Mayor Allan Fung announces new police chief in Cranston

CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI) – Cranston Mayor Allan Fung on Thursday named the officer who is second in command of the Rhode Island State Police as his choice for police chief.

If the City Council gives its approval, the man currently second-in-command at the Rhode Island State Police will become Cranston’s new police chief.

“I am proud to introduce today the next police chief of the great city of Cranston, Lt. Col. Michael Winquist from the Rhode State Police,” Fung said.   Lt. Col. Michael Winquist, a 24-year veteran of the force said he’ll be a visible and approachable chief.

«My goal is to continue to unify the rank and file of this police department. Division only weakens the agency as a while. You have my promise that every member of the Cranston Police Department will be treated fairly and with respect,» he said.

“I look forward to bringing the lessons I learned at the state police over to the Cranston Police Department,” said Winquist. “But I want to be clear, this department is going to have its own autonomy. It’s not going to be an extension of the Rhode Island State Police.”.

«Today marks a brighter future for the men and women of the Cranston Police Department with a leader who will uphold the guiding principles of law enforcement,» Fung said.

The department has had an acting chief since January. Former Chief Marco Palombo was placed on paid administrative leave in January , then retried, amid a ticket-writing scandal in which officers allegedly targeted cars in the districts of two city councilors who had voted against a police contract.