PROVIDENCE – The Providence City Council is calling on Mayor Jorge O. Elorza to reclassify the new community relations position within the Providence Police Department as a civilian role and promote another officer to police major.
A letter sent to Elorza on Wednesday and signed by 11 council members, including Council President John J. Igliozzi, reiterated prior concerns with Elorza’s Sept. 3 appointment of Michael Stephens to the newly created community relations and diversionary services major for Providence Police.
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“The position was presented to the Council as a means to build bridges between our police force and community, while simultaneously creating a promotional opportunity for a minority officer to move up the ranks in the police department,” the letter stated.
Stephens, who has served as the city’s parks and recreation director since 2015, has no law enforcement experience. The council in the letter asked Elorza to rename the position and clarify the responsibilities to indicate that it is now a civilian role. They also asked the mayor to make good on his previous agreement to promote an officer of color to police major.
Elorza in an emailed statement to PBN on Tuesday stood by his decision to appoint Stephens, which was made with input from Police Chief Hugh T. Clements and Public Safety Commissioner Steven Paré. He did not immediately respond to additional inquiries about the council’s request, but told The Boston Globe that he would defer details of how Stephens’ new role fits in to the department to Clements and Paré.
The council plans to resubmit the classification and compensation ordinances tied to the fiscal 2022 budget, which included funding for the new role, according to the letter.
Council members Pedro Espinal, James Taylor, Nicholas Narducci, Mary Kay Harris, Carmen Castillo, Michael Correia, John Goncalves, Jo-Ann Ryan, David Salvatore and Oscar Vargas all signed the letter.
Nancy Lavin is a PBN staff writer. You may reach her at Lavin@PBN.com.
Great! The Council is satisfied with filling one unnecessary job with an unqualified person, they want to fill two unnecessary jobs with two unqualified people. Total waste of taxpayer money.