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 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.
by Billy Kepner | Feb 16, 2017 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-10, Ward-11
Fifteen students from Central High School surprised City Hall visitors and staff on Thursday with a flash mob performance during the Providence City Council’s Black History Month celebration. The students interrupted the speaking agenda to perform “We Shall Overcome,” which was followed by a spoken word performance and African dance. The flash mob was followed by storytelling performances from Valerie Tutson and Joe Wilson, Jr.
Behind-the-scenes plans for the flash mob began when Council President Luis Aponte first met the high school students during a holiday performance at Latino Public Radio in December. Impressed with the students’ talent, Aponte asked Central High School music teacher Joyce Bernau-Enriquez to help the students arrange a flash mob performance at City Hall. According to Bernau-Enriquez, the students spent upwards of 20 hours after school in preparation for the event. The students choreographed their own African dance routine and adopted a poem written by a fellow student for the spoken word performance.
The stunning performance kicked off the Council’s second annual Black History Month celebration, which features an archives exhibit that chronicles the black suffrage movement in Providence from 1785-1885. At the students’ request, dozens of elected officials, staff members, nd visitors joined them in singing a resounding chorus of “We Shall Overcome” in unison.
Storyteller Valerie Tutson also performed as Elleanor Eldridge (1785-1865), who left home at age ten for employment and later became a successful entrepreneur and Providence landlord. Joe Wilson Jr. of Trinity Repertory Company was the final act, performing as Alexander Crummell (1819-1898), an influential scholar, college professor, preacher, and education advocate for people of color.
“We are quite honored to have so much history in our archives department, right here in City Hall,” said Councilwoman Mary Kay Harris, who urged attendees to return to the exhibit with friends and family. She is also working with the Providence City Archives Department to develop a program for groups to come to City Hall and learn about the black suffrage movement in Providence. “Education is empowerment,” said Harris. “I want to bring my constituents to City Hall and share this history with them.”
The archives exhibit will be displayed on the third floor of City Hall through the end of March. To schedule a group tour, interested parties should contact Deputy Archivist Caleb Horton at (401) 680-5315.
by Billy Kepner | Jan 24, 2017 | Council News, Press Release, Ward-11
Councilwoman Mary Kay Harris (Ward 11) today issued the following statement regarding developer Joseph Paolino’s plans to convert the former St. Joseph’s Hospital into a housing complex for the homeless:
“Although I want the St. Joseph’s campus to become more fully utilized, I am not in agreement with or in support of the proposal that has been presented today because it lacks input from the residents of this community.
Large-scale redevelopment demands a process that is inclusive of the community in which it will have the biggest impact. A project of this scale should happen with the host community rather than to the host community.
The Southside and Elmwood neighborhoods have shouldered more than their fair share of support to vulnerable populations. We aren’t being asked to take on more of it; we’re being told that we don’t have a choice.
Years ago, Travelers’ Aid, which is now known as Crossroads, was located downtown before it was relocated to the southern side of the highway. If it’s a hindrance to downtown development, it gets moved south.
Today, I stand in solidarity with my neighbors and constituents in opposition to the plan laid out by Mr. Paolino, who has stated that he wants to ‘target the people I see downtown sleeping in vestibules.’ This does not reflect a democratic process, and I cannot support this proposal until it is inclusive of the community that lives here, raises their children here, and pays taxes here. We are not going to accept any plan or process that is forced upon us by a developer.
A few weeks ago, a community meeting was held to discuss the proposed construction of Hotel Express, which will be located on Pine Street, adjacent to Crossroads. The hotel’s New York investors expressed to me that they have no need to meet with the community because they are not receiving any tax breaks. I wonder, is this type of treatment consistent across all of the City’s wards?
I will work with my colleagues within city government and community members to create a process that involves real community input. Then, and only then, will I be in support of a new use for St. Joseph’s Hospital.”
