ACLU Pushes for More Transparency from Pawtucket, Woonsocket Police

July 30, 2019 12:55 pm

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) –The Rhode Island ACLU is taking legal action against both the Pawtucket Police Department and the Woonsocket Police Departments in an effort to make them more transparent in their reporting of police misconduct.

The appeals stem from a 2017 ruling by the Attorney General that allows departments to keep secret some reports of misconduct.

“There are few things more important — in terms of accountability — than for members of the public to be able to see what their police departments are doing when they investigate allegations against members of the department itself,” said Steven Brown, director of the Rhode Island ACLU.

The push for transparency started when a watchdog organization, called the Rhode Island Accountability Project, began collecting information from departments across the state but ran into trouble with a few departments.

“We’re very concerned about 2 departments – Pawtucket and Woonsocket – refusing to hand over records of their final investigations, if those investigations were initiated internally as opposed to by citizens,” explained Brown.

Last week, the ACLU filed a court brief, asking the state Supreme Court to review and overturn the 2017 ruling, which the Pawtucket, Woonsocket, and Narragansett police departments have been using to keep records secret.

“We don’t think there is any logical basis for saying certain types of records of misconduct are public and certain are not,” explained Brown. “And that’s the reason for our legal action.”

The ACLU’s action against the Pawtucket Police Department is currently on appeal with the state Supreme Court.

The complaint against the Woonsocket Police Department is pending before the Attorney Generals office.

“By hiding these records, all that police departments can do is promote mistrust amongst the community, and that is not helpful,” said Brown. “Not just for the community but for the police.”

The Woonsocket Police Department offered no comment on the pending legal matter.

ABC6 reached out to the Police Officers Union in Pawtucket for comment and has not heard back.