A Key Player in the Patriarca Era Retires - Vespia Steps Down
Monday, October 17, 2016
In the early 1980s, Vespia, then a top State Police organized crime investigator, and Richard Tamburini of the Providence Police Department, arrested Raymond Patriarca — an event that led to the beginning on the demise of the New England Crime family.
Vespia, who had a storied career with the Rhode Island State Police and then served as Police Chief in South Kingstown, announced his retirement late last week.
“Vespia was a kick-ass cop who had grown up on the Hill, playing in the street with some of the wise guys he now pursued,” wrote Mike Stanton in The Prince of Providence.
“One night Vespia came crashing through the second-floor window of Willie Marfeo’s crap game on Federal Hill from the bucket of a cherry picker, waving a machine gun at two dozen stunned dice players," wrote Stanton.
"Vin Vespias energy and enthusiasm were contagious-----It was inspiring to watch him work. Patriaca and his crew knew to put their hands in the air. They were no match," said Tamburini, now the Police Chief in Johnston.
Should He Have Been Head of the State Police?
For many, Vespia should have headed the State Police after the retirement of Walter Stone, but the end of Stone’s career ended under the shadow of lawsuits relating to gender bias at the Department. Stone’s career was legendary — more than 55 years in law enforcement and more than 25 years heading the State Police.
Then-Governor Ed DiPrete went outside the agency and selected New York Trooper Edward Culhane instead of selecting Vespia.
“When I started working in the Organized Crime Unit I'd have the occasion to interview mobsters for information. Their terms and nomenclature aren't known to the average person and there would be only a few people who would be referred by one name only on both sides of aisle. Raymond, Gerard, Nicky, Junior and for the good guys, The Colonel and Vinny were a few of them. In an era when organized crime activity was giving Rhode Island a black eye, Vin Vespia was on the front line and served the state well," said Doherty.
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