But potential job cuts on the minds of many cops

By JOSEPH B. NADEAU

WOONSOCKET — The city’s financial dark clouds did not keep Police Chief Thomas Carey from looking to the future Friday night.

Carey promoted two police department veterans to leadership roles while also cautioning his department’s membership to be patient as the city and state seek solutions to the ongoing financial crisis.
Det. Sgt. Robert Moreau was sworn into the rank of lieutenant with the department and Patrolman William J. Coupe Jr. to the position of sergeant.
Both department members will assume leadership duties with the morning (overnight) uniform platoon as a result of their promotions. Moreau will oversee the entire shift’s operations and Coupe will serve as the platoon’s patrol supervisor.
The ceremony, held in historic Harris Hall, was attended by a large gathering of local police, former department members, and family and friends of the new lieutenant and sergeant.
Moreau will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of veteran Police Lt. Marc Turcotte at the end of last year. The department also lost veteran department juvenile detective John Donlon to an end of the year retirement, and Patrolman Earl Ledoux retired on Jan. 5.
Carey said he had great confidence both Lt. Moreau and Sgt. Coupe will meet the challenges of their new roles and provide the department with “great leadership,” on their shift.
Moreau and Coupe both maintain “optimistic views” of their work “and can find the best option in the worst situation,” he said.
They also know how to listen and that may be one of the most important aspects of leadership, he said.
“They have set a goal to lead others and I have great confidence that they will be able to do that,” he said.
Carey also told his department members to avoid making rushed judgments on the many budget fixes being weighed in local and state governments.
 “I know we are having some difficulty at this time but we are going to get this worked out together,” he said. Carey later noted that department members may be view proposals on health care and possible layoffs with concern about also pointed to the fact that none of those have been finalized thus far.
“There are a lot of ideas out there and a lot of suggestions, and it is just important that we work together to reach the best end possible,” he said.
Lt. Moreau is a lifelong resident of the city and is married to the former Carol Lafond. They have two children, Nicholas and Laura.
 Moreau has 23 years service with the department and most recently was a sergeant in the Detective Division and the prosecution division. He also served in community policing.
 He holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Roger Williams University and an associates degree in Law Enforcement from Dean College.
 Moreau has earned the department’s Distinguished Duty Award, Commendation Award, Unit Commendation Award, Good Conduct Award and a dozen merit awards.
Coupe joined the department 16 years ago after completing the Rhode Island Municipal Police Training Academy. He and his wife, Lisa, have two sons, Kyle 12, and Justin, 10.
He holds an associate degrees in Criminal Justice from the Community College of Rhode Island and has attended a number of programs and classes on police training and law enforcement.
Coupe is a member of the department’s Field Training Unit, the department’s Special Reaction Team, and the State of Rhode Island Weapons of Mass Destruction Team. He has also served on the Woonsocket Housing Authority Community Policing Unit and worked in the department’s Bureau of Criminal Identification office.
The promotion ceremony drew a number of the department’s former ranking officers including three who now hold the position of chief in Massachusetts communities.
Millville Police Chief Ronald Landry, a former Woonsocket Police Captain, commended Moreau for his appointment to the rank of Lieutenant.
“I worked with Bob for 10 years in the detective division and his promotion is well deserved,” Landry said. “He’s a great officer and he will do well as lieutenant,” Landry said.
Sterling Police Chief Gary Chamberland also praised Moreau’s promotion and said his time and experience on the job will give younger members of his platoon “someone to look up to.”
Couple was also qualified for his promotion and as sergeant will be in a position providing him with further experience in leadership, Chamberland said. “If you are young department member and have a good sergeant, that is who you go to when you have a problem,” he said.
Former Woonsocket Police Captain Normand Crepeau, now police chief in Grafton, said Carey had named two very good candidates to the department leadership roles and expected they would have much to offer in assisting the other officers on their shift.
 After they had been formerly sworn in to their new roles, Moreau and Coupe both offered thanks to Mayor Susan D. Menard and Chief Carey for promoting them to their new positions.
“I’m excited about the new job and I’m looking forward to bringing my experience to help you out on the morning platoon,” Moreau told his peers.
Coupe also voiced anticipation for the challenges ahead and said “I’m going to do the best job I can for the City of Woonsocket and its citizens.”