by Billy Kepner | Apr 24, 2017 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-5, Ward-6
The Providence City Council Committee on Ordinances tonight approved a measure that aims to give police officers greater latitude in addressing the city’s growing challenges with illegal use of dirt bikes and ATVs. In recent months, the city has seen an alarming uptick of these vehicles being used on city roads and in public parks, sometimes swarming in large numbers to intimidate onlookers. This winter, one motorist was killed while operating an ATV on a city street in the Manton neighborhood.
If approved by the full City Council, the ordinance will allow the Providence Police Department to confiscate and destroy recreational vehicles that are used illegally. The ordinance, adapted from a similar law in New York City, has already earned support from the Providence Police Department. “Over the past several years, Providence has experienced a growing number of recreational vehicles being driven on public streets and in public parks,” said Providence Public Safety Commissioner Steve Pare. “These vehicles are driven recklessly, driven at high speeds and with no regard for the safety of others. This ordinance will allow the Providence Police Department to combat this problem in a way that will reduce and eventually eliminate the public safety threat that exists today.”
The ordinance is sponsored by Councilwoman Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5). “This is a city-wide issue that has great implications for the quality of life in all of our neighborhoods,” said Councilwoman Ryan. “I want to thank Captain Dean Isabella for his valuable insight. This ordinance gives our police officers the tools they need to deal with the growing epidemic of illegal vehicles abusing our traffic laws and endangering the public.”
“We are doing everything we possibly can to rid the city of the ATVs and dirt bikes terrorizing our parks and neighborhoods,” said Councilman Michael Correia (Ward 6), who recently called upon the police department for increased enforcement.
Prior to becoming law, the ordinance requires two passages from the full City Council. The next City Council meeting will be held on Thursday, May 4th at 7:00 pm.
by Billy Kepner | Apr 20, 2017 | Council News, Press Release
The Providence City Council will tonight bestow the City’s first municipal medals upon several members of the Providence Fire Department for extraordinary acts of bravery. Recipients include Lt. Robert McCullough, who was off-duty when he rescued a man from a burning building in December, and the firefighters and rescue technicians who resuscitated an infant after drowning in a bathtub in September 2016.
Although guidelines for the City’s municipal medal was first codified in the City Charter in 1915, no such medal has ever been awarded. Last fall, the City Council commissioned Olneyville artist Kiki Sciullo to design the medal and oversee production. The medals were manufactured exclusively in Providence and feature the City’s new seal of honor and heroism.
The medals will be presented to recipients at tonight’s City Council Meeting at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers on the third floor of City Hall. This event is open to the public. Media coverage is invited.
WHO: Providence City Council Members, Municipal Medal Recipients, Medal Designer Kiki Sciullo
WHAT: Municipal Medal Ceremony
WHERE: City Council Chambers, Providence City Hall, 25 Dorrance St., Providence, RI 02903
WHEN: 7:00 p.m.
by Billy Kepner | Apr 20, 2017 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-10, Ward-11
Landmark Legislation Aims to End Racial Profiling, Bolster Police Accountability and Oversight
The Providence City Council tonight approved first passage of the Community Safety Act (CSA), a comprehensive, community-driven ordinance that aims to end racial profiling and codify into law best practices in police conduct from around the country. The landmark legislation is considered one of the most progressive policing bills in the United States, and includes a broad range of measures that strengthen protections for youth, transgender individuals, people of color, and immigrants. The comprehensive scope of the ordinance makes it the first of its kind in the country.
First introduced in 2014, the CSA in its current form reflects years of research and collaboration between community members, elected officials, and public safety leaders. The landmark legislation brings together and expands upon best practices adopted from numerous cities, including New York City, Seattle, and Austin. The City Council solicited input from a wide range of stakeholders—including the Fraternal Order of Police, members of the STEP-UP Coalition, the Chief of Police, Commissioner of Public Safety, the Mayor’s Office, and the City’s law department—to deliver an ordinance that builds upon the Providence Police Department’s positive track record of community-police relations and public trust.
