ACLU requests Tolman resource officer investigation report

December 23, 2015 10:01 pm

By Kirsten Glavin

kglavin@abc6.com

@kirstenglavin

PROVIDENCE, RI – An investigation done by state and local police determined the resource officer at Tolman high school acted appropriately and in line with his training when he threw a student to the ground.

The findings have some organizations, like the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island… calling for answers.

"We’re interested in finding out what evidence state police relied on,” said Steven Brown, the ACLU’s Executive Director. “And finding out the circumstances in which a school resource officer can engage in the type of force that was used in this instance, so everyone can know what is okay and what is not."

The ACLU filed an open records request Wednesday, asking for the details within the report, which show how the resource officer was cleared.

"What made this okay?” asked Brown. “What would have made this not okay for the officer to have engaged in this conduct? We think those are important pieces of information."

In the request letter, the ACLU stated that it is particularly interested in "role, responsibilities and powers of school resource officers in schools."

"In many instances, and Pawtucket is a very good example, the schools don’t have much authority over how these officers work,” said Brown.

The video went viral in October and sparked a massive protest outside the high school, with students calling for the resource officer to be fired. Now he could return to the school.