Hugh T. Clements, Jr. graduated from Coventry High School in 1975 as a member of the last
class to graduate from the old high school on Foster Drive. During his time at CHS, Hugh was a good
athlete who played football, baseball, and basketball and was a member and treasurer of the
Lettermen’s Club.
Hugh was appointed to the Providence Police Department on May 5, 1985 as a night Patrol
Officer in the Uniform Division. He then went on to serve on the Neighborhood Response Team
Uniformed Task Force before being transferred to the Special Investigations Bureau, the
department's vice and drug unit. In 1990, Clements was promoted to Detectives where he worked in
the night squad. In 1992, Detective Clements was promoted to the rank of Sergeant where he spent
three years as a night Sergeant in Sub-District 1, South Providence. Sergeant Clements was then
transferred to the Detective Bureau where he served as the Squad 2 Sergeant, and spent the next
seven years supervising the investigations of all major crimes including murder, robbery, burglary,
firearms offenses and gang activity. In a squad that carried an extremely heavy caseload, he played
an active role in several major investigations during this time.
In 2002, Hugh was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and transferred to the midnight shift of
the Patrol Bureau. Lieutenant Clements was later assigned as District 5 Commander covering the
neighborhoods of Olneyville, Hartford, and Silver Lake. Consistent with the department philosophy
at this time, the true community police model was practiced with several creative and innovative
initiatives carried out in this particular district. He was transferred back to the Detective Bureau, and
in December 2005, he was promoted to Captain where he was responsible for all major crimes
operations in the Investigative Division.
In 2008, when promoted to Major he was assigned for one year as the Commander of the
Homeland Security Division, before being reassigned as the Commanding Officer of the Uniform
Division. He later served as Deputy Chief and was appointed as Acting Chief of Police in July 2011,
and on January 6, 2012, he was appointed as the 37th Chief of the Department and promoted to the
rank of Colonel.
Chief Clements received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from the University of Rhode
Island and a Bachelor of Science Degree in the Administration of Justice from Roger Williams
University. He holds a Master of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Boston University. He
attended many specialty schools throughout his career such as: The New York State Police Williams
Homicide School, The Illinois State Police Supervisor's School, ATF National Gang School in
California, and in 2005 he graduated from the Leadership RI Alpha11 Class and the Senior
Management Institute for Police put on by the Harvard Kennedy School at Boston University.
Chief Clements is the recipient of numerous commendations for excellent police work and
devotion to duty, including being recognized with the Chiefs Award 3 times. He has also received
recognition from several outside agencies to include: The FBI, the Attorney General's Office, ATF, as
well as other police agencies. Additionally, he also received several awards for his participation in a
RICO Latin King Investigation.
Chief Clements and his wife Donna of twenty-six years, have 2 daughters Kayleigh and Kourtney.