Partying problems start up again in Elmhurst neighborhood

By: Rebecca Turco

Email: rturco@abc6.com

PROVIDENCE – Providence Police arrested 21 people over the holiday weekend, mostly for underage drinking.

Eight of those people are Providence College students and seven are Johnson & Wales University students. The arrests happened between Friday and Sunday on Eaton Street and Pembroke, Radcliffe and Oakland Avenues, at off-campus housing.

“It’s just an ongoing nuisance in the neighborhood,” explained Providence City Councilwoman Jo-Ann Ryan, who handles that district.

The colleges actively work with police when it comes to disciplining students. “It’s a different dynamic because you have residents and college students residing right next to one another,” explained Major Thomas Verdi.

Verdi said the party problem has gotten better over the years, thanks in part to flagging properties where students have gotten out of hand, threatening a $500 fine if the nuisance continues. Since officers started implementing this in 2013, 34 different properties have been flagged.

“The quality of life this year was better than last year. Last year was better than 2013,” Verdi explained.

But, “better” isn’t enough for City Councilwoman Jo-Ann Ryan, Ward 5. She recently created an ordinance to limit three college students per each single-family home. On September 3, the council voted “yes” to the ordinance, and by law it just needs a second “yes” vote to get approved. And on September 17, when the city council has its next passage meeting, Ryan is confident her ordinance will get passed.

“We have a duty as a city to make sure that [the students] are safe and that the people that live in our neighborhoods are safe and can enjoy their residences,” Ryan said.

In the meantime, police will continue their “no tolerance” policy, though Major Verdi acknowledges that is only part of the solution. “We cannot arrest our way out of this problem,” he explained. “The success of the strategy will only take place if the colleges properly sanction their students, and the parents have to be part of the solution as well.”

For their part, PC and JWU get notified whenever a student gets in trouble with police and then the schools dole out their own punishments accordingly, according to officials.

Below are statements from PC and JWU on the weekend’s arrests:

“We get copies of every Providence Police report that is filed concerning a PC student.  In addition to whatever sanctions or fines may be imposed by Providence Police, our students must then also face additional disciplinary action by the College.  However, we don’t just wait for a Providence Police report.  If we are aware of unlawful, illegal or unruly activity by one or more of our students living off-campus, we will step in and take action by asking the student(s) to come before our Community Standards office to explain themselves.” – Steven J. Maurano, Associate Vice President of Public Affairs & Community Relations, Providence College

“At Johnson & Wales University, expectations for student behavior are clearly stated. Whether our students live on or off campus, we expect them to abide by the law, act responsibly, and be courteous of their neighbors and surroundings. Those who violate our Student Code of Conduct will be sanctioned  accordingly.” – Ronald Martel, Ph.D., Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students, Johnson & Wales University

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