Guest MINDSETTER™ Michael Long: Addressing Violence in Providence
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Over the past week, the media has covered the recent surge in violence across the capital city. It has reached the point where the NAACP and other civil rights groups have called for immediate action by the police department in order to quell what has become almost a daily occurrence. The problem is that short-term immediate responses will have limited effect once a storm has brewed, and it is going to take a large-scale coordinated effort between the Providence Police, the Providence City Council, the Mayor’s Office, private entities, and the residents of Providence not only to calm this storm, but also prevent another one from occurring. However, actions like the recent proposal on the part of the City Council not only will inhibit efforts to deal with violence, but will actually escalate the problem.
In June of this year, seven members of the Providence City Council drafted and signed an ordinance which would amend Chapter 18.5 of the Providence Code of Ordinances, which would add a new section, titled the “Community Safety Act.” This act, if passed, would add not only a significant hurdle to daily police operations, but also further endanger the lives of the residents, business owners, and visitors within the city. The language within the body of this amendment all but prevents the officers from conducting the proactive police work needed to bring an end to this wave of violence. This amendment, as it stands, clearly highlights the disconnect and lack of understanding of the sitting City Council.
The Providence Police has been operating with a diminished manning level for close to a decade. Its fleet of vehicles and other required pieces of equipment are old, worn out, and in desperate need of replacement. The demonstrated lack of support from the elected body of the city holds the department morale to basement levels, and it manifests the council’s willingness to have the department operate with subpar tools, putting a great number of lives at risk. If the Providence Police are to be successful in bringing order and safety back to the streets of our city, they need the true support of the elected officials, rather than restraining political wordplay.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe ongoing violence does not only impact the residents within the immediate areas where these attacks take place, but also hurts the city as a whole. If Providence is to regain its greatness, the council and mayor must allow the members of the police department to do their job completely, and without political interference. Chief Clements and his staff are the utmost professionals, and they continuously earn the respect of every stakeholder within the City of Providence. I call on the persons elected by the residents of our city no longer to prevent our police department from bringing peace back to the streets of Providence. The NAACP and civil rights groups are correct in their concern regarding the violence in our communities – and elected officials drafting ordinances that prohibit preventative measures for the police to quell crime are doing nothing to help deal with the problem.
Michael Long is a Providence resident, a decorated police officer of the City of Cranston, and a combat Veteran of the War in Afghanistan, who is running for Providence City Council, Ward 1. He is graduating from Northeastern University this August, with a Masters of Science in Criminal Justice.
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