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RIAC Police Department

The Rhode Island Airport Corporation Police Department is a fully authorized, duly sworn, full service, law enforcement agency of the state of Rhode Island.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC) Police Department is to serve all passengers, visitors, and employees within our jurisdiction with respect, fairness, and compassion. We are committed to aviation safety and security, prevention of crime and the protection of life and property, the preservation of peace, order, and safety, the enforcement of local, state, and federal law, and federal security directives.

The Rhode Island Airport Corporation Police Department enforces local, state, and federal laws primarily at the Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport, the state’s only commercial air-carrier airport. The Patrol Division maintains a presence at the Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport. The Police Department also has enforcement authority on a statewide level with regard to aviation-related matters. Our post-9/11 duties include active anti- and counter-terrorism measures.

Investigative Unit

The Inspector’s office for the Police Department handles various responsibilities, including acting as the department Detective and Prosecution Officer. The Inspector also processes and follows up on all incidents and arrests that happen throughout the Rhode Island Airport Corporation. The Inspector also coordinates all departmental training and monitors compliance. You may reach Inspector David Shinskey at (401) 691-2494.

Dispatch Communication Center

The dispatch communication center provides radio communication to our police officers in the field, ARFF units, airport operations, and all other airport services. It operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This center also receives and handles thousands of calls a year pertaining to a wide variety of requests for information and assistance from the public, airport tenants, as well as other public safety agencies. You may reach the Dispatch Communications Center at (401) 691-2247.

If you were involved in an accident or incident while traveling through Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport and would like to request a copy of the report, please visit the Accountability and Transparency page.

If you would like to make a complaint, fill out the comments form. Completed forms should be mailed to the attention of the Chief of the Airport Police Department, 2000 Post Road, Warwick, RI 02886.

In cooperation with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the department has NEDCTP K-9 teams at the Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport that provide a valuable layer of security in accordance with TSA security plans. The K-9 teams also assist local, state, and federal agencies when requested.

The RIAC Police Department has dealt with several scams aimed at elderly travelers and residents. If you believe you or someone you know has been a victim, please contact the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Special Victims Unit for elder abuse, at https://riag.ri.gov/elder-abuse.

In 2020, the Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association (RIPCA) launched the Twenty for 2020 Campaign, a list of 20 promises to all Rhode Islanders from their police departments to redouble a statewide focus on training, transparency, communication and human rights. The Twenty for 2020 Campaign is a list of promises and commitments to open-book policies and procedures, better communication with the public, and further training on diversity, implicit biases, and procedural justice.

See the RIPCA website for more details, or review the documents below.

It is the policy of the Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC) Police Department to utilize body- worn camera (BWC) equipment to record and document specific categories of law enforcement interactions with the public, and to institute parameters governing the viewing, storage, and dissemination of the associated audio-visual recordings. 

This policy is in compliance with R.I. Gen. Laws§ 42-161-1 et. seq., the “Statewide Body-Worn Camera Program.”  Information regarding the RIAC Police Department BWC policy can be viewed at https://flyri.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/BWC-Policy-Signed-1.pdf

Contact Rhode Island Airport Corporation Police Department

Joseph Ottaviano – Chief of Police