ACLU, Groups Demand to See RI State Police Report on Tolman Officer

ACLU, Groups Demand to See RI State Police Report on Tolman Officer

The ACLU of RI, the NAACP Providence Branch, the George Wiley Center, the American Friends Service Committee - South East New England, and Providence Student Union filed an open records request with the Rhode Island State Police requiting the full report of its investigation, conducted in conjunction with the Pawtucket Police Department, into the actions of a school resource officer who was recorded body slamming a 14-year-old student at Tolman High School in Pawtucket on October, 14th.

“Like that report, release of this information would shed light on important government issues, and particularly the role, responsibilities and powers of school resource officers in the schools,” the groups stated.

See a Copy of the Letter HERE

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The request, filed pursuant to the state's Access to Public Records Act comes after the State Police announced that it had completed its review of the incident and found the officer in question behaved appropriately.

“Although the police officer in question was cleared, the NAACP Providence Branch finds the use of force on a 14-year-old child very disturbing and calls into question whether police officers should be in schools in the first place," said NAACP Providence Branch President Jim Vincent.

By releasing the report, the State Police would be acting in line with an October 20th memo from Governor Gina Raimondo emphasizing the importance of state agencies disclosing information under APRA when possible.

“Release of the State Police report and materials is critical to promoting transparency and the public’s right to know in understanding this controversial incident that brought to light the many serious concerns raised by the routine presence of police officers in schools," said ACLU of RI executive director Steven Brown.

After the incident in October, the ACLU called on all school districts that currently have resource officers to re-evaluate their use in the schools and to revise the agreements they have with police departments that set out job responsibilities.