‘Disgrace to the Badge’: Detective Suspended After Casino Worker Told Police He Threatened to ‘Kill Everybody’
Posted on: March 13, 2026, 01:31h.
Last updated on: March 13, 2026, 01:31h.
- Rhode Island detective suspended after drunken casino confrontation caught on bodycam
- Police initially arrest officer before downgrading incident to protective custody
- Internal investigation finds conduct violated Providence police department standards
A veteran detective with the Providence Police Department (PPD) in Rhode Island has been suspended without pay after drunkenly threatening to “kill everybody” at Bally’s Twin River Casino, according to a police report seen by Target 12, the investigative unit of WPRI.
Detective Gary Slater was off duty when he visited the casino with members of his family last October. Newly released police bodycam footage shows officers arriving as security attempt to eject the sozzled cop from the premises and issue him with a permanent ban.
“He wanted to kill everybody in here,” an employee explains in the video.
Slater is then shown refusing to sign the permanent ejection notice, tearing it up while hurling expletives.
‘This Could End Up on the News!’
Police then escort Slater and members of his group out of the casino and into the parking lot. As officers walked with him outside, Slater can be heard making disparaging remarks about Lincoln police.
“They’re Zeros,” he says.
“How many gun arrests do you have?” he demands to know.
Slater is then put in handcuffs and arrested
“I didn’t do anything,” Slater told police. “You guys followed me, to arrest me, a fellow cop.”
“You’re a disgrace to that badge, buddy,” replies the arresting officer.
“Yeah, I’m a disgrace. Twenty-seven years! You guys haven’t done nothing.”
At one point, the officer is heard remarking that another Providence cop could “end up on the news.”
While the video shows the officers tell Slater he was being charged with disorderly conduct, the situation was later downgraded to “protective custody,” which is not a criminal charge and does not appear on a person’s record.
Internal Review
However, the incident triggered an internal administrative review within the PPD. Officials reviewed the body-camera footage and other evidence over several months to determine whether Slater’s behavior violated PPD policies.
Police spokesperson Kristy dos Reis told Target 12 that the roughly four-month investigation concluded Slater’s behavior was inconsistent with the department’s code of conduct and the standards officers are expected to uphold, resulting in the suspension.
Slater, whose brother is State Rep. Scott Slater (D- 10th dist.), the Deputy Majority Leader of the Rhode Island House of Representatives, has apologized to the arresting officers for his behavior and enrolled in a treatment program after the incident.
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