What was your reaction to being selected as the recipient of this year’s Sister Ann Keefe Award?
I had known and worked alongside of Sister Ann Keefe for many years. She truly was an iconic figure and a legend in the city and state for the passion and drive she had in improving our community. She wore her heart on her sleeve, evident by her approach. I am genuinely humbled and honored to receive an award in her name from an organization that I have become closely aligned with and truly value the work of. Her style and influence on me have been inspirational to me and my work in the community, and I know to so many others.
How are you actively supporting the campaign for nonviolence in the community?
The mission of the Providence Police Department and Nonviolence Institute are very similar when you break it down. Our basic mission is to reduce crime, fear and disorder, while protecting human rights and constitutional rights. It sounds simplistic, but it is extremely complicated. There are so many interconnecting layers and intricate parts to what we deal with. Again, it is a community-oriented posture with a trauma-informed approach. Both the NVI and leadership of the PPD grasp the different roles that we play in addressing violence and we work cooperatively together within those boundaries.
What challenges have you faced regarding violence, and how have you addressed them?
We can never shy away from the fact that we have a problem with gun violence, young members in our community prone to targeting each other or other groups. For the most part, they are loose-knit groups of young men; however, some certainly have some hierarchal organization to their gang activity in the city. We are also challenged by a vibrant nightlife with club activity, which we all know brings unwanted activity to the city. We have done an outstanding job both reacting and proactively addressing these issues. The old downtown neighborhood district has been completely transformed. The college underage nightclub drinking has been wiped out.
What does it mean to you to lead the effort for nonviolence as the Providence chief of police?
I am blessed and honored. I love this city and the police department that I have led for the last several years. Clearly, this is a very tough assignment with massive challenges that are constantly changing. Everything is fluid, the nightlife, violence game, drugs and perspectives from the community. It really is all about relationships and listening to people, those that we serve. It is really a very complicated but rewarding profession.