“At a time when many municipalities are seeing community-police relations deteriorate, we are fortunate to have seen the opposite effect here in Providence,” said City Council President Luis Aponte (Ward 10), who credits the Providence Police Department and its leadership for providing the Council with guidance and insight during the legislative process.
“The evolution of this legislation reflects the many hands and minds that have crafted and shaped it over the years. Through countless hours of intense, inclusive collaboration, the Community Safety Act has brought together activists, elected officials, and police officers with the shared goal of making our city safer for everyone,” said Councilwoman Mary Kay Harris (Ward 11).
“The Providence Community Safety Act is among the most progressive municipal police reform laws in the country,” said Andrea Ritchie, a civil rights attorney who was involved in the passage of New York City’s Community Safety Act in 2013. “Providence is leading the way for municipalities across the country by establishing broad protections against a wide range of profiling and discriminatory policing practices. The Providence Community Safety Act is a comprehensive package of common sense provisions that will help protect the rights of residents during police encounters, essential due process with respect to gang databases, and critical protections for immigrants.”
Prior to becoming law, the ordinance must be passed twice by the full City Council. Councilors may call a special meeting for second passage as early as next week.
by Billy Kepner | Apr 19, 2017 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-10
Providence City Council President Luis Aponte issued the following statement in response to news that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island intends to relocate employees to East Providence:
“I am extremely disappointed in this news and will seek an immediate meeting with the president of Blue Cross Blue Shield to discuss the company’s recent decision to deplete employees from its downtown Providence campus. The City provided to Blue Cross an attractive Tax Stabilization Agreement (TSA) based on the understanding that the company would be a highly active participant in the City, make improvements to the building, and maintain a significant employee base that would contribute to the vibrancy of the City by eating in its restaurants and shopping in its stores. The City did not enter into this sort of a generous TSA only to have Blue Cross slowly but surely become a glorified landlord. It would appear as though they have broached the spirit of the Agreement, if not the actual legality of it, and this is deserving of the Council’s immediate attention.”
by Billy Kepner | Apr 18, 2017 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-6
In response to an incident involving 50 ATVs that swarmed a public park over the holiday weekend, Councilman Michael Correia (Ward Six) is calling on the Providence Police Department to increase its presence in the Manton area and enforce laws that prohibit the operation of recreational vehicles in public spaces (Ordinance No. 2015-5, § 1, 4-13-15, “Article VII – Snowmobiles and Recreational Vehicles”).
In a letter addressed to Commissioner Steven Pare and Colonel Hugh Clements, Correia writes, “Our public spaces need to be monitored more closely. The owners of such vehicles must be properly held accountable for disturbing our neighborhoods risking the safety of constituents.”
“I was disheartened to hear that nearly 50 ATV vehicles stormed across an occupied park near Aleppo Street over the holiday weekend,” Correia continued. “Only one person was arrested after police officers followed drivers speeding down Manton Avenue. I take the safety and well-being of our constituents very seriously, as should our police force. They must send a clear message that such behavior will not be tolerated in our community.”
by Billy Kepner | Apr 17, 2017 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-10, Ward-11
The Providence City Council Committee on Ordinances tonight approved passage of the Community Safety Act (CSA), a community-driven, comprehensive ordinance that codifies into law best practices in police conduct from around the country. The CSA is considered one of the most progressive pieces of legislation in the United States, exceeding standards set forth by the Comprehensive Community-Police Relations Act passed by the RI General Assembly in 2015.
Following last week’s public hearing, the Ordinance Committee tonight adopted final amendments to the CSA that reflect greater input from all stakeholders. In its final form, the bill is the product of nearly three years of activism, research, and stakeholder engagement. The comprehensive scope of the ordinance makes it the first of its kind in the country.
Councilors Mary Kay Harris (Ward 11) and Kevin Jackson (Ward 3) led the charge to produce a comprehensive bill that protects marginalized communities and builds trust between police officers and the community they serve. Under the leadership of Harris and Jackson, the City Council solicited input from a wide range of stakeholders to craft this landmark piece of legislation, including the Fraternal Order of Police, members of the STEP-UP Coalition, the Chief of Police, Commissioner of Public Safety, the Mayor’s Office, and the City’s law department.
