Smiley Has a 4 Police Security Detail, Says Crime Is Going Down, That Is In Question
GoLocalProv News Team
Smiley Has a 4 Police Security Detail, Says Crime Is Going Down, That Is In Question
At the same time that Smiley says that his security details are needed, he claims Providence is safe and getting safer, according to Providence Police crime data.
However, questions are arising about how Providence police are reporting crimes.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTWhen asked if Providence is safe, Smiley said, “I've learned through my experience that safety is a feeling. So if people don't feel safe, then it doesn't count if it's safe. I know that our crime statistics are heading in the right direction in nearly every category.”
While Smiley claims data shows crime is decreasing, GoLocal’s tracking of cases shows that some violent crimes are being undercharged, raising questions about Providence Police data under the Smiley administration.
One example of Providence Police undercharging was the report of a beating of a man in downtown Providence on the evening of August 15.
According to police, a man was jumped by multiple men and severely beaten. GoLocal dug into the case.
The reported beating occurred just outside of Providence City Hall on Washington Street.
SEE VIDEO OF EMTs TREATING VICTIM AND WITNESS DESCRIBING ASSAULT ABOVE
On a Providence Police body camera clip, a member of the Providence Fire Department treating the victim can be heard saying to the victim, "Your eyes are swollen shut, you're bleeding."
The video was secured by GoLocalProv Access to Public Records Act request.
According to police, the witnesses said the suspects had been riding e-scooters at the time of the assault; the victim reportedly lost teeth and was taken to the hospital, where he was treated for potential internal injuries. A security camera from a nearby building captured the assault.
Twice during body camera footage secured by GoLocal, a Providence Police officer described the severity of the crime. At one point one of the officers said, "It's going to be felonies."
At another point in the body camera footage, the officer said to a witness he was interviewing, "Obviously, he was very badly assaulted."
Ultimately, four men were arrested and charged with only misdemeanors, rather than felony assault. FBI crime data does not track misdemeanors.
GoLocal asked Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez repeatedly why the men arrested for the beating were charged by Providence Police with misdemeanors rather than felony assaults, he refused to respond to multiple messages.
Court records showed that two of the suspects have arrest records, and one was already facing a lengthy list of felony charges stemming from a breaking-and-entering in the city in 2022 “with criminal intent.”
Now, two months later, all four have had their charges resolved.
Of the four individuals arrested, charges were dropped against two of the men and the two others pled “Nolo Contendere,” court fees were waived and they received no jail time.
The charges are on record with the court for six months.
Other than the governor of the state, no other elected officials have a full-time security detail.
None of the general officers, including the Attorney General, has security details.
Members of the Congressional delegation, when they travel in Washington, DC, or Rhode Island, are driven by staff in private vehicles.
Only in the case of credible threats are security by federal or local police assigned.
When asked if he needed four officers assigned to his security detail, Smiley said, “I don’t. I need one police officer, which is what I have, and they rotate.”
He claims that sometimes the four also do other assignments in City Hall.
The four officers assigned to Smiley’s detail have no other assignments, including one who is on assignment from the detective’s bureau.
Smiley defended the assignment and the cost. On average, the cost of salaries, overtime, benefits, and pension contributions and the mayor's dedicated vehicle total nearly $800,000 annually.
“Sadly, I think many of our elected officials who've not previously had security need it. It's a wild time, and the social norms around what's acceptable in terms of their interactions with public servants,” said Smiley.
He claims he has received legitimate threats.
Smiley is not the first Providence mayor to have security. It dates back to the late Vincent "Buddy" Cianci.
Former Mayor Angel Taveras said he would not accept security if elected, but then flip-flopped.