EAST PROVIDENCE — East Providence Police Chief Joseph Tavares has agreed to retire from his duties atop the department as of Aug. 31, 2014, multiple sources confirmed over the last several days.
A source told The Post the chief will leave his post as of July 1. He will remain on the job officially through Aug. 31 so as to complete five full years in the position.
Sources said the chief informed his command staff of the move mid-morning Tuesday, May 13. The chief followed up with a press release announcing the move at approximately 11:45 a.m.
At the conclusion of an interview conducted with The Post early Monday, May 12, on a separate topic, Chief Tavares declined to comment on his job status, saying he wasn’t “entertaining any of the rumors going around.”
The news brings to an end what will be the chief’s often disharmonious tenure, which just about from the outset was marred by strained relations between him and several of his charges. Acrimony has existed on both sides, the chief filing a hostile work environment complaint, the rank-and-filing issuing a “no confidence” vote.
All that rancor, now, is over.
Sources said a deal to bring Chief Tavares’ embattled stay at the EPPD to an end was brokered by Acting City Manager Paul Lemont and the City Council two weeks ago. Rumors about some sort of arrangement pertaining to the chief’s job status started almost immediately.
Chief Tavares has signed the necessary papers and they are in the possession of the proper city officials, sources confirmed, though no details of the retirement pact were revealed at this time.
In other words, it’s an irrevocably done deal.
Sources indicated Mr. Lemont would appoint an interim chief of police, effective as of July 2. When asked if current second-in-command Major Christopher Parella would once again be elevated to the top spot, the source declined to speculate.
Major Parella served as interim chief about a year ago this time after Chief Tavares was placed on administrative leave by former City Manager Peter Graczykowski. The then East Providence Budget Commission eventually reinstated the chief to the job and Major Parella returned to his previous role as well.
Both Chief Tavares and the East Providence IBPO Local 569, the union of city police officers, were expected to issue formal releases on the matter some time later today.