Senator Todd M. Patalano

Secretary, Senate Committee on Labor & Gaming
Member, Senate Committee on Judiciary

Todd Patalano is a Democrat representing District 26 (Cranston) in the Rhode Island Senate.

Sen. Patalano has a distinguished professional public service record. He was elected to the Senate in November 2024 on a public safety platform focused on safe neighborhoods and maintaining a high quality of life.

As a lifelong resident of Cranston with deep roots in the community, he and his wife, Gina, have grown up, lived, worked, and raised their family in District 26.

At a young age, Sen. Patalano spent several years working for his family's business in the Arlington neighborhood of District 26. In 1995, he became a member of the Cranston Police Department, where he continues to serve. He currently holds the rank of Major and is sworn as the department's second-in-command, a post he has held since 2014. As an executive officer in the department, he has been instrumental in helping the city's youth and senior citizens with assistance programs and mentoring.

Sen. Patalano's previous assignments include having served as the Commander of the Office of Professional Standards Division, Inspectional Services Division, Patrol Division, Planning and Research Division and Training Division. He has also served as a supervisor in the Detective Division as well as an undercover investigator in the Special Investigations Unit.

Sen. Patalano is highly decorated and has also served as the Cranston Police Department's Accreditation Manager, leading to the successful reaccreditation by the prestigious Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA). He has previously served as an FBI Certified Firearms Instructor, Rhode Island Municipal Police Training Academy Instructor, the Cranston Police Department's Civil Rights Officer, and a member of the City of Cranston's Diversity Committee, among numerous other assignments.

Sen. Patalano holds a Master of Science Degree from Roger Williams University's School of Justice Studies and a Bachelor of Science Degree from Roger Williams University's Administration of Justice program. He is a graduate of the Executive Law Enforcement program, Command Training Series for Executive Development from Roger Williams University. He along with his wife and children are honorable graduates of Cranston West High School.

Sen. Patalano is a parishioner of Holy Apostles Church. He is also a former executive board member, lifelong coach and volunteer for Cranston Western Little League, and he has been inducted into the CWLL Hall of Fame. Additionally, he is a longtime CLCF youth basketball coach and a proud volunteer for so many other community causes and boards.

He and his wife have three children, Jason, Justin, and Jared.