BREAKING: Providence Police Union Disputes Claims By Firefighter Union of Racism
Sunday, June 07, 2020
On Friday, the head of the Providence Firefighters' union claimed that an on-duty minority Providence firefighter was racially profiled by Providence Police.
Now, the Providence FOP Lodge 3 is strongly disputing the claims of the firefighter and comments made by Derek Silva, President of the Providence Fire Fighters IAFF local 799, who posted the accusations to social media on Friday at about 7 PM -- just as the Black Lives Matter protest march in Providence was ending.
The FOP statement reads:
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTRecently, a Providence firefighter went on the local news proclaiming officer misconduct against one of our Providence Police Officer members, followed by a very damning social media message put out by their union president. We, the Providence Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge #3, wholeheartedly disagree with the content of this firefighter’s statement and the context of the firefighter union’s message, and we have gathered the facts and information which tells the true story and we believe vindicates our officers.
• Police Officers were dispatched to a man breaking into businesses on Cranston St.
• Upon the officers’ arrival, two witnesses stated they saw a man running from the area outbound on Cranston St.
• Officers canvassed the area attempting to locate the subject fleeing the area.
• Another individual (the complainant in this matter) then flagged down the police, stating that a few minutes earlier a red vehicle with two occupants had pulled up to him and friend, and the occupants exited the vehicle and demanded money from him. The two subjects displayed a firearm and a knife. At this point the complainant and his friend ran fearing for their lives.
• The complainant stated to police that he believed that the red vehicle parked in front of the Messer Street Providence Firehouse may be the vehicle involved in the incident, and that the two occupants in the red vehicle could be those who had attempted to rob him at gunpoint and knifepoint.
• Investigating the incident based on information they had received from the complainant, the police officers approached that red vehicle in a manner consistent with their police training on conducting a felony car stop (possible firearm involved).
• With weapons drawn, as trained to do, the officers asked the occupants of the vehicle to show their hands and exit the vehicle.
• The subjects exited the vehicle and were identified as a Providence Firefighter and female occupant, and at this time the officers immediately re-holstered their firearms. The officers explained the reason why they were there.
• Out of an abundance of caution, one officer asked the driver if he could search the front compartment of the vehicle, and the female operator consented to the brief search. The search was conducted to remove any question of a firearm within the front compartment of the vehicle.
• The officers concluded the stop and apologized for any misunderstanding or inconvenience.
• One officer left the scene because they believed it was secure and that the individuals were clearly not the subjects, and then a third officer who was with the complainant further up the street responded to the firehouse to gather the final information to complete his report. At no time did the officers display any act that could be construed as racial profiling, they were simply responding to and investigating an incident based on the information given them from an on-scene complainant. All reports, racial profiling cards, and stop survey cards were completed. The transparency of their actions is beyond reproach.
The Officers involved conducted themselves in a professional manner. To have someone embellish what took place to grab a headline, especially in a time of turmoil, is the exact toxic nature of which we all are trying to move away from.
Good officers of different ethnicities are being accused of misconduct that clearly did not take place as originally reported. It is sad and disgusting that a Providence firefighter would distort the truth about our police officers, and that his opportunistic union president would recklessly publicize these mistruths in an environment when police are under attack. The only injustice here is that by the firefighter in question and his union president.
Respectfully, Providence FOP 3
Firefighters' Accusations of Racism
Silva posted the following on Friday:
"We stand with our brother, Terrell Paci, who was on-duty, and in uniform, in front of the Messer Street fire station when he and a visitor were profiled by Providence Police.
A twenty-three-year-old black firefighter had a gun drawn - and held - on him even after he announced himself as a firefighter, even as he stood before these police officers in his full fire department uniform, in front of his workplace.
This situation makes clear that even in uniform - a young black man is not immune from the impact of systemic, institutional racism.
While we value our working relationship with the Providence Police, and know there are many officers who are working to change police culture, this incident proves that there is more work to be done."
Silva did not respond to request for comment on Friday.
Efforts to reach Providence Police Chief Hugh Clements were unsuccessful.
Providence Public Safety Commissioner Steve Pare said he had "no comment" when reached.
This story was first published 6/5/20 at 8:01 PM
