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Providence city officials call to hire 50 police officers

By Staff | Oct 30, 2020

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The mayor of Providence and other city officials announced support to hire 50 new police officers next year after previously discussing reducing or canceling the police academy.

Mayor Jorge Elorza questioned in July whether the city needed more officers or if those funds should be allocated to other investments, WPRI-TV reported. City Council leaders also supported reducing the size of the academy because of financial problems.

After an uptick of shootings and homicides and protests taxing the police force, city officials have voiced support to hire 50 officers.

Elzora is now “supportive of moving forward with the police academy as a step to increase capacity and create a more diverse public safety presences in our community,” Elorza spokesperson Patricia Socarras said Wednesday.

“The mayor is also supportive of police reform, and acknowledges that we cannot conflate the need for reform with a mandate to reduce the size of our force,” Socarras said.

The police academy was scheduled to begin in February. But a budget dilemma, logistical issues surrounding testing recruits, and calls to defund police intervened.

Council Finance Chairman John Igliozzi says he worries the city will not be able to address its needs as the police force shrinks through attrition.

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