About the Newport Police Department

NEWPORT, RI POLICE DEPARTMENT

The Newport Police Department is dedicated to working in partnership with the community to fight crime. We work to improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods. Through community policing, we want to be a reflection of the residents we serve. We aim to create a professional culture and inclusive environment that mirrors the best of all of us.

Full Time Sworn Personnel 81

Part Time Retired Officer Corps. Members 8

Civilian Staff 17

The Newport Police Department first began to organize in 1841, and continued to evolve into its present structure. The supervisory rank structure consists of a Chief of Police, 3 Captains, 7 Lieutenants and 14 Sergeants. Other positions include Uniform Patrol Officers, Investigators, Community Police Officers, non-sworn staff, and a Retired Officer Corps.

The following opportunities are available for Officers:

Bicycle Patrol, Special Response Team, Motorcycle Unit, Community Policing, Crime Scene Investigation, Traffic Enforcement, Firearms Training and Instructor opportunities, Active Shooter Hostile Environment Training and Instructor opportunities, Drone Operator and Honor Guard.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Newport Police Department is to provide excellence in police service through aggressive pursuit of violators of the law and the prevention of crime and disorderliness. This will be accomplished by forging a partnership with the citizenry of Newport to enhance the quality of life, reduce the fear of crime, preserve the peace, and impartially enforce the law, while maintaining a higher standard of integrity than is generally expected of others, and respecting the dignity of each individual. Our services will be rendered with courtesy, civility, and in adherence to the provisions of the Constitution of the United States.

About Our Community

In 1639 Newport was incorporated as a town, and in 1854 as a city. It is located at the southern end of Aquidneck Island in Narragansett Bay, and approximately 30 miles southeast of Providence, the state capital. Newport is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east and south, Narragansett Bay on the west, and by the Town of Middletown on the northeast. Newport is 11 square miles in size, consisting of 7.7 square miles of land and 3.3 square miles of inland water.

Newport’s resident population is approximately 26,000, and has a strong special event and tourism industry that swells the visitor population to approximately 3,000,000 annually.

As of the census of 2020, there were 25,163 people, 10,065 households, and 4,982 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 81.7% White, 7.8% African American, 1.5% Native American, 2.0% Asian, 0.4% Pacific Islander, and 4.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race made up 9.0% of the population.