COVENTRY, RI – Modern police cars, radios, computers, and technology infrastructure are critical tools to help local police departments keep residents safe and communities secure during an emergency.

The Coventry Police Department is slated to receive $707,000 in federal funding secured by U.S. Senator Jack Reed and U.S. Representative Seth Magaziner (RI-02) to help the town enhance public safety and improve emergency response capabilities. 

The new $707,000 federal earmark from Reed and Magaziner will help improve Coventry’s emergency response capabilities by upgrading its fleet of police vehicles; outfitting police officers with new, state-of-the-art portable radios; and strengthening the department’s technology infrastructure.

“Our police officers go above and beyond to serve and protect our communities. They should have the best equipment available and this federal funding will provide them with new, specialized tools, technology, and resources like state-of-the-art radios and command vehicles,” said Senator Reed, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee. “I’m proud to join with Congressman Magaziner to help Coventry upgrade their gear and ensure police officers and first responders can safely, efficiently, and effectively respond to a range of situations and emergencies.”

“All Rhode Islanders deserve to live in safe communities, and that means providing local law enforcement with the equipment and resources to do their jobs,” said Representative Seth Magaziner. “Senator Reed and I have partnered up to deliver $707,000 in federal funding for much-needed equipment and vehicle upgrades for the Coventry Police Department, which will help improve response times and keep Rhode Islanders safe.”

Senator Reed and Representative Magaziner today joined town officials to discuss how the earmark will enhance Coventry PD’s ability to serve and protect the public.

“On behalf of Council President Lima, Police Chief Heise, and the residents of Coventry we thank Senator Reed and Congressman Magaziner for their leadership in securing these essential public safety funds,” said Coventry Town Manager Daniel Parrillo.  “Their support of our police department will help keep our officers safe on a daily basis with the portable radio upgrades and provide us the necessary equipment to respond to high profile critical situations when they occur. As we deal with tightening municipal budgets and the increased demands on our resources, we look forward to Coventry’s continued partnership with Senator Reed and Congressman Magaziner as we stay committed to the needs of our constituents.”

“Coventry is often thought of as predominantly rural and sleepy community. But with a population of just under 36,000 people, it’s now one of the largest in Rhode Island,” said Coventry Town Council President Hillary Lima.  “This makes the public safety funding secured by our federal delegation all the more critical as we continue to grow as a town to meet the needs of our community. We’re grateful for the support from Senator Reed and Congressman Magaziner to help make necessary investments in our police department.”

This federal funding was secured by Reed and Magaziner in the fiscal year 2024 appropriations package signed into law by President Biden earlier this month. Specifically, the funds will enable Coventry PD to:

  • Purchase 60 new portable radios for police officers, which will replace antiquated communications equipment that has limited range;
  • Acquire a new mobile command emergency response trailer and a pickup truck for transport and deployment in the event of a large-scale emergency that requires a command center on the ground;
  • Purchase two new command vehicles outfitted with lights and radio systems to replace vehicles that are more than a decade old;
  • Purchase and outfit a new, state-of-the-art K-9 vehicle to replace an outdated vehicle that requires routine maintenance, and;
  • Upgrade technology infrastructure and strengthen server capacity to ward off cyber-crimes and meet public safety standards.

Each day, the Coventry Police Department responds to approximately 100 calls throughout the town.

Reed and Magaziner included the federal funds in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 (also known as a 'minibus' appropriations bill), which passed through both the House and Senate last month and President Biden signed the measure into law on March 9, 2024 (Public Law No: 118-42).