Drunk Off-Duty Detective Threatens Casino Patrons, Bodycam Footage Finally Released

  • The incident took place in October at the Bally’s Twin River Casino
  • The police department initially refused to release body cam footage
  • Gary Slate was suspended without pay for violating code of conduct
Police car lights
An off-duty detective has been suspended without pay after being caught threatening to kill patrons at a Rhode Island casino. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

An off-duty detective has been suspended without pay after allegedly threatening to kill other patrons while off duty at a Rhode Island casino. Gary Slater was initially arrested after the incident in October at Bally’s Twin River Casino.

Target 12 recently secured copies of body cam footage and the aftermath, which shows a Lincoln police officer downgrading the arrest to “protective custody.” That means it wasn’t a criminal charge and Slater wouldn’t have the incident on his official record. The media outlet’s initial request to access the video was denied as police said doing so would “deprive a person of a right to a fair trial or an impartial adjudication.”

his brother, state Representative Scott Slater, was present and is heard apologizing to officers

Target 12’s public record complaint was ultimately successful, leading to the release of the footage. Video showed Slater refusing to sign an eject form, taunting officers, and making comments. His brother, state Representative Scott Slater, was present and is heard apologizing to officers and asking for leniency.

Slater spoke by phone to Target 12 last week and described how he subsequently apologized to the police officers for his actions that night, saying he was “belligerent and intoxicated.”

Providence police recently completed an internal review and suspended Slater without pay for failing to live up to the department’s code of conduct.

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