Wednesday night State Police invited the public to tell them how to do their jobs better. More than 70 community members showed up at Roger Williams University’s Providence campus to engage in that dialog. Police brutality was a top issue, but participants pointed to the bigger issue: racism.
Relations between communities of color and law enforcement agencies across the country have been strained by recent violence. Rhode Island State Police are hoping to head off potential conflicts here by creating opportunities for discussion. Black Lives Matter member Justice Alfred is proof there’s an appetite for this conversation. He wanted to get this message across: that he feels police are approaching young black people with too much aggression, and ratcheting up the tension.
“We would like them to approach our youth in a better manner. There’s a better way. We hoping that they change their attitude, You ain’t always got to have your hand on your gun, you ain’t always got to have your gun out. We want to prevent that,” Alfred said. “If there’s no immediate threat, there shouldn’t be any reason why an officer needs to draw his gun unless he feels there’s an immediate threat.”
As the discussion started, Rhode Island State Police Superintendent Colonel Steven O’Donnell introduced a diverse panel of community representatives, from Islamic School of Rhode Island Principal Nasser Hussein to NAACP representative Pilar McCloud and Center for Southeast Asians Director Channavy Chay. O’Donnell framed the discussion:
“How can you from each different community help us do our job and do it better?” O’Donnel asked.
Some concrete suggestions emerged, like promoting the existence of a police and community relations committee. But many audience members, like Black Lives Matter member Osiris Harrell, wanted to share their frustrations with the police.
“We live in terror of the police. I’ve heard it said that our young men are afraid of the police and feel like the police are someone to run from.” Harrell said. “How do you convince a young black man that it’s the farthest thing from the truth that he should fear the police when he sees this play out every day on the television?”
State Police Colonel Steven O’Donnell responded that his organization wants to hear about it if police mistreat people.
“You got to make sure if there’s a complaint and you want to be heard, and that’s what most people want, to be heard, let them talk to our departments,” said O’Donnell. “We’re not afraid of it. If someone’s doing something they shouldn’t be, everyone we know wants to hold them accountable because we don’t want that to happen.”
Police chiefs from several other towns also attended the event.
