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A talk with the Chief
A few hours ago I spoke with Col. Esserman, Providence’s Chief of Police. He told me that the Police Department too is also upset and angry since four men were injured during the melee. He told me that he has been in Mt. Hope every night since Sunday and that they have beefed up patrols in Mt. Hope.
I spoke to him about the concept of the District Commander being the neighborhood guru coordinating all the city departments. He said that is exactly how it should be. I asked if there is a mechanism where whenever a permit is pulled a copy is sent over to the Police. The Chief told me that that is how it is supposed to work.
I asked the colonel, so what happened Sunday? He said that they did not know about the event. He said that there had been a major screw up. The permit, he claimed, was pulled late Friday by Kevin Jackson who was supposed to notify the District 8 Commander. Mr Jackson never notified the police of the event. If they had known they would have assigned several officers to monitor the event.
I told the Chief that I understand that they had not been notified, but what about the fact that after I and other neighbors called to complain and an officer was sent to speak with me and inform me that they had a permit for the event in the park the police were then aware of the event. I asked why weren’t officers then assigned to monitor the event. I was told that the officers were needed elsewhere leaving District 8 shorthanded.
I asked what could we do to prevent another such occurrence and he said that is topic for your councilman and for Rita Murphy. He told me that the Police Department received an apology from the person responsible for this horrible incident.
Posted at June 12, 2007 07:29 PM
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