Narragansett Police Department Announces Retirement of Chief Sean Corrigan

NARRAGANSETT — The Narragansett Police Department would like to announce that Chief Sean Corrigan is retiring after a 28-year career in law enforcement. Chief Corrigan started with the Narragansett Police Department as a patrol officer in 1996 and rose to the rank of Chief in 2016. Chief Corrigan’s official last day will be Nov. 8.

The Town of Narragansett will be hosting a reception open to the community to celebrate Chief Corrigan’s career on Wednesday, Nov. 6 from 5-8 p.m. at the North Beach Clubhouse on 79 Boston Neck Road, Narragansett.

During his time at the helm of the department, Chief Corrigan worked with the members of the Narragansett Police Department (NPD) to institute multiple proactive enforcement measures to help solve, deter, and reduce crime across the Town’s neighborhoods. Under his leadership, the NPD created a drone program that gave the department the capability to provide an aerial visual perspective in responding to emergency situations and a Flock Security camera program to help solve crime through license plate recognition.

Chief Corrigan and the NPD expanded the department’s School Resource Officer (SRO) program by increasing the number of SROs from one to three, covering every public school in town.

The NPD developed and deployed a Body-Worn Cameras (BWC) program to more efficiently gather evidence, as well as promote transparency and accountability.

The NPD also instituted a Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) as part of developing a policy model based on effective mental health response. The NPD contributed to bringing in a mental health clinician who is currently shared with three other Washington County police departments. As a result, The Narragansett Police Department received and managed a Department of Justice grant of nearly $100,000 for the CIT program.

The NPD was named the Rhode Island Crisis Intervention Department of the Year in August 2024. The Narragansett Police Department’s mental health policy work has also earned recognition from the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) when it became the first department in the state to become “One Mind Campaign” compliant. This IACP distinction was earned after the department documented clearly defined community health partnerships, established a mental health response policy, certified over 20% of the department in CIT procedures, and certified all sworn members in mental health first aid as well as some key non-sworn members, such as dispatchers.

The de-escalation element of the CIT program has been integrated into the department’s use of force training curriculum.

The NPD developed a Narcan program where every sworn member carries the lifesaving medication, and leave-behind kits of Narcan are given to all overdose survivors by mental health clinicians. The NPD also volunteered to be one of the first communities to join the Rhode Island State Police HOPE Initiative, an outreach program for those suffering from opioid addiction.

Additionally, the department initiated, facilitated, and participated in a full-scale multi-agency Active Shooter Drill on the Town beach called “Operation Red Tide” in 2018. This was one of the largest active shooter exercises conducted in Rhode Island, with participation from multiple state agencies, including the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency, the Rhode Island Department of Health, and mutual aid law enforcement agencies. The NPD has established a training curriculum for mass casualty scenarios that includes periodic tabletop exercises and annual Force-on-Force training exercises at the town schools.

“It has been an extreme pleasure to serve the Narragansett Police Department for the last 28 years,” Chief Corrigan said. “I am profoundly grateful for the support I have received from all members of the police department, town employees, the Town Council, the citizens of Narragansett and our federal and state law enforcement partners. I would like to thank the department for their trust in my leadership, and I have no doubt that Capt. Kyle Rekas will continue the NPD legacy of absolute commitment to the community.”

Capt. Kyle Rekas will be Chief Corrigan’s successor and will be Chief as of 3 p.m. on Nov. 8.

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