by Abigail Appel | Oct 15, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-15
Statement from Council President Sabina Matos in Response to Mayor Saying We Can’t Have “Both” New Police Academy and Reinvestment:
“I wish the Mayor would spend more time collaborating and resolving to address this issue of rampant violence in our City in partnership with the City Council rather than taking such a prideful contrarian stance.
When a shooting occurred on Dorchester Avenue, just a stone’s throw away from both of our homes just five days ago, I reached out to the Mayor and asked him how we could work together to address this issue plaguing every corner of our City. I have yet to receive a response.
His tone-deafness on the issue of violence is alarming and concerning. His quip of not being able to have it “both ways” (referring to a police academy and reinvestment) is a fallacy, simplistic, divisive, and disingenuous.
It is possible to both support a new academy to maintain a healthy number of police officers to replace those at-risk of retiring or leaving, while also diverting funds into initiatives and programs that better serve the needs of the community. Furthermore, it’s through new academies that we are able to diversify the department to better reflect the demographics of our communities.
I stand by my statement that we as a Council cannot pass a status quo police budget and that investments need to be made wisely and guided by the principles of preservation of public safety and community empowerment.
Now is not the time to pick a fight, Mayor. Please call me back and let’s talk about solutions.”
Sabina Matos
President-Providence City Council
Councilwoman-Ward 15
by Billy Kepner | Oct 14, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-11, Ward-15, Ward-4, Ward-5, Ward-6, Ward-7, Ward-8, Ward-9
Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5) along with Council President Sabina Matos (Ward 15), Council President Pro Tempore Michael Correia (Ward 6), Majority Whip John J. Igliozzi Esq. (Ward 7), Senior Deputy Majority Leader Nicholas J. Narducci Jr. (Ward 4), Deputy Majority Leader Mary Kay Harris (Ward 11), Councilwoman Carmen Castillo (Ward 8), and Councilman James E. Taylor (Ward 8) are calling on Mayor Elorza to create a city-wide public safety plan to address growing violent crime in our neighborhoods. The comprehensive city-wide safety plan will call for an immediate start to the police academy, a dedicated funding stream for social services in each police district, a police training curriculum that prioritizes cultural and socioemotional competencies, and a re-emphasis on community policing as a proactive strategy to mitigate violence and crime.
“After several weeks of violent crimes including shootings, a kidnapping, and murders, it is clear that the City needs to support a proactive approach to policing,” stated City Council Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan. “Violent crime is up overall across the country, and much of that seems to be due to the global pandemic and the social strife that has plagued our nation. However, we cannot allow the quality of life of our residents to be further impacted by the violent crimes happening in our neighborhoods. We need to properly staff our department and give police the support and tools they need to keep residents safe.”
While Providence has had community policing programs for years, the department’s depleted numbers have caused officers to shift their focus to responding to calls rather than fostering healthy relationships with their communities and performing the proactive investigatory work that stems crime. This has diminished the effectiveness of our community policing programs.
Therefore, the Councilors are calling on the administration to start the new police academy without further delay.
“We appreciate the action from the City Council to allow us to continue to move forward with the 70th Providence Police Academy. The Training Division is in the midst of the recruiting/selection process and we are eager to move forward,” stated Colonel Hugh T. Clements, Jr., Chief of Police, Providence Police Department.
City Council President Sabina Matos stated, “We have seen how community policing has a direct effect on our neighborhoods. When residents are familiar with and know who the officers patrolling their communities are, it leads to a better sense of security. It provides residents with direct contact if they see something that doesn’t seem right. If we are going to lower the crime rate, we need to support the police by providing social services needed in the City.”
Further, the Councilors are calling for the City to establish a dedicated funding for social service programs for each police district in Providence. They are also calling on the administration to provide more training for officers, with training focused on equity, diversity, and cultural understanding of the City’s diverse population.
“I am concerned that we are going to see a mass exodus of officers retiring in the coming year, and that causes me great concern,” stated Finance Chairman and Majority Whip John Igliozzi. “Reduced ranks will further stress an already overburdened department. We need to ensure that our police force is at capacity and that we have in place a strategic plan for crime prevention.”
The Councilors are also calling on the City to implement and explore best practices in violent crime prevention practices. The Councilor’s will be introducing legislation with further details and desired goals and outcomes at the November 5, 2020, City Council meeting.
Senior Deputy Majority Leader Nicholas J. Narducci Jr. stated, “I am in full support of our men and women who go to work every day to serve and protect our community. We need to support them to do the work they are charged to do. I believe that these actions and best practices will help us put a tamper on violent crime in the City and improve the quality of life for our residents.”
For more information, visit us on the web at council.providenceri.gov
by Billy Kepner | Oct 14, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-14
Tonight, many of us are angered and shocked to hear the news of another incident of violence in our City. The reports of multiple shootings outside of the Rhode Island School for the Deaf in the area of Corliss Park late this afternoon should be alarming to residents, city leaders, and public safety officials. We need more police presence in the North End, and I have been in contact with the Providence Police Department asking them to increase patrols both on foot and by cruisers.
