NEW: Acting Police Chief Takes Over in Providence

NEW: Acting Police Chief Takes Over in Providence

Deputy Chief Hugh Clements has taken the reins of the Providence Police Department while the city searches for a permanent replacement for former Chief Dean Esserman, whose resignation became effective at the end of last week.

A spokeswoman for Mayor Angel Taveras confirmed that Clements was serving as the acting police chief. A search for a new chief is expected to begin soon, but details about the search process were not available Monday afternoon.

Clements is a 26-year veteran of the department who was promoted to deputy chief in April.

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At the time of his promotion, he held the rank of major and oversaw the Uniform Division, the largest division in the Police Department. He has also served as the District Commander in District 5, which encompasses Olneyville, Hartford, and Silver Lake. He’s split most of his time in the department between the Patrol Bureau and the Investigative Division.

Clements resides in East Greenwich and was earning an annual salary of $101,674 before his promotion, city payroll records show.

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