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December 19, 2007

Former chief Prignano's says he's 'ashamed'

PROVIDENCE – Former police chief Urbano Prignano Jr. told a radio talk show host that he was ashamed of having helped subordinate officers cheat on promotion tests.

A transcript of his April interview with WPRO’s Dan Yorke was read into the record at the Providence retirement board's meeting this morning, the last day of its evidentiary hearing concerning Prignano’s pension.

“What I did was inappropriate,” Prignano tells Yorke. “I’m ashamed of it … I (was) ashamed the day I did it … I’ve been regretting it for years.”

The board has voted to consider reducing or revoking Prignano’s pension under an ordinance that requires “honorable service” as a prerequisite to receiving a pension.

Prignano has testified in different forums, under oath and otherwise, that he had helped subordinate police officers cheat on promotional tests.

The audio recording was one of the last documents entered into the hearing record by Vincent F. Ragosta, Jr., the lawyer overseeing the hearings.

Prignano, who retired in January 2001, has been receiving an annual pension of $64,620. Ragosta said he will complete a findings report by the end of January.

-- with reports from Journal staff writer Gregory Smith

Posted by Brandie Jefferson  at 2:27 PM | Permalink

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J.C. | December 19, 2007 2:58 PM link

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