This senseless shooting did not just occur by a park and school, but also by Independence House, an affordable housing complex for people with disabilities. Had today been a warm and sunny day, this could have impacted children in the park and residents enjoying the fall weather.
I will keep residents updated as I know more and will work with community members and our police department to address these this recent uptick in violence we are facing.
David A. Salvatore
Providence City Council
Councilor – Ward 14
by Abigail Appel | Oct 13, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-11, Ward-15, Ward-2, Ward-4, Ward-5, Ward-6, Ward-7, Ward-8, Ward-9
Tonight, the City Council’s Committee on Finance adopted a new Compensation and Classification (Comp & Class) portion of the Fiscal Year (FY) ’21 Budget. The Council previously passed the tax levy keeping property taxes level and ensured no tax increase for residents. The Mayor’s Comp & Class budget, as submitted, called for the filling of vacant positions at a cost to the City’s taxpayers of just over $4 Million, and with revenues from speed cameras, school speed cameras, parking meters, hotel occupancy taxes, and food and beverage taxes all at record lows and have not yet received the City’s full Thirty-Two Million dollar pilot payment from the State (a payment from the State the City in lieu of taxes for state-owned properties), the Committee felt compelled to ensure the safety of the current workforce by removing these budgeted positions. The third and final portion of the FY ’21 budget, the appropriations portion, will not be taken up until the State passes its Budget.
“The fiscal forecast for the City of Providence is in peril,” stated Chairman on the Committee on Finance, Councilman John J. Igliozzi, Esq. (Ward 7). “As the legislative body, we have a fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers of Providence to work in their best interest. By removing the Mayor’s request for an additional $4 Million in vacant and open funded positions it cuts the spending portion of our Budget, ensures our capacity to continue to keep our current workforce stable, and will help the City from falling off the fiscal cliff we are on. I have been a part of almost every City budget since I became a Councilman, and this is one of the gravest positions I have ever seen the City in financially.”
The Mayor’s requested positions can be revisited once the Council and the Committee on Finance have a better understanding of the state’s pilot payment notice. The City also had to make a significant investment in retrofitting offices and ensuring its workforce’s safety during this global pandemic and are waiting to learn what will be reimbursed from the state or federal agencies.
“We have a duty to protect our tax dollars for the residents of Providence,” stated Vice-Chairwoman of the Committee on Finance and Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan (Ward 5). “Had our fiscal outlook remained the same as it did in January, we would not be in this position. Since mid-March we have lost valuable revenues from hotel occupancy taxes, our food and beverage taxes, and state aid are significantly down which are critical to the City. However, like all cities, we are facing three crises at once an economic crisis, a global pandemic, and social unrest. $4 Million savings in vacant and open funded positions and raises is an opportunity to reduce our spending while preserving our current workforce, which is essential to keeping our City running.”
Chairman Igliozzi continued, “I want to thank my Committee colleagues Vice-Chairwoman and Majority Leader Jo-Ann Ryan, Councilors Carmen Castillo (Ward 9), Helen Anthony (Ward 2), and James Taylor (Ward 8) for their hard work during this longer than normal budgeting process. I would also like to thank my colleagues, President Sabina Matos (Ward 15), President Pro Tempore Michael Correia (Ward 6), Senior Deputy Majority Leader Nicholas J. Narducci Jr. (Ward 4), and Deputy Majority Leader Mary Kay Harris (Ward 11) for their input and guidance as we navigate these uncertain times.”
by Billy Kepner | Oct 12, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-4
We faced yet another violent weekend in our City, and it’s time for my City Council colleagues and I, along with Mayor Elorza, to provide the support that our police department needs to serve and protect.
More importantly, we need a mayor and a commissioner that is going to support the enforcement of laws and start making our City safe again. I have stated several times that we need to remove the handcuffs from our police and let them do their job.
Residents and city taxpayers should feel safe where they live and deserve to have a police force that serves and upholds our community’s quality of life.
Our City went from a having a low-crime status just months ago, to now having a crime rate that appears to be spiraling out of control. There have been shootings, kidnapping, and other serious crimes just in the past two weeks.
We need to ensure that our hardworking residents and taxpayers live in a safe community. They deserve nothing less.
Nicholas J. Narducci Jr., Senior Deputy Majority Leader
Providence City Council
Councilman – Ward 4
by Billy Kepner | Oct 10, 2020 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-4
Senior Deputy Majority Leader Nicholas J. Narducci Jr. (Ward 4) today was on site where work is nearing completion on the Hawkins Street Bridge Restoration Project.
Hawkins Street Bridge was closed to traffic in October of 2017 after the Rhode Island Department of Transportation found significant deterioration on several of the support beams.
Councilman Narducci has been monitoring the process and has been in contact with RIDT regarding the final phase of the restoration. “Today marks another step closer to restoring this bridge so that the community is no longer divided. When the bridge is opened you can expect a ribbon-cutting, our neighborhood deserves it,” stated Councilman Nicholas J. Narducci Jr.
A completion date has not yet been set, but the engineers and contractors from the Rhode Island Department of Transportation believe it to be in the very near future.
