EAST PROVIDENCE, RI—Mayor Bob DaSilva has announced Capt. Michael Rapoza has been promoted to Deputy Chief of the East Providence Police Department.
Captain Rapoza is a 20-year veteran of the department. Rapoza first joined the department in 2005 and was assigned to the patrol division, where he served as a patrol officer until being transferred to the Special Investigations Unit in 2014.
In 2017, Rapoza was promoted to the rank of sergeant and assigned to the Patrol Division, where he remained for two years until being transferred to the Professional Standards Unit, where he was tasked with conducting internal investigations into allegations of police misconduct. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in 2021, and in 2023 he was promoted again to captain.
Rapoza has also served as the Department’s Public Information Officer since 2022.
In addition to his various positions on the force, Rapoza also served on the Special Reaction Team (SRT) as both a member and leader.
Rapoza, received his Master in Public Administration from Johnson & Wales University and his Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Westfield State College. Rapoza has continued his education and training and has compiled a lengthy list of certifications and law enforcement related training.
“Captain Rapoza is a well-qualified candidate for Deputy Chief; he has firsthand experience in various divisions throughout the East Providence Police Department, ranging from investigative to internal affairs, to the highly specialized Special Reaction Team,” Mayor Bob DaSilva said. “His breadth of experience lends well to being a chief and or deputy chief, and with the recent retirement of Deputy Chief Barry Ramer, I am happy to announce Captain Rapoza as my choice to be Deputy Chief of the East Providence Police Department.”
Rapoza is currently enrolled in a 10-week program at the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) prestigious National Academy at Quantico. Graduates of the FBI National Academy programs represent all 50 states, 174 countries, and over 10,200 law enforcement agencies, and its members make up the highest 1% of all senior law enforcement in the world and are considered “The Best of the Best.”
To qualify for the program, they must be nominated by their agency head based upon demonstrated leadership qualities and will undergo undergraduate and/or graduate courses at the FBI Academy campus, offering a wide range of leadership and specialized training.
