Foster PD - Roll Call

Chief Robert E. Coyne, Jr. was appointed as Chief of the Foster Police Department on October 28, 2005. He was formerly Deputy Chief of the Smithfield Police Department where he began his Law Enforcement career as a reserve officer, then was appointed as a full time officer in July of 1980. During his career in Smithfield he served as the Department’s Uniform Commander, overseeing the Uniform and Detective Divisions, and the Incident Commander. He was in charge of Internal Affairs where he was responsible for maintaining the professionalism and integrity of all officers and civilian personnel. Chief Coyne has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Roger Williams University, and a Master of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Anna Maria College. He is a 2001 graduate of the F.B.I.. National Academy. He is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Sexual Assault and Trauma Resource Center, and was formerly Vice-Chairman of the RI Justice Commission Curriculum Committee on Domestic Violence. He has also served as a member of the RI Attorney General’s Task Force on Domestic Violence. He is presently a member of the RI Association of Chiefs of Police. Since his appointment as Foster’s Chief of Police, he has initiated an annual, mandatory forty hour training requirement for all sworn officers, has secured grant funding and upgraded the Communications Center, and added security measures to the building. He has introduced a Citizens’ Police Academy, and has piloted the Department Web Site. During his tenure as Chief of Police, he hopes to continue to serve the citizens of Foster utilizing a pro-active and community oriented approach.

Captain Eric Rollinson, second in command, is a 21 year veteran of the Foster Police Department having graduated from the RI Municipal Police Academy in June, 1988. He was promoted to Sergeant in December, 2003, then to Lieutenant in February, 2005. He attained the rank of Captain in July, 2006. He is the department’s Prosecution Officer. Captain Rollinson served as the Department’s canine officer, was a member of the DEA Marijuana Eradication Task Force, and is a certified crime scene investigator. He is currently earning his bachelor's degree in criminal justice at Roger Williams University. He has played an active role in youth sports programs. Captain Rollinson recently attended the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar for Administrative Officers. He is married and has three children.

On September 12, 2008, Captain Rollinson graduated from the 234th session of the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. The FBI Academy is an intensive ten week course of instruction focusing on legal issues, evidence gathering and preservation, interviewing techniques, narcotics investigation and prosecution and a host of state of the art law enforcement resources and practices.

Lt. Robert Bolger is a graduate of the RI Municipal Police Academy and joined the Foster Police Department in July 1995. He was promoted to Sergeant in February, 2005 and to the rank of Lieutenant on January 24, 2008. He is the department’s Firearms Instructor, Domestic Violence Officer, and Physical Fitness Specialist. He routinely assists the Rhode Island Municipal Police Academy with the physical fitness assessment testing for police recruits. Lt. Bolger has received training in Managing Juvenile Services, Accident Reconstruction, Amber Alert Program, and Terrorism Awareness. Prior to joining the department, he served in the US Army, initially enlisted in the RI National Guard, and entered into the ROTC program at college. He was commissioned as a 2^nd Lieutenant in the Us Army Military Police Corp. He graduated from the US Army Airborne School, continuing his military service in the US Army, and US Army Reserve. He received an honorable discharge with the rank of 1^st Lieutenant. Lt Bolger is a graduate of Florida Southern College where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. He is married with a son and daughter.

Lieutenant William Ziehl, a graduate of the RI Municipal Police Academy has been a member of the Foster Police Department since 1995. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 2005 and to the rank of Lieutenant in February 2009. Lt. Ziehl is the department’s Training Officer and Field Training Officer. He is also the liaison to the Department of Elderly Affairs and the Special Olympics Torch Run Coordinator. Prior to joining the Foster Police Department, he served in the US Coast Guard and the US Air Force. He was stationed in Texas, Turkey, Nebraska, and Arkansas from which he was deployed to Panama in support of Operation Just Cause. He also served in New Mexico where he supervised a military police unit. After serving in the military for nine years, he was honorably discharged as a Staff Sergeant. Lt. Ziehl has served as a DARE Officer and has received training as a Defensive Tactics/Use of Force Instructor, and an investigator of computer based crimes. Sgt Ziehl is a coordinator of the Foster Police Department’s Annual Toy Drive, and has played an active role in youth sports programs. He is married and has one teenaged child.

Patrol Officer Adam Arico is a 1999 graduate of Ponaganset High School, where he was an honor roll student, and received varsity letters in football and basketball. He graduated from Community College of Rhode Island in 2005 with an Associates degree in Law Enforcement and is currently earning a Bachelor’s degree at Rhode Island College. Patrolman Arico graduated from the Rhode Island Municipal Police Academy in 2006 and joined the Foster Police Department in December 2006. In January 2008, he completed an intensive two-week certification course conducted by the National D.A.R.E. Officers Association. Patrolman Arico looks forward to a productive and challenging career with the Foster Police Department.

Patrol Officer Mario Mennella is a 1989 graduate of Johnston High School where he was all-state in baseball and football. He graduated from the Community College of Rhode Island in 1993 with an Associates degree in Law Enforcement. Patrolman Mennella is a 3^rd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. He graduated from the Rhode Island Municipal Police Academy in 2006 where he was the recipient of the Fitness Award, finishing first in an Academy class of 46. Patrolman Mennella joined the Foster Police Department in December of 2006. He is currently working on certification for a Law Enforcement Physical Fitness Instructor.

Patrol Officer John W. Forrest is a 1988 graduate of Johnston High School where he was an all division basketball player and an avid golfer. He presently attends the Community College of Rhode Island seeking an associate's degree in Law Enforcement/Criminal Justice. Patrolman Forrest had previously served for seventeen years with the Rhode Island Department of Corrections in the High Security unit and the John Moran Medium Security facility. He graduated from the Rhode Island Municipal Police Academy in November 2007 where he was the recipient of the Ray "Bud" Shannon award for outstanding leadership. Ptlm Forrest looks forward to his new and challenging career with the Foster Police Department.