Page 88 - 2020 A Year in Review

events throughout 2020, down from 41 in 2019. The Honor Guard attended the

wakes and funerals of five honored people. The Honored people were deceased family

members of officers, retired offices, officers of other departments and distinguished

members of the public.

The COVID pandemic cancelled the events usually attended by the Honor Guard. The

opening of the Little Leagues in the City was cancelled as was their seasons. The New

England Revolution and Patriots did not offer any events and the State’s parades were

all cancelled as well.

The Cranston Police Department’s 2020 Police Memorial at the station was also

cancelled as was the annual Blue Mass normally held at Saints Peter and Paul

Cathedral in Providence.

The Cranston Police Honor Guard has been active in many parades throughout the

state. The first of the parades are the Saint Patrick’s Day Parades. The team marched

in the Providence, Newport and West Warwick Saint Patrick’s Day Parades. The

Aquidneck Island Police Memorial Parade takes place in May and the Honor Guard

Team is joined by members of the Command Staff as well as many members of the

department. June brings the celebration of the burning of the HMS Gaspee. The

Gaspee Day Parade is a celebration in both Cranston and Warwick. The Saint Mary’s

Feast Parade and the Santa Maria D’Prata Feast Parade are the final two parades of

the season. Hopefully, we will be able to return to our traditional parade season for

2021.

The last contract between the City of Cranston and Local 301 of the IBPO allowed the

Colonel to choose new members to join the Cranston Honor Guard. These members

will be in addition to the members being added be seniority to make the unit whole.

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Cranston Police Department Year in Review 2020