Walk with Cops gives thanks for successful season

CONTI’S CREW: Ann Marie Conti, who has been coordinating the JPD’s highly-successful Walk with Cops program for the past seven years, enjoys a lighter moment with her valuable vols who serve everything from coffee, pastry and goodwill during the mid-morning event. She’s backed by Capt. Richard Norato, John Teolis, Adeline Zanni and Patrol Officer Jeff Cicchitelli.

SPECIAL SUPPORTERS: Breein Ferry, a staffer at The Bridge at Cherry Hill and Transportation Specialist Tom Burns are all smiles after receiving a Certificate of Appreciation from Police Chief Richard S. Tamburini for their ongoing support and donations to the award-winning Walk with Cops program.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION: Walk with Cops friends Anthony Izzo, Debbie Simone, JSC Dietary Manager Brenda Martin and Loretta Simone enjoy a break from serving with their friends from The Bridge at Cherry Hill.

Posted Thursday, November 16, 2017 12:18 pm

By Pete Fontaine

It’s a time-honored tradition, and treasure, unlike any other in Johnston.

Ever since 1995 when he was sworn in as Chief, Richard S. Tamburini and the Johnston Police Department have been saying “Happy Thanksgiving” in a unique way.

It’s also an extension of an award-winning and model program Tamburini touts as being “highly-important for each and every senior citizen of Johnston” and is entitled Walk with Cops.

Walk with Cops is a fun-filled program that begins each spring inside Johnston War Memorial Park and meets every Thursday morning at 9:30 with Tamburini, the JPD Command and Officers welcoming senior citizens from the town’s manors and health-related residences for a continental-like breakfast and a walk about the park.

The program continues throughout the summer and doesn’t end until Santa Claus and his elves arrive inside the Johnston Senior Center, where last Thursday’s Walk with Cops Thanksgiving bash was held, in mid-December for the annual Christmas Party that Tamburini announced is set for Thursday, Dec. 14 at 9:30 p.m.

“Please come join us and have some fun,” Tamburini told a host of senior citizens from The Bridge at Cherry Hill, Cherry Hill Manor and other residences during last Thursday’s Walk with Cops event. “There will be coffee, pastry and raffles.”

The Hall of Fame JPD Chief, who has been in law enforcement for 52 years and counting, wanted it known that “our Walk with Cops keep us closely connected with our senior citizens who are often the eyes and ears for our police department. They are all important people and we want each and every resident to feel that way about the JPD.”

Although Walk with Cops is two-decades plus old, the program has scaled new heights in the past seven or eight years under the leadership of Rose Marie Conti, who works out of the JPD’s Community Policing Unit.

“I love this,” Conti said last Thursday morning while preparing a special cheese and cracker tray and working with four volunteers who help make Walk with Cops special every week. “The seniors love it, too.”

It doesn’t matter what the week’s theme or day is, every Walk with Cops features a different look. Take last Thursday’s event, for example. Bolstered by a Thanksgiving or Harvest look, Conti had special paper placemats, plates, napkins, colorful centerpieces and cups that were constantly filled by volunteer servers like Adeline Zanni, John Teolis, Debbie Simone and Loretta Simone.

“They did an awesome job, again,” Conti said of her valuable volunteers. “So did our officers like Capt. Richard Norato and Patrol Officer Jeffrey Cicchitelli who served everything from donuts to pastry to cookies and more to the morning attendees. Our Thanksgiving Party was a success again this year and everyone seemed to have a wonderful time.”

JPD Sgt. Luca Lancellotti and Officer Brook Ardito also took in the festivities that included Tamburini presenting Certificates of Appreciation to Cherry Hill Manor, The Bridge at Cherry Hill, Zanni, Teolis, the Simones, Briarcliffe Manor and volunteer Cami Corrente who was unable to attend.

“This was vintage Ann Marie,” several senior citizens who frequent the JSC said while watching Conti make sure everything went like clockwork. “The Walks (in the park) may have ended for now, but the Johnston Police never ever forget the senior citizens of this town.”

Conti, meanwhile, issued “A Healthy and Happy Thanksgiving to everyone” and thanked Brewed Awakening of 1577 Atwood Avenue, Dunkin Donuts at 39 Putnam Pike for the coffee and donuts and Cherry Hill Manor and The Bridge at Cherry Hill for their ongoing generous donations that help make Walk with Cops a highly-popular one-of-a-kind program in Rhode Island.