Instructor Bio's
Gordon Graham
Gordon's law enforcement career began in 1973 when he was selected as a candidate for a major West Coast agency. He spent most of his first decade as a motorcycle officer in the Los Angeles area, where he played a key role in developing innovative programs. He helped design the first DUI task force, contributed to the Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) program, and served as an instructor in the initial Haz Mat program, alongside authoring numerous technical papers. After earning his degree, Gordon attended the University of Southern California's Institute of Safety and Systems Management. In 2002, he co-founded Lexipol, a company focused on standardizing policies, procedures, and training in public safety operations. His contributions to the field have been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from California POST in 2008, the Lifetime Dedication Award from the International Public Safety Leadership and Ethics Institute in 2015, and the James Oberstar Sentinel for Safety Award in 2018 for his extensive work in improving international aviation safety.
Hugh Clements
Hugh Clements has had a distinguished career in law enforcement, spending nearly 40 years with the Providence Police Department. He began as a Night Patrol Officer and progressively moved up the ranks, serving in the Special Investigations Bureau and the Detective Bureau. In July 2011, he was appointed Acting Chief and was subsequently promoted to Colonel, becoming the 37th Chief of the Department in 2012. In 2023, Clements transitioned to a new role as the Director of the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) within the Department of Justice. In this capacity, he focuses on enhancing community policing practices across various law enforcement agencies nationwide, providing valuable information and grant resources to support these efforts. His extensive experience in policing positions him well to lead initiatives that foster stronger community relationships and improve public safety.
Captain Joseph D. Tougas
Captain Joseph Tougas of the Central Falls Police Department holds two Master of Science degrees: one in Justice Administration from Anna Maria College and another in Homeland Security from Salve Regina University. He completed his undergraduate studies at Roger Williams University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. Currently, Captain Tougas serves as the Patrol Operations Commander for the Central Falls Police Department. Previously, he held the position of Accreditation Manager, where he focused on ensuring that the department met national standards for law enforcement practices. His educational background and professional experience reflect his commitment to enhancing public safety and operational effectiveness within the community.
Christine Crocker
Christine Crocker's extensive law enforcement background is a testament to her knowledge and expertise in the field. She served with the Cumberland, RI Police Department for 23 years, retiring as Captain. During her tenure with Cumberland, she oversaw the recruitment and selection of new officers, assisted with the department budget process, supervised the School Resource Officer program, and served as the department's Planning and Training Officer, securing millions of dollars in grant funding. As the Accreditation Manager, she led her department's quest to become nationally accredited in 2003. She ensured continued compliance through the agency's subsequent two reaccreditation assessments, demonstrating her strong leadership in this crucial area.
Christine was a member of the Board of Directors for the Blackstone Valley Advocacy Center for 20 years and served on the Rhode Island Chiefs of Police Association Advisory Board for the implementation of a strategic plan to address bias-based policing. She is past Vice President for RILETA (Rhode Island Law Enforcement Trainers Association). She has served on several Rhode Island Inter-local Risk Management Trust policy review and development committees.
She was a certified Assessor and Team Leader for CALEA, the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. As an assessor, she has conducted numerous on-site evaluations of agencies nationwide seeking accreditation. Additionally, Christine has consulted countless local agencies in grant writing, policy development, and risk management and has provided technical assistance to those agencies seeking national accreditation.
In October 2012, Christine was appointed Executive Director of the newly formed Rhode Island Police Accreditation Commission (RIPAC). In this role, she has demonstrated her strong leadership and ability to manage large-scale programs. She is responsible for developing and implementing a statewide accreditation program for law enforcement agencies in Rhode Island. Her duties include training members in the accreditation process and policy development, further showcasing her leadership skills.
Since 2004, Captain Crocker (Ret.) has been a dedicated instructor at Roger Williams University's Justice System Training & Research Institute. In this role, she imparts her knowledge on a variety of topics to law enforcement practitioners throughout New England, demonstrating her commitment to the professional development of the next generation of law enforcement professionals. Her role as an adjunct professor at Roger Williams University in the Justice Studies program, starting in 2014, further underscores her dedication to education and the development of future law enforcement leaders. Christine's most recent endeavor is teaching criminal justice courses at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections women's facility.
