Providence Police Union: “Hypocrisy at Its Worst” By Elorza & Council Over Move to “Defund Police”
Saturday, July 11, 2020
The executive board of the Providence Fraternal Order of Police issued a strong statement Friday night about efforts by Mayor Jorge Elorza’s administration and members of the Providence City Council to implement cuts to the funding for the Providence Police Department.
Elorza recently increased his own security after a small protest outside of his home.
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In the statement, the union said, “We will do our job regardless of what the City Council and Mayor do...we work for the law-abiding citizens of Providence, not the politicians.”
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“These politicians may want to defund the Police, yet they are the first ones to constantly call for police intervention and protection for their special attention issues and their constituents. They are also grossly uneducated as to the many community-related services that our Police Department provides in addition to basic police work, and they refuse to make an effort to learn more about these services or experience them firsthand through a ride-along or meetings with our Police Officers. That is hypocrisy at its worst."
Elorza Wanted More Police -- For Personal Protection
On June 30, GoLocal first reported that Elorza was receiving increased police detail at his home in Providence — after saying he wants to reallocate police resources.
As GoLocal reported:
A small protest of roughly 15 people at Elorza’s home on Sunday evening has now resulted in both marked and unmarked police presence outside his home.
Sources have confirmed the increased policing due to the protest and other security concerns. The Mayor's office declined to comment.
The Mayor already receives a rotating number of police drivers; it is highly unusual for the Providence Mayor to have constant surveillance at home.
Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo has had round-the-clock police security outside her home while in office, the first for a Governor in Rhode Island.
Elorza had recently said he is “rethinking” policing in the city, amid pressure from those calling to defund law enforcement.
Last week, Providence Police voted "no confidence" in Elorza -- and Public Safety Commissioner Steven Pare.
Full FOP Statement
"If the Providence City Council and Mayor's office want to make the entire City suffer a lack of all services because they refuse to pass the City’s budget due to their misguided desire to defund our Police Department, then their constituents and the City’s businesses - the taxpayers of Providence, can hold them wholly responsible for it.
The Providence FOP obviously does not support the outcry to defund the police. In order to maintain high levels of training, recruit the best individuals with rich backgrounds in service, provide safety and protection to the residents and businesses in the City, and continue to provide services to the community in many other ways … Police Department funding is a necessity.
The FOP also agrees that many of the programs intended to serve the city’s most marginalized residents are grossly underfunded; however, so are many of the police services intended to assist these same people. The goal should be to enhance all of these services, as well as the Police Department. We believe that it is important for the Police Department to work with the community to address all of these services and goals, and we are thankful that many in our community see how often our Police Officers are asked to fill the role of doctor, parent, counselor, social worker, mediator, teacher, therapist, and more.
However, reallocating funds from our Police Department is not the way to a better City or to the increased safety of our community and residents, and in fact will have the opposite effect. We all have the same goal of a safe, healthy City. But, when crime rates increase and go unchecked because of a lack of Police funding for Officers, equipment, training, etc., then the law abiding taxpayers of Providence and local Business owners in Providence can blame the City Council and Mayor for it. All one has to do is look at the horrifying spikes in violent crimes in New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, Seattle, Minneapolis, etc to see the dramatic and direct effect of defunding Police.
We are already experiencing a dramatic increase in violent crime in our City. In the month of June alone, the Providence Police responded to 2 homicides, 18 stabbings, 18 robberies, and 27 shots fired calls; and the Providence Police has conducted 10 firearms arrests, removing those firearms from the street. While angry residents speak out to the Council about defunding the police, we are left wondering why the City Council and Mayor have ignored or just accepted this increase in crime. Defunding our Police Department will only make things worse.
Defunding Police is also not supported by the public. A recent poll from the Pew Research Center of adult Americans (polled between June 16-22, 2020), found that over 70% of those polled believed that the police should not be defunded; in fact, many believed that the police needed more funding. It is time for all the voices to be heard and for politicians to sit down with all sides to see the plethora of services already in place, and discuss how we can move forward together.
We will do our job regardless of what the City Council and Mayor do...we work for the law-abiding citizens of Providence, not the politicians. These politicians may want to defund the Police, yet they are the first ones to constantly call for police intervention and protection for their special attention issues and their constituents. They are also grossly uneducated as to the many community-related services that our Police Department provides in addition to basic police work, and they refuse to make an effort to learn more about these services or experience them firsthand through a ride-along or meetings with our Police Officers. That is hypocrisy at its worst."
This story was first published 7/10/20 8:01 PM
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