Lieutenant Raymond J. Caniglia

     Lieutenant Raymond James Caniglia, (42), passed away on July 10, 1944, when he and another man were fatally injured when an kerosene drum exploded in the basement of a home on Cranston Street.  He was not on duty at the time.

     Lt. Caniglia was appointed a special officer in 1918, and was appointed to the regular force in 1922.  He was promoted to sergeant in August of 1939, and then to lieutenant on October 1, 1941. 

     He was survived by a wife and a son. 

     Rest in Peace.  

     Patrolman William J. Olausen joined the Cranston Police in 1938, but resigned when he enlisted in the U. S. Army on August 28, 1942 to serve in WWII.  He subsequently lost his life on May 25, 1944 in the service of his country while serving as a sergeant with the 612 Ordinance Div. in Manchester, England.  He was a member of the Doric Lodge of Masons, and St. Andrew Brotherhood at St. James Church.  He’s buried in All Saints Cemetery in Warwick.

Chief Nelson G. Bourret

     Chief of Police Nelson G. Bourret was born November 7, 1895, and was appointed to the CPD in 1917, but resigned shortly thereafter to join the army and serve his country during WWI.  He served in combat overseas.  When the war ended and he was discharged, he rejoined the department in 1919. He was promoted to sergeant on January 31, 1929, and then to Lieutenant in the 1930s.  Upon the death of Chief Miller in 1941, he was promoted Chief.  He served in that capacity until 1950.  He passed away on June 9, 1955, and is buried in Rehoboth Village Cemetery in Rehoboth, Massachusetts. 

     Rest in Peace. 

Ptl. Ernest C. Potter

     Patrolman Ernest Clinton Potter passed away in 1955 at the age of 55-56.  He’s buried in Oakland Cemetery in Cranston. 

     Rest in peace.

     Patrolman Willis King Yeaw, Jr., passed away on October 27, 1962 at the age of 68.  He was a U. S. Navy veteran of World War I.  He was a Cranston police officer as early as 1924. He’s buried in Highland Memorial Park in Johnston, R. I. 

     Rest in peace. 

     Captain Patrick J. McCarron joined the Cranston Police Department on May 16, 1924.  He was promoted to sergeant in 1941, to lieutenant in 1946, and to captain in 1950.  He passed away at the age of 63 on December 4, 1962, and is buried in St. Ann’s Cemetery. 

     Rest in peace.  

     Patrolman Clause Abramson was born in Yestergotland, Sweden, in 1876 and came to America when he was 19 and settled in Cranston where he had friends.  He was appointed a police constable in 1907, and when Cranston incorporated as a city in 1910 he was one of the original ten full-time patrolmen appointed to the newly established permanent force.  He spent most of his career patrolling the Edgewood neighborhood and was very beloved by the citizens there.  He retired from the CPD in 1956 after 49 years of service, and continued to serve in the capacity of a special officer, helping school cross the busy intersection of Broad and Norwood in Edgewood for several years, thus giving him the distinction of being Cranston’s longest serving police officer.  Ptl. Abramson passed away on November 27, 1965, at the age of 89. 

     Rest in peace. 

Capt. John Ryan

     Detective Captain John Ryan was born in Providence on February 7, 1903 and was appointed to the CPD on May 30, 1926.  He was promoted to Inspector in  September of 1944, and to captain in 1954 and commanded the detective division.  He retired from the Cranston PD in August of 1959 to take a position as the Chief of Police in East Greenwich.  He served as chief until his passing.   He passed away on December 13, 1969, and is buried in St. Ann’s Cemetery.  

Inspector Ryan – April, 1952