Providence patrolwoman accused of using racial slur retires

PROVIDENCE — A Providence patrolwoman retired Friday, weeks after being accused of using a racial slur outside Municipal Court.

Public Safety Commissioner Steven M. Paré confirmed the retirement of Officer Rhonda Kessler, a 30-year veteran of the Police Department.

Kessler had been suspended with pay for the last two weeks and under investigation by internal affairs after complaints that she made a racist remark as she left Municipal Court.

"I will deny these allegations until the day I die," Kessler told a Journal reporter Friday.

She said that she'd been at Municipal Court because she'd given a ticket to a young black man. She said he gave her a story she didn't believe, but decided to give him a break. "He was a young man with a chip on his shoulder," Kessler said. "I wanted to change his mind about police officers in the world."

She said she didn't know where the allegations came from and vehemently denied saying anything racist. "I don't see color," Kessler said.

Kessler said she'd been considering retirement before the complaint and decided to leave after discussions with a lawyer and advice coming from "every direction." She said the allegations "were not verified" and that the internal investigation had not been concluded, but decided against fighting for her job at a Bill of Rights hearing.

The Police Department issued a statement Friday afternoon: "Allegations were made against an officer of this department concerning the utterance of offensive language. The officer steadfastly denies any such conduct. An investigation into the allegations was initiated and had not been concluded and no final determination was made. This officer, having reached 30 years of service with the department was planning on retiring at the end of the current contract year (June 30, 2019). All parties, desirous of avoiding the expense and uncertainties relating to litigation under the Law Enforcement Officers' Bill of Rights, have agreed that the officer will instead retire now and the City will accept her retirement.”

Kessler was stung by the way her career ended. "I just want to be put in a better light," Kessler said. "I've made the department look better every time. I love the job. I absolutely love this job."

The day after The Journal reported the investigation, the Providence police union executive board emailed its members about a concern about “people coming forward with false and misleading accusations against officers.

“We can’t stress enough to you, please be aware of your surroundings when acting or speaking in areas open to the public, even within the confines of our own building. We don’t live in a time where officers are respected or given the benefit of the doubt by some in the public and within the city administration,” the union wrote.

President Michael Imondi denied that the email was connected to the accusations against Kessler.

Kessler had been disciplined publicly more than a decade ago. She was one of the first officers punished as a result of the promotions cheating scandal that rocked the department at the time. Kessler, who was a sergeant, was suspended without pay and demoted to patrol officer on nine administrative charges for lying under oath about a supervisor offering to help her cheat. The mayor and police chief at the time wanted her fired.

Kessler said Friday that she was "railroaded" by that investigation. "It was completely unfair," she said. "I took the heat. I'm the one that got in trouble for that."

She defended her reputation. As a patrolwoman in District 6, she said, she attended all of the holiday gatherings in the community. She "adopted" George J. West Elementary School and gave the principal her personal cell phone number. She also raised money for charities, including $3,500 for the Gloria Gemma Foundation to benefit breast cancer survivors.

"It didn't matter how much I did for the Police Department. It just didn't matter," Kessler said. "I was 'Rhonda the cop.' I loved who I was. Now, I'll be 'Rhonda the retired cop.'"