COMMUNITY POLICING
D.A.R.E. Officer
The North Providence Police Department operates a very successful Drug Abuse Resistance Education Program taught by certified police officers. The program is taught in grades 1 through 5 in all of the elementary schools in our town, reaching approx. 1200 students.
The 1st through 4th grade consists of 4-5 classes with the primary concentration on keeping children safe. This is done by making them aware of their surroundings and possible dangers and then teaching them what to do if they are in a dangerous situation.
The main program is in the 5th grade. The purpose of these classes is to reduce if not eliminate drug use by teaching the children the consequences of taking drugs and how they can make an informed decision for themselves. This program ends with a graduation ceremony in which parents are invited to watch their children perform a play that they write themselves about what they have learned. The DARE officer spends anywhere from 15-20 weeks in the 5th grade classes, one to two times a week.
Student Resource Officer
The North Providence Police Department has assigned a police officer to work exclusively with teachers and students in the Town’s middle schools. These duties include:
*To protect the lives and property of school personnel and the students.
*Enforce Federal, State, and Local criminal laws and ordinances, and to assist school officials with the enforcement of school policies and regulations.
*Investigate criminal activity on or adjacent to school property.
*To counsel students in special situations, such as students suspected of being involved in criminal activity, when requested by the principal or by the parents of the student.
*To answer questions students have about criminal or juvenile law.
*To assist other officers conducting an investigation concerning students of the middle school.
*To provide traffic control during the arrival and departure of students when a school crossing guard is absent.
*To prevent juvenile delinquency through close contact with the students, school personnel, and truancy officer.
*To maintain order within the school during special times, such as lunch or assemblies.
*Confer with the principal to develop plans and strategies to prevent dangerous situations on or near the school.
*Maintain good public relations between students, faculty, administration and the police department.
Advanced Student Resource Officer
The Advanced Student Resource Officer is assigned exclusively to the North Providence High School. The SRO has been a tremendous success at the High School. The School Resource Officer serves as a law related counselor, educator and liaison between the school department and police department. The North Providence High School is a safe, positive, learning environment which focuses on student learning and achievement. The SRO has many roles within the North Providence High School specifically:
*Enforce pertinent laws and attempt to prevent criminal activity within the school and on school property.
*Facilitator and organizer of a fifteen hour senior mentoring program designed to give seniors a better understanding of the police department.
*Maintain good public relations between students, faculty, administration and the police department.
*Assist the residency officer with non-resident student’s status attending the school.
*Assist the truancy court by maintaining order and serving day warrants.
*Act as an instructor for driver’s education classes on RI motor vehicle code and seatbelt safety.
*Maintain membership on the literacy team and acts as assistant sports coach.
*Attend after school functions such as dances, proms and sporting events.
*Be present and visible in the cafeteria during student lunches and be available to address student concerns.
*Enforce illegal parking surrounding the school building such as fire lane violations, no parking areas, and 1 hour visitor parking.
*Teach a class on police perspective including the 4th, 5th and 6th amendments for American Government students.
*Attend IEP meetings with faculty and administration concerning student’s behavior in school.
PROGRAMS
The North Providence Police Department also operates numerous programs encouraging citizen involvement. The department is always looking for any new and innovative programs or idea’s. Some of the programs that the department takes pride in are the following.
Special Olympics-Rhode Island
Special Olympics Rhode Island (SORI) is a non-profit organization providing sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with mental challenges. Currently 2,200 athletes and thousands of volunteers, friends and family take part in SORI activities.
The mission of Special Olympics Rhode Island (a program of Special Olympics Inc.,) is to provide year round training and athletic competition in over 23 Olympic-type sports events for children and adults with mental retardation. The program provides continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness skills, express courage, experience joy, and participate in the sharing of gifts, skills, friendship with their families, other Special Olympic athletes, and the community.
Another part of this program is the Torch Run. On or about June 4th anywhere from 300 to 500 police officers, firefighters, correctional officers and other law enforcement and emergency services personnel participate in a run throughout the entire state. This event has grown tremendously and now covers over 100 miles, with 5 different portions or “legs” starting in various locations throughout the state. Persons participating in the event conclude at the final destination, Meade Stadium at the University of Rhode Island. This event then kicks off the start of Rhode Island’s State Summer Games held on or about June 4, 5, and 6th.
The North Providence Police Department, in conjunction with volunteers from our Community Policing Storefronts began assisting Special Olympics Rhode Island in the spring of 2001. Volunteers from these store fronts actively solicited donations from the community for this worthy cause.
Through the extraordinary assistance provided by Gerald and Roberta Galleshaw of the Marieville Community Police Store front, the level of education and awareness has been raised in the community about people with mental challenges, and the North Providence Police Department has had the pleasure of being the law enforcement agency in Rhode Island to raise the most amount of money three years in a row, totaling approximately $80,000.00 since 2001. As the department with the highest amount of funds raised, the department was awarded each year with the honor of having the department patch emblazoned on the official Torch Run T-Shirts. In addition to the over 15,000 T-Shirts that were produced (approximately 5,000 made each year), the department has also received three plaques and a Guardian of the Flame Award.
