Providence Police Double Embarrassment: Two Cases Undermine Department

Providence Police Double Embarrassment: Two Cases Undermine Department

Two unrelated incidents, years apart, both came to fruition on Friday. The two incidents are both embarrassments to the Providence Police.

First, it was a police panel reviewing the case of Sgt. Joseph Hanley.

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

In April 2020, Sgt. Joseph Hanley was captured on police body-worn camera video hitting a suspect, Rishod Gore, in handcuffs.

 

SEE VIDEO ABOVE

 

According to the findings of the Providence External Review Authority (PERA), Hanley violated a number of police standards. PERA found that by ”using video from the [body worn camera] and the cell phone footage, Sergeant Hanley is observed in the following acts after the complainant is in handcuffs and lying on the ground in the prone position:

• Kneeling on the back of his neck/shoulder (Sergeant Hanley appears to use the open car door as support, lift his supporting foot off the ground bearing his full weight on the complainant’s neck and shoulder)

• Punch to the ribs (left side)

• Kick to the rib area

• Kick to the head

• Walking on the back of the complainant’s lower legs

• NOTE: During the assault(s) Sergeant Hanley "continued to verbally taunt the complainant."

But now, after years of litigation, a conviction which was later overturned, Hanley is cleared to come back to serve on the Providence Police force.

On Friday, it was announced that a police review board cleared the way for his return.

After the Law Enforcement Officers' Bill of Rights (LEOBOR) decision, Colonel Oscar Perez, said, “I disagree with this decision. Based on the totality of the circumstances, we recommended termination. Deputy Chief O’Hara who served on the panel, agreed with my recommendation and also determined that termination was necessary. Notably my predecessor also recommended termination. Unfortunately, the other two panel members disagreed, resulting in a lesser outcome.”

“When we can’t hold officers accountable, we put our community at risk, and we lose the trust that we as a department work very hard to build. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of accountability, both within the department and to the communities we serve,” Perez said.

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley’s office, which issued Perez’s statement, refused to identify the two other members of the review panel.

In a 62-page decision the panel found Hanley guilty of three out of 10 violations and imposed a 45-day suspension and “reinstated and appropriately reintegrated into the Providence Police Department.”

He could be back on the streets as a Providence Police officer in August.

 

Drug Charges

The second major embarrassment was that a police officer selected by the Smiley/Perez administration was arrested on multiple drug-related charges in Pawtucket. The arrests became public on Friday.

Pawtucket police are charging officer Destiny Viera with:

Manufacturing, delivering or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance (2 counts)
Distribution or manufacturing in or near schools
Conspiracy (2 counts)
Keeping or maintaining a common nuisance

Now, one officer seen on video kicking and punching a man is back on the job and, at least for the short term, another officer is off the job due to her alleged ties to the drug trade.

She has been fired, but if she is exonerated, she potentially could sue for reinstatement.