Igliozzi: "Potential Appearance of Impropriety" in Attempted Hiring of Stephens for Police Major
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Igliozzi: "Potential Appearance of Impropriety" in Attempted Hiring of Stephens for Police Major
After Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza announced that Stephens was his pick to be a newly created Major in the Police Department -- which faced backlash from the City Council and National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers -- the council approved instead a new position in the police department to "help strengthen community relations and public safety in Providence neighborhoods."
Now, the City Council is sending that position back to committee amidst reports of impropriety in the search process.
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At Thursday's City Council meeting, the budget ordinances that had been amended to reclassify the Community Relations and Diversion Services Administrator role in the police department to a civilian position were sent back to committee after new questions about the hiring process surfaced.
In a letter to Public Safety Commissioner Steven Paré, Igliozzi said that information has come to the attention of the Council regarding a “potential appearance of impropriety in the selection and hiring process,” for the new position.
READ LETTER BELOW
The letter states that the Commissioner and other witnesses may be asked to testify before the Committee on Finance on the matter.
“The City Council recognizes that consistency, equity, and transparency must be at the center of the hiring process for a role that is empowered and expected to bring those same qualities to the duties and responsibilities as the Community Relations and Diversion Services Administrator. I look forward to the continued public discussion to gain clarity and to ensure the hiring process for this important position is fair and equitable,” Igliozzi wrote.
Igliozzi Letter
The following is what was sent by Igliozzi this week.
Dear Commissioner Paré:
Recently, new information has come to the attention of the Providence City Council regarding a potential appearance of impropriety in the selection and hiring process for the former Community Relations and Diversion Services Major position, which the City Council recently voted to reclassify as the Administrator of Community Relations and Diversion Services (a civilian position).
According to several individuals who stated that they participated on the hiring committee for the position, Michael Stephens also was a member of that hiring committee. These individuals explained that after Mr. Stephens participated in the hiring process as a member of the committee, he then became a candidate for the position, and that while Mr. Stephens was not among the top three candidates recommended by the hiring committee to you and the Mayor, he was nonetheless selected for the position.
Clearly, the potential appointment of an individual who: 1) was a member of the hiring committee, 2) was not among the top three candidates recommended by the hiring committee, and 3) potentially received an unfair advantage, would raise serious concerns about the integrity of the process.
As a result of learning about these potential concerns, the City Council at its meeting tonight referred the budget ordinances creating the Administrator of Community Relations and Diversion Services position back to Finance Committee for further discussion. The Finance Committee will be calling you and other witnesses to testify and explain whether the above information is accurate, and exactly what occurred in the hiring process.
The City Council recognizes that consistency, equity, and transparency must be at the center of the hiring process for a role that is empowered and expected to bring those same qualities to the duties and responsibilities as the Community Relations and Diversion Services Administrator. I look forward to the continued public discussion to gain clarity and to ensure the hiring process for this important position is fair and equitable.
Elorza Responds
Elorza, in the following statement, refuted Igliozzi's claims.
"For the past couple of weeks, we have made it clear to the Council President that the salary for this position must remain the same as other Major positions within the Police Department. Lowering the salary would be a clear indication that we do not value this work.
Before [Thursday's] council meeting, the Council President realized that his attempt to lower the salary range was in danger of being voted down. The story he is telling, about information coming to light at the last minute, is simply false.
Michael Stephens was not a participant in the hiring panel. It is unfortunate that the Council President is insinuating that our Public Safety leadership and a long standing employee and community leader would compromise the process of hiring such a critical new position."