“Although this process has been long, the result is tremendously worthwhile,” said Councilwoman Harris. “Through intense, inclusive collaboration, this process brought together activists, elected officials, and police officers to come up with a comprehensive piece of legislation that will soon become a valuable tool in strengthening the relationship between law enforcement and the community it serves.”
Among its many provisions, the CSA prohibits racial and other forms of discriminatory profiling, mandates policies for the use of body cameras, brings much-needed reforms to the Providence Police Department’s “gang database,” and codifies into law the City’s longstanding policies regarding non-criminal immigration concerns.
“The evolution of this ordinance is attributed to the strong partnership between the Providence Police Department, the Providence community, and the City’s elected leadership,” said Council President Luis Aponte. “At a time when many municipalities are seeing community-police relations deteriorate, we are fortunate to have seen the opposite effect here in Providence. The ongoing discussion we’ve had with the Providence Police Department regarding the CSA reflects the department’s commitment to our City’s many communities. Throughout these discussions, our police officers have never walked away from the conversation; in fact, they have listened at every step of the way and provided us with important insight.”
The bill is supported by many local organizations including the ACLU of Rhode Island, Cambodian Society of Rhode Island, Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island, Economic Progress Institute, Fox Point Neighborhood Association, National Lawyers Guild of Rhode Island, New Urban Arts, No DAPL Rhode Island, and Showing Up for Racial Justice, Rhode Island.
CSA HIGHLIGHTS:
- Prohibits racial and other forms of discriminatory profiling
o Prevents police officers from racially profiling or otherwise discriminating against individuals based on their race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and other factors
- Establishes how police officers will document and collect data from traffic and pedestrian stops
o Allows individuals stopped by the police to request and receive a report on their stop
o Mandates policies for the use of body-worn cameras
o Protects individuals’ rights to photograph and film the police
- Mandates greater transparency and accountability in police-community interactions
o Requires officers to inform drivers of why their vehicle was stopped, sets standards for requiring information from passengers, and codifies policy on individuals driving without a license
o Requires that officers inform individuals of their constitutional right to refuse before asking for consent to a search
o Requires officers in uniform to wear name tags and to show their badge numbers
o Requires officers to provide their name and badge number when conducting stops and searches. Allows members of the public to ask for a business card with the name and badge number of an officer
o Requires the Chief of Police to submit quarterly reports to the Providence External Review Authority (PERA) on the data collected from police encounters
- Establishes new protections for juveniles, immigrants, and transgender individuals
o Establishes right of transgender individuals to be searched by an officer of their gender identity and requires Police Department to develop policies for handling those searches
o Prohibits officers from inquiring about an individual’s immigration status, and requires officers to accept valid identification from foreign governments
o Sets standards for dealing with individuals lacking proof of identification
o Prohibits officers from photographing juveniles under most circumstances
- Improves and codifies policies for use of Gang Database
o Requires the Police Department to establish policies for determining if an individual should be added to the gang database
o Prohibits certain factors, such as race, from being included in the criteria for adding someone to the gang database
o Requires parental notification when anyone under 18 is added to the gang database
o Allows anyone over 18 to ask if they are on the gang database
o Creates both an administrative removal process and a formal appeal process for people who feel they were added to the database in error.
o Requires an annual audit of the gang database to identify any errors and make recommendations for improving its use
- Improves language access for Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals
o Requires the Police Department maintain its language access hotline to connect officers with qualified translators
o Requires the use of qualified translators if the officer isn’t fluent in the language spoken (except in emergencies)
o Mandates policies on officer fluency and defining emergencies
o Requires custodial interrogations of LEP individuals be recorded
o Requires vital materials be available in the five most commonly spoken languages in Providence
To become law, the ordinance must be passed twice by the full City Council. Councilors are expected to call the first of two special meetings to vote on the matter later this week.
