Corrections Director Ashbel T. Wall II has announced the promotion of Robert J. Catlow of Cranston, a 23-year veteran of the Rhode Island Department of Corrections, to Inspector in the Office of Inspections. Director Wall notes, “Bob Catlow has been capably performing in an acting capacity and was chosen from a pool of high caliber applicants to serve in this position permanently, effective Sunday, May 16th, 2010.”
Catlow joined the Department in 1986 as a Correctional Officer, working his way up through the ranks to Records & ID Lieutenant, then Captain, and then making the shift to Correctional Investigator in 1997. He was promoted to Chief of the Special Investigations Unit in 2000 and served in that role until December of 2008 when he became an acting Inspector.
Catlow has received numerous commendations during his tenure with the Department, proving over and over again his value to the organization. He has also been recognized repeatedly by outside law enforcement partners with over 50 letters of recognition for his collaborative efforts in various investigations.
A member of the Rhode Island Fusion Center, Catlow is also the Executive Director and Co-Creator of the Rhode Island Gang Investigator’s Association (RIGIA). He belongs to and serves in a leadership capacity with several other professional organizations.
In addition to receiving his Associate’s degree in Criminal Justice from the Community College of Rhode Island, Catlow has completed 100 hours of coursework toward his Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Roger Williams University and has attended dozens of work-related trainings.
Director Wall concludes, “The combination of Bob Catlow’s knowledge of corrections practice and policy and staff and offender behavior, and his experience overseeing and coordinating hundreds of investigations and cases which have contributed to keeping our facilities safe, secure, and orderly make him the ideal choice to be the Department’s next Inspector.”