Report Inappropriate Comments

Not that I need to, but once again the lies from certain city employees are completely dis-proven, but feel free to keep trying.

Major Michael Gilbert

Operations Bureau Commander

Warwick Police Department

401-468-4228

Michael.gilbert@warwickri.com

From: Rob Cote

Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2019 1:32 PM

To: Police - Major Gilbert Michael

Cc: Ward 2 Outside

Subject: from rob cote

Mike,

Per our conversation today I am submitting this narrative to you.

On December 17, 2018 my nephew contacted the Warwick Police and requested that animal control respond to our home located at 74 Janet Ct. due to a large skunk that was captured in a Havaheart trap. This animal had been on the property causing damage for a couple of weeks before being captured.

When animal control arrived (Eric Brewster) he told me that the city could not remove the animal. We had a conversation pertaining to the fact that I had contacted DEM on several occasions because of the rodent problem and that on one occasion a representative from DEM arrived to review my property and to speak to the neighbor that was spreading seed attracting the rodents. The conversation continued and the animal control officer brought up the subject of euthanization of pests. He explained to me that an individual in the Lakewood or Norwood area had devised a method that utilized exhaust from a car to put the animal to sleep humanely. He then asked me if I had a garbage bag, which I brought to him from my garage.

He then took the garbage bag and placed the trap into the bag and placed the bag next to the exhaust of my truck. After approximately 10 minutes had past, my nephew came out of the house and saw the activity and began screaming and was visibly upset. At this point the animal control officer told me that he would take the skunk and release it back into the wild. I was thankful that he had resolved the situation in a manner that was acceptable to me. During this interaction the animal control officer was gentleman and was professional. He returned my Havaheart trap about an hour later and informed me that he released the animal in the woods near Industrial Drive. I thanked him and we both went our separate ways.

Subsequent to this interaction I was asked to speak at a council meeting due to the existing rodent issues in and around my property. I spoke to the issues at hand for the purpose of questioning the disparity of regulations between DEM and Warwick Animal Control and how this disparity has impacted my property.

Unfortunately, my words were misinterpreted and wrongfully represented to be something other than the point that I was making on behalf of the city council resolution. The result was an incorrect news article which portrayed something other that the facts, and comments made by several individuals that were less than accurate. In particular, I take exception to the remarks made by Col. Rathbun in the Providence Journal on 3/14/19 stating that my comments were inconsistent. My comments have been completely consistent with each person that I have spoken to.

In particular, the video that has been presented by WPRI Ch12 was cut and edited to misdirect my actual words. Also in that “news article” were statements made that I lacked the proper license to trap animals on my property. This is incorrect as no license is needed to trap rodents. The words used in the headline of “trapping and gassing” were also never used by me and in fact used by another resident who testified. The information that was used for this news article was not vetted properly and was cause for multiple means of harassment that I have suffered.

Mr. Brandon Ingegneri of the Warwick Fire Dept. publicly stated on the WPRI web site that I have multiple drug charges that have been expunged. I want this department and others to know that not only did I ever have any drug charges leveled against me, that I also have never been convicted of any crime. However, I have been the subject of harassment by Warwick City workers including the Warwick Fire Dept. for an extensive period of time which continues to go unresolved. Recently, Warwick DPW worker Cameron Whittaker released my address and private phone number on social media. I immediately began getting harassing phone calls. Unfortunately, I have been told by the city that his activities are free speech.

I have spoken to DEM officers about this issue and as of this date there is not a criminal investigation into this matter. I did interact with officers Bergemann and Ethier pertaining to regulations on relocating animals. The matter is over.

Please submit these comments for the record.

Rob Cote

3/14/19