Paul E Sylvestre (he/him)
Professor, Department Chair College of Arts & Sciences Department of Social Sciences Providence
Biography
Paul Sylvestre joined Johnson & Wales in 2011 as an assistant professor of Criminal Justice. Prof. Sylvestre comes to Johnson & Wales after serving as an adjunct instructor of Criminal Justice at Bristol Community College since 2009. Prof. Sylvestre also worked as an adjunct instructor in Criminal Justice at Bay State College in Boston.
Prior to joining academia, Prof. Sylvestre served on the Pawtucket Police Department in Rhode Island for 22 years, spending three years as a patrol officer before becoming a detective assigned to the narcotics unit during which time he worked in an undercover capacity for approximately two and a half years, making purchases of narcotics such as cocaine, crack, marijuana, heroin, LSD and various controlled prescription drugs not only in the city of Pawtucket but also in the surrounding communities of Central Falls, Cumberland, Lincoln, as well as other cities and towns throughout the State of Rhode Island. While working as a detective in the narcotics unit, Prof. Sylvestre was a member of the National Narcotics Officers Association and became recognized as an expert witness in narcotics investigations in both state and federal courts in Rhode Island. Prof. Sylvestre also worked as a narcotics detection canine handler.
Prof. Sylvestre has presented at the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences and Northeastern Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences on issues relating to cumulative stress in policing.
Education
PhD, Salve Regina University
Humanities
MS, Salve Regina University
Administration of Justice
Associate of Science, Roger Williams University
Administration of Justice
BA, Rhode Island College
Sociology
Hazing Prevention 101 Course – College Edition 2022
Johnson & Wales University
Protecting Children: Identifying and Reporting Sexual Misconduct
EduRisk
Protecting Children: Identifying and Reporting Sexual Misconduct
EduRisk United Educators
Hazing Prevention 101 Course – College Edition 2021
Johnson & Wales University
Hazing Prevention 101 Course – College Edition 2020
Johnson & Wales University
Hazing Prevention 101 Course – College Edition
Johnson & Wales University
Back Safety
Johnson & Wales University
Bloodborne Pathogens for All Employees
Johnson & Wales University
Emergency Management Plan Training
Johnson & Wales University
Preventing Slips, Trips, and Falls
Johnson & Wales University
Workplace Ergonomics
Johnson & Wales University
Fire Safety Training
Johnson & Wales University
Hazing Prevention 101
Johnson & Wales University
Promoting “Fair and Impartial Policing” Through the Understanding of Implicit Bias
Roger Williams University Justice System Training and Research Institute
JWU101: One University – Four Campuses
Johnson & Wales University
Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Program
Johnson & Wales University
Teaching Excellence Program
Johnson & Wales University
2016-17 Teacher of the Year
John Hazen White College of Arts & Sciences
Nomination for Demonstrating Civility
Student Conduct
“Faculty Industry Expertise Video Request.” Sylvestre, P. (July 13, 2023)
https://jwu.photoshelter.com/galleries/C0000Qos7qUjh9D4/G0000kwiqmSAetAg/videos-Faculty-PVD
“Faculty Feature: Paul Sylvestre, Ph.D..” Sylvestre, P. (October 28, 2022)
https://youtu.be/ObflB1YIAo0
“Paul Sylvestre: A Positive Force for JWU.” Sylvestre, P. (May 24, 2019)
https://www.jwu.edu/news/2019/05/paul-sylvestre-a-positive-force-for-jwu.html
“New 911 Technology, Wireless Direct, Being Used in Massachusetts.” Sylvestre, P. (October 1, 2018)
https://turnto10.com/i-team/nbc-10-i-team-911-upgrades-come-to-massachusetts-but-not-ri
“Johnson & Wales Faculty Spotlight: Paul Sylvestre // Criminal Justice Department Chair.” Sylvestre, P. (December 14, 2017)
https://youtu.be/UW_E3AjZT20
“Johnson & Wales Criminal Justice: Why Johnson & Wales?.” Sylvestre, P. (December 5, 2017)
https://youtu.be/RLyvRimp-lI
American Society of Criminology
Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences
Northeastern Association of Criminal Justice Sciences
International Association of Chiefs of Police
Sylvestre, P. (June 29, 2021). Addressing mental health, police work. (Newspaper Article).
Providence Journal, 13A.
https://www.providencejournal.com/story/opinion/columns/2021/06/28/opinion-sylvestre-police-work-time-address-mental-health/7734244002/.
Sylvestre, P. (2015). Society’s Automaton: An Existential Perspective on Police Training and Stress Management Education. (Doctoral Dissertation).
ProQuest.
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/dissertations/AAI3725287
2025 University Scholarship & Best Practices Expo, “Against the Current: Bringing Service-Learning to Life at JWU,” JWU Center for Teaching & Learning, Providence, RI, United States. (February 14, 2025).
Atlantic Center for Learning Communities Curriculum Planning Retreat/Conference, “Upper-level Learning Communities: Creating “better students, better career professionals, and better people.”,” Atlantic Center for Learning Communities, West Hartford, CT, United States. (October 16, 2024).
JWU 2024 University Scholarship & Best Practices Expo, “Learning Communities at JWU: Opportunities for Collaboration,” JWU Center for Teaching & Learning, Providence, RI, United States. (April 12, 2024).
Criminal Justice Department, “The Elephant In the Room Mental Health Issues in Policing,” JWU Criminal Justice Department. (March 20, 2024).
College of Arts & Sciences Advisory Council Meeting, “College of Arts & Sciences Advisory Council -Learning Communities,” John Hazen White College of Arts & Sciences. (February 27, 2024).
Faculty Showcase/Transformative Expo, “Criminal Justice/Psychology CLP Cohort,” Johnson & Wales University, Cranston, RI. (April 13, 2023).
60th Annual ACJS International Conference “Critical Connections Between Civil Rights + Crime + Social Justice”, “Examine Correlation Between Police Academy Training and Officer Suicide,” Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS), National Harbor, MD. (March 16, 2023).
59th Annual ACJS International Conference, “Time for a Change in Culture,” Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS), Las Vegas, NV. (March 16, 2022).
3rd Annual Faculty Showcase, “Integrated Learning: An Opportunity Seized and a Lesson Learned,” Johnson & Wales University, Cranston, RI. (September 26, 2019).
Second Amendment Panel Presentation, “Second Amendment Panel,” Johnson & Wales University, Providence, RI. (January 17, 2018).
54th Annual Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) Conference, “The Elephant in the Room: Cumulative Stress in Policing,” Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS), Kansas City, MI. (March 24, 2017).
“To Kill a Mockingbird: The Fight for Serenity,” Sigma Lambda Upsilon/Senoritas Latinas Unidas Sorority at Johnson & Wales University, Providence, RI. (September 21, 2016).
40th Annual Northeastern Association of Criminal Justice Sciences (NEACJS) Conference, “Society’s Automatons: Cumulative Stress in Policing,” Northeastern Association of Criminal Justice Sciences (NEACJS), Portsmouth, RI. (June 10, 2016).
4th Annual College of Arts & Sciences Faculty Symposium, “Society’s Automaton: An Existential Perspective on Police Training Techniques and Stress Management Education,” Johnson & Wales University, Cranston, RI. (April 14, 2016).
Collaborative Learning Program Conference/Retreat, “Collaborative Learning Program at Johnson & Wales University,” Atlantic Center for Learning Communities, West Hartford, CT. (October 18, 2012).
Expertise
policing; cumulative stress in policing; police training; law enforcement work-life balance; criminal justice ethics; corrections; law enforcement; criminology; comparative criminal justice