Rep. Tobon to Reintroduce Bill in Support of "Fitting the Description" Movement
GoLocalProv News Team
Rep. Tobon to Reintroduce Bill in Support of "Fitting the Description" Movement
“This is common sense legislation that has sadly been ignored for far too long, adversely affecting too many people and creating more unneeded division between law enforcement and the public. Upstanding citizens should not have arrest records that follow them throughout their lives because they unfairly ‘fit the description’ of a criminal. Rhode Island needs this change in law before more innocent people are subjected to the stigma of having unwarranted arrest records, possibly hampering their employment or living situations," said Tobon.
The bill would require the sealing and destruction of all arrest records and indices of arrest for people who are wrongfully arrested or detained by any law enforcement agency.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe bill would also provide that the arrest not be disclosed for any purpose and would mandate that the arresting agency notify the arrestee/detainee of the determination that the arrest was wrong and a case of mistaken identity.
Fitting the Description
Fitting the Description is a non-profit organization created to build awareness of the number of individuals who are wrongfully detained or arrested because they fit a description.
The founder of the organization, Charles Belk, is a victim of mistaken arrest and is rallying support of state legislators to introduce "auto erase" legislation to erase records of innocent individuals that are wrongfully arrested.
Belk said of Tobon's reintroduction "It brings me great honor that Representative Tobon is reintroducing this legislation. I watched similar #AutoErase bills get signed into law in both North Carolina and Illinois this year, and truly look forward to Rhode Island becoming the third state to do so as early in 2016 as possible!"
Police Militarization - Department by Department Breakdown
Woonsocket
Items Purchased: 3
Summary of Equipment: Dump truck (1 unit), Snow plow plade (1 unit), Truck and tractor attachments (1 unit)
West Warwick
Items Purchased: 5
Summary of Equipment: Shotgun barrel (1 unit), Immersion suit (1 unit, can be used for underwater operations)
East Providence
Items Purchased: 10
Summary of Equipment: Radio sets (4 units), Miscellaneous vehicle parts (6 total units)
Scituate
Items Purchased: 12
Summary of Equipment: M84 charging handle (8 units, is part of a rifle)
Smithfield
Items Purchased: 15
Summary of Equipment: Small arms sling swivel (10 units), Optical reflex units (5 units)
Newport
Items Purchased: 17
Summary of Equipment: Digital computer systems (3 units), Flat panel monitors (10 units)
Barrington
Items Purchased: 43
Summary of Equipment: Binoculars (5 units), Ballistic protective spectacles (25 units), Sight mount (5 units)
Photo credit: Stanislas PERRIN
Cranston
Items Purchased: 49
Summary of Equipment: Armor Plate (1 unit), Survival vest pocksts (30 units)
Glocester
Items Purchased: 70
Summary of Equipment: High capacity rifle magazines (12 units), Ammunition-carrying vests (4 units), Ballistic protective spectacles (20 units)
North Kingstown
Items Purchased: 72
Summary of Equipment: High capacity rifle magazines (27 units), Small arms storage rack (5 units), Satellite systems navigation set (4 units)
East Greenwich
Items Purchased: 99
Summary of Equipment: Binoculars (10 units), Ballistic and laser protective spectacles (53 units), Ballistic protective spectables (30 unites)
Hopkinton
Items Purchased: 100
Summary of Equipment: High capacity rifle magazines (100 units)
Foster
Items Purchased: 257
Summary of Equipment: Ballistic and laser protective spectacles (6 units), Rifle bipods (10 units), Field pack (10 units, designed for clothing rations, and additional items like ammunition), Passenger motor vehicles (3 units)
Coventry
Items Purchased: 1,604
Summary of Equipment: HMMWV (Humvee) M1165 Assembly Kit (2 units), Gun magazines (432 units), Night vision face masks (8 units), Gun silencers (54), Small arms sight mounts (6 units)
Johnston
Items Purchased: 2,389
Summary of Equipment: Armor plates (30 units), Demolition firing device (1 unit), Improvised Explosive Device training it (9 units), High capacity rifle magazines (599 units), Chemical protective suit (1 unit), High-speed tractor (1 unit), Diesel generators (2 units), Flat panel monitors (21 units)