Alzheimer’s Alert-Registration
Alzheimer’s disease causes millions of Americans to lose their ability to recognize familiar places and faces. Many people cannot even remember their name or address. They may become disoriented and lost in their neighborhood or far from home.
It is common for a person with Alzheimer’s disease to wander, many repeatedly, during the disease process. This behavior can be dangerous, even life threatening to individuals and stressful for caregivers.
It is a known fact that elders and adults with Alzheimer’s disease, other types of dementia, or medical conditions causing confusion may wander away from even the most caring of environments. As law-enforcement officials, we are keenly aware of the need to act swiftly to find these individuals and return them safety.
As a result, the “Elder/Adult Police Alert Registration” form was the creation of Northwest Links, a collaboration of social service agencies in the Northwest corner of Rhode Island. In partnership with police departments in this area and the RI Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, this group identified the information families could provide to their local police department to create a profile of persons at risk of wandering. Along with a recent photo, the information on this form is designed to save precious time in launching the search.
These forms and further information about this program are available upon request by contacting the Community Policing Unit at 233-1433.
Whistle For Safety Program
The North Providence Police Department in cooperation with the Lymansville Community Police Storefront and Fogarty Center, created the Internationally known “Whistle for Safety” program. This program began in early 1997 after a stranger offered a ride to a developmentally disabled resident standing at a bus stop. Officials from the John E. Fogarty Center, which works with the developmentally disabled, approached members of the Lymansville Community Policing storefront and requested assistance in protecting and educating their clients and others with disabilities.
With a grant from the state, the group bought whistles and identification tags. Clients from the Fogarty Center were bused to the storefront. In groups of twenty at a time, participants were shown, through skits and role playing, how to wait for a bus, walk alone, ask for directions and carry a wallet or handbag. Overall, this program teaches a street-smart attitude, how to deal with strangers, how to protect oneself on the street and how and when to call 911 from home. The program also provides instruction on where to walk to be safe, and many other safety topics. Karen Coffey, an advocate at the Fogarty Center, said the program helps boost their clients’ self-confidence. “They feel they are better prepared to be in the community…they need to be equipped with the skills to be out and about”.
This program has received local, state, and national awards and received international recognition. Special thanks go to Mary Ann Cecere who was the President of the Lymansville Community Police storefront who was instrumental in initiating this program.
Citizens Police Academy
The Citizens Police Academy was originally started in 1992. The goal of the Citizens Police Academy is to inform the public as to what the members of their Police Department actually do, and to provide an overview of how in many instances this is actually accomplished.
We believe that forming various partnerships with the public is vital. As Law Enforcement Officers, we have a unique position within the community. While our primary mission is to protect and serve, we know that input from and trust by the community is vital in order for us to accomplish our tasks and duties. We strive to do so as efficiently, professionally and appropriately as possible.
Part of our duties require us to enforce the laws, and unfortunately, in some instances, we must take enforcement action against individuals. This action can range from issuing traffic citations to arresting an individual and depriving them of their liberty. We take great care and caution when exercising this authority, and the Citizens Police Academy will give participants an opportunity to see and hear many of the tasks and processes that take place prior to making these decisions.
It is our hope that by discussing and showing participants what the police actually do, and that by opening the police department for public inspection, the public’s confidence in our ability to provide efficient and professional services will ultimately strengthen our partnership and impart your confidence in our abilities.
OBJECTIVES:
*To expose citizens to some of the entry level training of police officers in order to orient them to the rationale behind police action.
*To provide an interactive forum for both the police and the citizens to share information.
*To provide a greater understanding of police practices by the citizens, providing them the tools to form objective opinions regarding police action and to address community concerns regarding these actions.
*To enhance our training as it pertains to citizen contact based upon input we receive from the citizens.
*To increase awareness and appreciation of the police function and the North Providence Police Department.
*To reunite the police department and the community.
Crime Watch
The North Providence Police Department encourages members of a neighborhood to form a Neighborhood Crime Watch. The Police Department will upon request provide assistance to any group wishing to form a watch. Group members only need to contact the Community Policing Unit at 233-1433 to start a program in their neighborhood.
The following is a mission statement used by one of the neighborhood crime watches that have formed in town.
- The mission of the Neighborhood Crime Watch is to be a liaison between the police department and the residents of the community.
- Our purpose is to enhance neighborhood security, heighten the community’s power of observation and encourage mutual assistance and concern among neighbors. The Watch seeks to promote a safer, healthier, crime free environment for all residing within the community by educating and informing the citizens on laws governing our community, instruction on general safety, and by encouraging efficient and effective communications with each other and with the police. The Crime Watch shall act as a liaison to our police department and will work with all citizens, organizations, and law enforcement agencies to accomplish our goals.
“The Neighborhood Crime Watch will strive to provide a roadblock for the criminal element in our society. With a successful crime prevention program, the only one defeated is the criminal”.