Another RI Police Union Criticizes Raimondo’s Mask Order and Refuses to Enforce - North Providence
GoLocalProv News Team
Another RI Police Union Criticizes Raimondo’s Mask Order and Refuses to Enforce - North Providence
" Our officers work every single day to bridge the gap with our community and earn their trust...we will not stand idly by and allow Governor Raimondo’s overreaching Order to tear that bridge down, and we will certainly not be a part of it by enforcing this Order against our community," wrote Thomas L. Jones, President of the North Providence Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge #13.
On Thursday night the Warwick FOP sent a letter to Raimondo blistering the Governor's policies.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST"Governor Raimondo has issued an Executive Order to take effect today, Friday May 8, 2020, making it mandatory for anyone over the age of 2 to wear a mask in public. Now we want to be very clear, the North Providence Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge #13 believes that it is a very good idea to, and strongly encourage everyone to wear a mask in public if they are near other people in order to protect themselves and others from the virus. We are encouraging all our officers to wear a mask. However, we draw the line at the draconian measures Governor Raimondo has chosen to include in her Executive Order of mandating that all people wear masks in public under the threat of civil penalties being issued to them. Our officers work every single day to bridge the gap with our community and earn their trust," wrote Jones.
"We are reminding our officers that they have DISCRETION in matters such as these, and they should utilize their critical thinking skills. The last thing any of us need to do is to kick the community when they are down. People are already scared and hurting financially in these COVID-19 times, so we will not support enforcing financial or other civil penalties just for not wearing a mask in public; and we will not support enforcing an Order that is likely to incite fear and anger in our community, and possible confrontation. We absolutely do not condone the words of Providence Mayor Elorza of public shaming people, or Governor Raimondo of “nudging” people to comply," added Jones.
READ THE FULL LETTER BELOW
