Sgt. Harry Sunderland
Appointed Mar. 24, 1952
CPDRA member Harry F. Sunderland, 78, of Phenix Avenue, Cranston, died on Sunday, June 1, 2003, at Miriam Hospital. The retired Cranston police sergeant was the husband of Marie (Renzi) Sunderland. They had been married for 51 years. Born in Providence, a son of the late George and Janet (Wheatly) Sunderland, Harry was a Cranston resident for most of his life. He had served in the Cranston Police Department as a court officer, a firearms and self-defense instructor, a member of the underwater recovery team, and a member of the BCI unit. He was promoted to sergeant on August 28, 1961. He retired as a sergeant after 31 years with the force. Harry also was a physical education instructor for the state Training School in Cranston for 28 years. In June 1987, the Cranston Police Training and Crime Prevention Center was dedicated in honor of Harry and his former colleague William Loux, as a tribute from the City of Cranston to the retired police sergeants’ years of effort in developing programs for training and crime prevention. Both men were awarded honorary keys to the city. An Army veteran of World War II, Harry served as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division. He had been a troop leader for Boy Scout Troop 6.Besides his wife, Harry leaves a daughter, Angela Ruscito, and a grandson, Andrew J. Ruscito, both of Cranston. He was the brother of the late Albert Sunderland. Rest in Peace.