Johnston, Meet your New Major

The next time you see Joseph Razza, be sure to remember the 15-year veteran of the Johnston Police Department's new title: Major.

Razza was recently promoted to the rank of Major at a brief ceremony at the Johnston Senior Center, surrounded by family, friends and fellow members of the force.

The tall, mild-mannered cop was lauded by his boss, Chief Richard S. Tamburini, who said he nearly lost his clam bake and lobster dinner privileges at former Jamestown Police Chief Thomas P. Tighe's house when Razza was recruited from Jamestown to work in Johnston in 1998.

"We still don't speak," Tamburini joked. "Did I make the right choice?"

Over the years, Razza has "impressed both his peers and supervisors with his diligence and competence," both in managing departmental operations and his efforts to master running in a 10-K race.

"You see him running on Atwood Avenue with his cute shorts," Tamburini ribbed.

All kidding aside, Razza has risen the ranks over the years thanks to savvy, maturity and hard work.

"Every challenge I throw at him is a vote of confidence," Tamburini said.

A lifelong Johnstonian, Razza graduated from Johnston High School in 1987 and was an all state football player. He entered the Johnston Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011.

In 1995, he was hired by Jamestown and spearheaded that town's neighborhood crime watch and community policing programs. In three short years, Razza made about 100 DUI arrests and even negotiated a despondent woman off the rails of the Jamestown Bridge, saving her life.

After coming to Johnston, Razza quickly became a Certified Field Training Officer and  in 2006, he was promoted to sergent. In 2010, he was promoted to watch commander for all shifts and has also served as an assistant traffic and special services commander, which puts him in touch with residents regularly.

In 18 years as a police officer, Razza has raked in the awards. He has two departmental ribbons, a mayor's medal for arresting a breaking and entering suspect with a stolen handgun and a Town Council medal for saving a choking victim's life.

"He has a keen sense of proactive policing," Tamburini said, noting he has recovered four stolen handguns, made numerous drug arrests and once led police to the seizure of five pounds of marijuana.

Currently, Razza is assigned to the administration division and oversees all administrative and training duties for the department. He also serves as the department's internal affairs investigator and the assistant EMA director.

He has an associates in business administration and an associates in administration of justice and is expected to graduate from Roger Williams University in the spring with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice with a minor in psychology.

"This is a great day for the town," said Mayor Joseph Polisena, recalling his first meeting with Razza. 

Polisena was heading to court to sue Rhode Island Resource Recovery and asked the chief for a strong police officer to accompany him.

Razza, who was there to make sure the mayor's car didn't get towed — apparently caught the eye of a female reporter at the courthouse who told the mayor that "you have a good looking police officer here."

Razza, a happily married man, handled the situation professionally, Polisena said — a signal to him that this was one honest and virtuous cop.

"I've said it 100,000 times — there is a special place in my heart for the Johnston Police Department," Polisena said. "The men and women are truly special and this is one of the finest departments, not only in Rhode Island, but in the state with the cadre of officers we have."