RWU Media Room

Posted on: May 18, 2009; In: On Campus

It is undeniable that the economic downturn is deeply impacting Southeastern New England. As a response to this economic shift, the 8th Annual Women in Law Enforcement Seminar being held at Roger Williams University will focus on how this impact affects female law enforcement professionals and their agencies, as well as strategies to overcome stress and maintain financial health. In addition, two achievement awards for women in law enforcement will be presented at the Seminar. 

The 8th Annual Women in Law Enforcement Seminar: Rising to the Challenge of Today’s Uncertainties will be held Wednesday, May 27, and is aimed at women in the field of law enforcement but open to the general public with advance registration.  

At the Seminar luncheon, two women will be honored with awards of distinction. Sergeant Rita Ribeiro (ret.) will receive the Irene C. Monahan Historical Leadership Award for lifetime achievement – Ribeiro will be honored for the leadership she demonstrated during her 31 years of dedicated service to the New Bedford, Massachusetts, Police Department.  Since joining the Department in November 1978, Sergeant Ribeiro (ret.) has dedicated her service to those most vulnerable – children and victims of domestic violence. Sergeant Ribeiro (ret.) has long served as a champion for diversity initiatives within her organization as well as an extensive record of community service over the last three decades. 

Officer Joanne Alboum, serving the Patrol Division of the Middletown, R.I., Police Department, will receive the Excellence in Performance Award, which honors service and achievement in the last year. In her eighth year of service to the force, Officer Alboum will be recognized for her heroic performance while responding to the 2008 crash of a small plane that became engulfed in flames.

The Seminar will be held at the Roger Williams University Baypoint Inn and Conference Center located at 144 Anthony Road in Portsmouth, R.I. The cost for the seminar is $50.00, which includes materials and lunch. For more information or to register, contact Denise Owens, project coordinator, at (401) 254-3220 or Liz Campo, secretary to the School of Justice Studies, at (401) 254-3731. Additional information on the Seminar.

This event is sponsored by the Roger Williams University Justice System Training & Research Institute, the New England Association of Chiefs of Police, Inc., and the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives.

Members of the media are also encouraged to attend. For more information, contact Kathleen Lowe in University Communications at (401) 254-5206. 

About RWU: Roger Williams University is a leading independent, coeducational liberal arts university at which students live and learn to be global citizens. With 39 academic programs and an array of co-curricular activities on its Bristol, R.I., campus, RWU is committed to its mantra of learning to bridge the world. Under the leadership of President Roy J. Nirschel, Ph.D., the University has achieved unprecedented academic and financial successes. In 2008, U.S. News & World Report named RWU the eighth-ranked baccalaureate college in the north.