Christine holds a B.S. in criminal justice from Roger Williams University and an M.S. in Administration of Justice from Salve Regina University.
Bryan Palagi
Lieutenant Bryan Palagi has 13 years of law enforcement experience with the Tiverton Police Department and has served in a patrol capacity (including supervisor/shift commander) for the majority of his career. He has been responsible for his department’s Planning and Training Division since 2021 and oversees many department functions including accreditation. Lieutenant Palagi has served as an operator on the Newport Special Response Team since its inception in 2023.
Lieutenant Palagi is a state certified law enforcement instructor in Use of Force and has been part of the RIMPTA Use of Force Instructor Cadre for the majority of his career. Not only is he a lead instructor for the municipal academy responsible for the instruction of thousands of recruits from more than thirty agencies, Lieutenant Palagi has also been an instrumental part of establishing the UOF curriculum for the state of Rhode Island. For the past 2 years, he has served as the head of the Use of Force Cadre.
At the department level, he has served as a Use of Force instructor and lead instructor for the majority of his career. He is also part of the Tiverton Police Department’s UOF Investigation and Analysis Team. Additionally, he has assisted with the investigations conducted by other Rhode Island agencies. Lieutenant Palagi is the founder of Rhode Island’s first department-funded Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu program which has been employed by the Tiverton Police Department for over 2 ½ years.
He is the recipient of both a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and a Master’s Degree in Justice Studies from Roger Williams University. He is an avid weight trainer and martial artist. Along with training in Judo and American Kickboxing, Lieutenant Palagi has devoted much of his free time to training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for over a decade and earned the rank of BJJ black belt in 2021.
Lieutenant Palagi has been involved with L.O.C.K.U.P. Police Training Systems as a certified instructor since 2013. In 2022, he was hand-picked by Lieutenant Kevin F. Dillon (Retired) to join the L.O.C.K.U.P. team and has traveled the country instructing in L.O.C.K.U.P. Edged Weapon – Ground Control as well as L.O.C.K.U.P. Arrest and Control training courses.
Percy Smith
Percy Smith is an experienced police officer with 19 years of service in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. For the last eight years, he has worked in the Planning and Training Division, where he serves as an instructor in various essential law enforcement skills, including police combatives, verbal de-escalation, firearms, and Taser use. Smith has been a lead instructor at the Rhode Island Municipal Police Academy since 2011, specializing in police combatives.
Additionally, he works with LOCKUP Training International, traveling across the country to certify new instructors in police combatives programs. His credentials include a LOCKUP Master Instructor certification, a first-degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and a black belt in Kenpo Jiu Jitsu, highlighting his extensive expertise in martial arts and law enforcement training.
Paul Dutra, JD, MS, AIC
Paul retired from the Warwick, Rhode Island Police Department as an Inspector in 2001 after serving for 21 years. In his last eight years with the Warwick Police, Paul served as legal counsel. In that role he was responsible for prosecuting criminal matters and providing legal advice on both criminal and civil liability matters. He was also involved in police risk management efforts as well as policy development and implementation.
After retiring from the Warwick Police Department, Paul served with the Rhode Island Attorney General’s office as a criminal prosecutor.
Paul separated from the Attorney General’s office in 2002 to take a position as a law enforcement liability specialist with The Rhode Island Interlocal Risk Management Trust which provides insurance and risk management services to most of the municipalities in the State of Rhode Island. There he currently serves as the Property/Liability Claims Manager and oversees an inventory of complex public safety claims.
Paul taught in the Law Enforcement Program at the Community College of Rhode Island for 20 years, has lectured at Salve Regina College, and since 2010 at Roger Williams University. Paul continues to be involved in law enforcement risk management training, policy review, and serves on advisory committees addressing law enforcement risk management and civil liability issues.
In addition to a law degree, Paul holds a master’s degree in the Administration of Justice.