities of 25 sworn police officers, 20 security officers, 10 building guards, nine communications control officers, four parking personnel and six support staff. Brown's 25 police officers are licensed by the Rhode Island State Police and have full police authority, including the power of arrest. The department reports to the vice president for administration and works closely with the Office of the Dean of Student Life.

Verrecchia joined the Providence Police Department in 1975 as a patrolman assigned to South Providence, and later to the Olneyville and Federal Hill areas. He was promoted to sergeant in April 1985.

After three years' experience in personnel and labor relations, Verrecchia was promoted to lieutenant (December 1988) and took command of the neighborhood services unit. With investigation of bias-related crimes among his duties, he instituted interpreter programs for non-English speaking residents and established department policy for investigations where the victim cannot speak English. Since 1985, Verrecchia also has been a cultural diversity educator in the police training bureau. He designed a cultural diversity education program built around role-playing, discussions with community leaders and minority police officers, and community service.

He was promoted to captain (January 1995) and then to major (October 1995), which brought an assignment as director of patrol and traffic services, with authority over 230 sworn officers and 125 civilian employees. He currently holds the rank of major and is the chief administrative officer, staff division, overseeing a budget of $25.6 million and managing a broad range of duties from planning and policy to labor relations to information systems and evidence storage.

Verrecchia will begin his duties at Brown University January 20.

######
96-059