Arrested development

Step to raise accountability remains on hold

by Ian Donnis

Despite the widespread view that the process for airing misconduct complaints against police is flawed, a proposal to introduce an independent liaison between the public and Providence police continues to languish.

The concept grew out of talks several years ago between Steven J. O'Rourke, executive director of the Providence Housing Authority, and Paul L. Lewis, a Providence-based consultant and former running back for the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks, who has worked with at-risk youth for the last 11 years.

As envisioned, "this position is not for the person to investigate the police," says Lewis, but it would include mediation efforts between police and the community, as well as the chance to make independent observations on alleged cases of misconduct.

Under the existing process, the strongest discipline that can be imposed by Police Chief Urbano Prignano Jr. for wrongdoing by police is a two-day suspension. After an internal affairs investigation, complaints by citizens to the police department are decided by a police union representative and two other officers -- a process that many residents find intimidating and lacking in objectivity.

"We do need something else in place," says Public Safety Commissioner John J. Partington Jr. "There's got to be something other than walking off the street into internal affairs."

The idea of involving civilians in reviewing allegations of misconduct tends to be fiercely opposed by police officers, who believe that civilians are hard-pressed to understand the difficult split-second decisions that must be made by police. But although Mayor Vincent A. "Buddy" Cianci Jr. and Prignano are largely content with the status quo on this issue, they both support the concept of creating an independent liaison between the police and the community. "It seems like a good answer to a lot of questions," says Cianci. Adds Prignano, "I welcome all the help I can get."

But the proposal to bring Lewis into the position remains in limbo because of a lack of funding for the job, according to Partington and Cianci. For all the progress Providence has made in the last 10 years, it's telling that it remains a struggle to take a small, incremental step toward enhancing accountability and public confidence in the handling of misconduct cases.

As it is, the Fraternal Order of Police has typically rallied around officers accused of wrongdoing, regardless of the validity of the allegations. Officer Michael Marcoccio, president of the FOP's Lodge No. 3, didn't return telephone messages seeking comment from the Phoenix.

The status quo is damaging, says Derek P.

Ellerman, executive director of the citizens group

Center for Police and Community (CPAC), since the presence of a small number of problem officers

tarnishes the way that many residents view the entire

department. "It's definitely in the interest of the

police department to have a system that ensures

accountability," he says.

Last week, in a response to a request by CPAC, Providence police released statistical data on civilian complaints from 1996, and agreed to make public in January more information for 1997, 1998, and 1999. Ellerman says the effort is meant to end some of the secrecy and questions about the complaint process. (In 1996, the internal affairs bureau received 69 complaints that involved 92 officers, the vast majority with fewer than five years of experience.)

Serving as a liaison between police and the community on the hot button issues represented by alleged misconduct could likely be a difficult role. But Lewis, who learned about the importance of building community ties as part of the first black family to move into East Boston's Maverick housing project, welcomes the prospect of taking on the challenge. "I think very highly of the police. I know they have a tough, tough job," he says. But the fact remains that some "people don't want to go to the police, because they're afraid of the police.''

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

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