The Providence (RI) City Council voted Thursday to give first passage to the Community Safety Act, a far-reaching ordinance designed to curb profiling by the city’s police but the odd benefits it gives to criminals and specifically gang members has many in law enforcement shaking their head.
The council voted 12-0 to approve the ordinance as hundreds of supporters cheered. Mayor Jorge Elorza has already said he intends to sign it into law.
After reading the details of this ordinance, the only ones that will be cheering in a few months will be the criminals.
While the politicians covered up the terrible provisions in this act by saying that it was simply designed to “curb profiling,” what was really inside it will create one of the most lawless cities this country knows.
The violent crime rate in Providence is already 134% higher than the state average and the passing of this ordinance will be the best thing that Rhode Island criminals have seen in some time.
Developed by activist groups, the Community Safety Act is weighed heavily towards giving benefits to the criminal element. If you don’t believe us, just look at the official logo (above) of the Act. It shows the police at the bottom, which is exactly where the politicians have placed them by passing this ordinance.
No one in law enforcement will argue that racial profiling should not be eliminated but this Act uses that premise to handcuff law enforcement from simply doing their job.
Here are some of the items that the future victims of Providence Crime need to be aware of:
- Traffic stops can no longer be used as probable cause to investigate further criminal activity.
- Police may not ask for identification more than once including “police may not consider an individual’s lack of proof of identification or failure to respond to a request for identifying information as probable cause or reasonable suspicion of criminal activity.”
- Police may not photograph anyone below the age of 18 and if a photo (under certain guidelines) is allowed, it must be destroyed in 90 days.
- “Police may not inquire about an individual’s immigration status.”
- There is an entire appeal process for anyone listed as a gang member to not be listed as a gang member.
- “If an individual has no convictions within a two-year period after their name has been placed on the “gang list,” and no new evidence meeting the criteria for inclusion on the “gang list” has been found, the name shall be removed and all related records destroyed.”
And of course, the ordinance ends with an entire page on how police will be prosecuted and sued for any violation of anything in the ordinance of which must goes far and beyond any case law or practice that any agency in this country is currently doing. Actually, the piles of paperwork that the Act requires of a police officer after they stop someone is done in another city….Chicago. Hasn’t that worked out well there?
Now there will be some that are not educated in the dynamics of what this ordinance will cause that say we oppose this because we want police to racially profile others. That is ridiculous. It is against the law for race to be the sole indicator on profiling and no one in the profession agrees with racial profiling but passing this ordinance because a small section prohibits racial profiling is like eating a salad with a milk shake. Any of the benefits of the salad go away after you drink the 1000 calorie shake.
Let us be clear. The City of Providence is in deep trouble. Their crime rate is already off the chart and this Act gives all of the rights to criminals and in an odd way, gang members?
Of course when crime skyrockets, the activists and the politicians won’t blame themselves. They will blame the cops. It’s a tired tradition and one that hopefully the public will not buy because they will be too busy buying property outside Providence, Rhode Island.
