Joseph R. Paolino Jr., whose public safety platform includes having Bill Bratton perform a management study of the police department and naming a high-profile public safety commissioner with inter-agency experience, is expected to be joined by the former New York City police commissioner and Robert Stutman, a veteran of the US Drug Enforcement Administration, during a news conference on Thursday, August 22.

Paolino plans to unveil Stutman, a Providence native and former director of field operations for the DEA in New England and New York, as his choice, if elected mayor, for public safety commissioner. Paolino, who selected John Partington, the current public safety commissioner, during his previous tenure as mayor, has indicated that he wants to bring in a new choice.

Stutman, whose law enforcement experience extends to old Federal Bureau of Narcotics, the DEA's precursor agency, has the kind of managerial experience that might help to facilitate overdue changes in the Providence Police Department. Considering the failure of the drug war, though, critics might question the wisdom of picking a DEA veteran for the potential post.

Stutman joined Paolino during a recent anti-violence meeting in Providence that was organized with help from his main mayoral rival, state Representative David N. Cicilline. Word was that Paolino planned to present his would-be choice for commissioner during a news conference at the Cranston Armory, proposed by Paolino as the site of academy for students with an interest in military, police, and fire service.

Ian Donnis can be reached at idonnis[a]phx.com.

Issue Date: August 23 - 29, 2002