Elorza Tackles Crime, Protestors at East Side Community Forum

Elorza Tackles Crime, Protestors at East Side Community Forum

Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza addressed a nearly packed house of close to 200 at Nathan Bishop Middle School to address crime and public safety issues on Monday night — and had to contend with a vocal crowd of “Step Up Providence” supporters who shouted out at the Mayor throughout the meeting over what they are say are unaddressed community issues including discriminatory policing. 

“Our mission is supporting passage of the Providence Community Safety Act,” said Will Lambek with Step Up Providence. “We had one meeting with the Mayor, but for the last 11 months he has refused to meet with anyone from the Step Up network  He promised to support 10 of the 12 provisions in the Act during the campaign, now he’s opposed.  He’s here to talk about home break-ins, when statistics show crime on the East Side is down. He’s here to talk about phony crime rates, when he ignoring groups who are affected but the real crimes rates of police violence, discriminantory policing and economic devastation."

Elorza spokesperson Evan England said that the Mayor has met with members of the group, and plans to continued to do so.  

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

“The Mayor plans to meet with members of their housing organization on Monday, I know they met at least 3 times this year,” said England. “He looks forward to hearing and addressing their concerns. They care greatly about the city, and all neighborhoods in the city."

Abbreviated Agenda

The event was organized as a neighborhood forum by Cheryl Simmons, who runs a listserve to provide residents on the East Side with crime updates and community information. 

“I feel the Admininstration was able to pretty much give us new information about reporting and protocol -- there were certain issues I might have wanted to go deeper on, but I wanted to just keep things on track,” said Simmons of moderating the meeting, in light of the protestors.

Chief Hugh Clements noted during the forum that the city would be replacing Crime Reports with Open Data Portal for its crime tracking in next 45-60 days. 

“I haven't seen the open data portal -- I'd heard it was going to happen before, and it sounds like they’re moving forward with it now,” said Simmons. “It sounds like it will have quite a bit of detail, I think it will better."

Elorza repeatedly noted during the meeting the higher amount of firefighter staffing — and spending — as compared to policing, as the city continues to fight a protracted legal battle with the firefighters over his platoon shift changes. 

“I think he was probably trying to convey there's a limited budget and there's only so many ways to push the money around,” said Simmons.  “in phrasing it the way he did, he made it pretty clear.”

Elorza noted that he was working with Attorney General Peter Kilmartin to keep offenders — and repeat offenders — from ending up back on the street after crimes are committed.  In October, GoLocal was first to report that a suspect the city had praised itself in catching for breaking and entering was arrested on subsequent charges just weeks later.