Group Seeks Police Reform In Pawtucket; Grebien's Office Responds

PAWTUCKET, RI — A coalition of activists seeking improved relations between the Pawtucket Police Department and the city's diverse community is calling for significant law enforcement reforms in the city.

In a new report, Community United 4 Positive Change says they met a number of times with city and police officials in 2020 to review their "demands" and work together on solutions. The group is now saying that some progress was made, but that they didn't get satisfactory answers in all areas.

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The group, known as CU4PC, alleges "a history of questionable practices and cases handled by the police" and says "there has not been a proper forum to discuss them, make policy changes and help the community move forward."

They seek a ban on chokeholds and police riot gear, full name tags for officers, an end to armed police in public schools, better language and cultural proficiency, protections for residents who file complaints against police officers, and a radical new commitment to transparency. The group alleges that the police department, through the city's law department, has a history of withholding information from the public.

The CU4PC report calls for an updated statement on the fatal 2016 police shooting of Dominique Silva, a man who was shot dead after allegedly pointing a gun at an officer. It turned out the firearm was a BB gun. The group says an investigation report released by the city after years of delay contradicted earlier official public statements regarding the case. A grand jury cleared the officer of wrongdoing, but CU4PC says it's not known what evidence was presented.

The group is calling for a host of other reforms, including residency requirements for police, public news conferences on all major cases, improved police training, and changes to the way the police chief is hired.

The group thanked Grebien and Police Chief Tina Goncalves for meeting, and said they will continue "to help make the City of Pawtucket a better place for all residents and visitors of the very diverse community."

Grebien's office on Tuesday thanked the CU4PC group and said progress has been made — while also asserting that there were some problems with the report.

"This report reflects some of the accomplishments we achieved together, though it also has some factual inaccuracies in the report that will be discussed and addressed in the future," said city spokesman Wil Arboleda. "Understanding the timing of the report as well as the importance of working on behalf of the residents, the City continues the collaboration with all, as we look to continue improving the quality of life and services for our community."

Arboleda said the nation has had a tough year. People struggled with a COVID-19 pandemic while watching some "horrific acts of violence" including the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.

Arboleda said CU4PC formed about a year ago and sought to collaborate with the city and its police department to look at ways Pawtucket could improve relationships throughout the community. He said the meetings and discussions were fruitful and helped people understand each other's roles and perspectives.

Arboleda pointed to recent progress while promising that dialog will continue.

For instance, the city has agreed to align with the R.I. Police Chiefs Association "Twenty for 2020" campaign. Pamphlets were distributed describing how to file complaints about police officers. The city hired a bilingual constituent liaison, hired a multilingual Public Health and Equity Leader, and formed a diverse Mayor’s Community Board, Arboleda said.

He added that the city and police department have formed partnerships with community organizations including the Family Services GO Team and the Nonviolence Institute to build better relationships with the community.

For its part, CU4PC says there is currently no sense of confidence that complaints against police officers are being handled properly. They claim that "community policing" has yet to be propertly implemented. They are calling for the formation of an independent Community Review Board to provide civilian oversight of the police department.

The CU4PC group includes members of Cape Verdean American Community Development (CACD), including chairman Joao Goncalves; and members of Rhode Island Cape Verdean Heritage (RICVH), the Rhode Island NAACP, and other groups. Pawtucket at-large city councilor Melissa DaRosa participated in the talks as did Grebien, Arboleda, Goncalves, and deputy director of administration Carlos Lopez Estrada.