Albert F. Peterson III, a retired North Providence fire captain who previously served on the board that helps oversee the state’s emergency medical services system, is facing a felony firearms charge after his arrest last week at a Providence strip club.
On Feb. 23 shortly before 11:30 p.m. police responded to a report of an assault at Club Desire, at 1 Franklin Sq., and found Peterson, 55, lying on the ground in front of the club’s entrance. Police said Peterson’s breath smelled of alcohol and he appeared disoriented and could not keep his balance to walk unassisted. Peterson told police he had consumed several alcoholic beverages and was unaware of what had occurred, according to the police report.
A club employee told police that during an argument with another individual, Peterson drew a black handgun from his right hip holster and waved it around, according to the report. A friend of Peterson’s took the handgun away, police said, and handed it to the employee who kept it until police arrived.
Police seized a black semi-automatic pistol with a magazine that contained eight live cartridge cases.
Peterson was charged with carrying a weapon while under the influence, a felony, and disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor. The felony weapons charge carries up to five years in prison and up to $1,000 in fines.
Peterson has an active permit to carry a concealed weapon, the police report said. Providence Police Commander Thomas A. Verdi declined to comment on the case.
Peterson was arraigned Feb. 25 in District Court, Providence. He did not enter a plea, according to court records.
Peterson could not immediately be reached for comment.
A licensed EMT-Cardiac , Peterson’s prior run-ins with the law and discipline by state health regulators came to light during a 2019 investigation by The Public’s Radio and ProPublica after he was appointed by former Gov. Gina Raimondo to the Ambulance Service Coordinating Advisory Board. His appointment came during a feud over state protocols around emergency medical services. The state firefighters unions and the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns successfully pushed for legislation Raimondo signed earlier that year that ousted two former health officials from the board.
Peterson operates American Safety Programs and Training Inc., one of 16 EMS training programs accredited by the state Department of Health.
Peterson was one of four board members Gov. Daniel J. McKee did not reappoint to their posts when their terms expired on Feb. 1, 2020, said John H. Potvin, a firefighter captain in East Providence who chairs the board. McKee appointed Daniel E. Green to take Peterson’s seat.
Peterson is scheduled for a hearing on the latest criminal charges in District Court, Providence on June 16.
Correction: The number of board members who were not reappointed in 2020 was incorrectly reported in a previous version of this story.
Health reporter Lynn Arditi can be reached at larditi@thepublicsradio.org. Follow her on Twitter @LynnArditi
