Posted inCriminal Justice, Local

City of Woonsocket faces civil rights lawsuit for alleged police misconduct 

The Rhode Island chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is suing the City of Woonsocket and a former police detective for wrongfully arresting and incarcerating a homeless man for a 2022 break-in.  The lawsuit filed Thursday in federal court in Providence alleges that Mack Blackie’s civil rights were violated when he was twice arrested […]

Posted inCriminal Justice, Local, Politics

Overhaul of measure governing police discipline signed into law

The first major overhaul of a controversial 48-year-old measure governing internal discipline of police in Rhode Island was signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Dan McKee. The Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights — blamed by critics for inhibiting appropriate management of police who engage in misconduct — has defied changes for decades. But the […]

Posted inCriminal Justice, Local, Politics

On a lopsided vote, the Rhode Island House passes a bill to overhaul police discipline

A bill overhauling how Rhode Island police departments handle misconduct cleared an important hurdle Thursday, clearing the House of Representatives on a 58-to-14 vote, although supporters and critics clashed on whether the legislation goes far enough to ensure public accountability. Efforts to change the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights, or LEOBOR, were a non-starter […]

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