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Four Cops Injured in Mt. Hope Melee: Park Hijacked!
Why are the people of Mt. Hope so upset about our Billy Taylor Park being hijacked by drug dealers, profane rappers and an out of control mob last Sunday? The police answered the call, over 25 of them converged on the park to disperse the riot. That was most of the 3 – 11 police shift leaving most of the City without police patrols. Four policemen sustained injuries and our City DPW workers life’s were threatened. Lucky no one was killed.
I saw minimal media coverage, nothing in ProJo. I guess it was a non-event. Swept under and out of sight as if it never happened.
But Just Who is Angry
For one, the Police Department is very angry and rightfully so.
The DPW, whose workers were assaulted, is angry.
The Parks Department is angry because a public park was used without their permission, without a Park’s Permit, for an illegal event.
The residents of Mt. Hope especially those who live in the vicinity of Billy Taylor Park are the angriest. And our anger grows each day we hear nothing from the people responsible. And our anger grows because unless responsibility is taken, and an investigation launched, and procedures put in place to ensure there will be no encore, we will be forced to live through this type of incident again and again.
Who is Responsible?
We’ve spoken with City Officials, we’ve learned a lot, but we’ve received no answers. No one has stepped up and taken responsibility for this dangerous fiasco.
We do know this:
1) Councilman Kevin Jackson pulled a permit from the DPW for a block party on Cypress from Camp to Knowles. We still don't know for whom he pulled the permit. So far I have been refused a copy of the permit. We do not know who sponsored the event, only that Kevin Jackson pulled the permit.
2) We know that no supervision existed at the event. We know that Kevin Jackson was not present at the event nor present at the riot where the 4 policemen were injured and the DPW workers were assaulted.
3) We know that the crowd had only a permit for a block party on Cypress from Camp to Knowles, yet they illegally blocked off a 2nd, street, Camp Street from Locust to Cypress.
4) We know that the event was supposed to commemorate the death of a young Mt. Hope man who died last year in an auto wreck while fleeing the police at high speed.
5) We know that Kevin Jackson failed to notify the police of the event, as is required, and that District 8 was shorthanded that day and that the Police did not know about the illegal event or of the lack of the correct legal permits.
6) And most disturbing, we know that this same type of incident happened last year at an event for which Kevin Jackson pulled a permit for an event to commemorate the death of a Mt. Hope teenager, Hector, who was shot to death in a drug related shooting. It's on the public record. Look it up. Pull the police reports from the date on the permit.
What Can We Do?
I sent an email to Councilman Jackson asking him to explain but as of yet he has not had the courtesy to respond.
I spoke with Rita Murphy who had no answers to my questions but who said she would investigate. I put a call in to her today but have not yet received a call back.
The Chief of Police told me that the Police Department received an apology from the person responsible.
I think the Mt. Hope Community deserves an apology and a full explanation from the Councilman and from the Mayor. The buck should stop on his desk. This is Mayor Ciciline’s watch.
If any one wishes to see a copy of the Police Report contact this website or you can obtain it from the PD records Department, ORI #RI0040900, Case # 2007-00068036.
You can email our leaders and urge them to take the appropriate action.
Mayor@ProvidenceRI.com
Rita Murphy, Neighborhood Services
Rmurphy@providenceri.com
ward3@providenceri.com
Thank You
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Providence Police Department for their decisive response Sunday night and for the increased patrols in Mt. Hope since the incident.
Posted at June 14, 2007 12:30 AM
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