In a meeting of Providence’s police oversight body Tuesday, staff described a pattern of reluctance by the police department to share records. The Providence External Review Authority also considered 14 complaints against police and voted to investigate four of these.
Sofie Rudin
Science and Environment Reporter
401-302-1057
srudin@thepublicsradio.org
Sofie Rudin is the science and environment reporter at The Public’s Radio. She previously worked as producer, editor, and general assignment reporter. Her series "When is it time to retreat from the sea?" was a finalist for a Covering Climate Now Journalism Award. She also led the development of web pages for reporting on COVID-19, shoreline access and The 2020 Gallery, which won a National Headliner award and PMJA award. Sofie graduated from Brown University in 2017, where she studied geology.
Posted inArticle, Health
Lawmakers make move to halt evictions, foreclosures
Two Rhode Island lawmakers plan to introduce legislation that would put a hold on evictions and mortgage foreclosures during any state of emergency declared by the governor. That includes the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Posted inArticle, Politics
RI ACLU sues over alleged discrimination, wrongful firing of Providence police recruit
The American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island is suing the city of Providence in federal District Court on behalf of a Black police recruit, alleging he faced months of harassment at the police training academy.
Posted inArticle, Politics
More than a year after alleging discrimination by Providence police, this family is still waiting for its complaint to be investigated
In the last year, the Providence External Review Authority — the state’s only independent police oversight body — has voted to investigate 12 complaints of police misconduct. Families are still waiting on the results of those investigations.
Posted inArticle, Politics
From inside prison, activist Mario Monteiro is pushing to change juvenile sentencing laws
A wave of activism is sweeping the country, calling for fundamental reforms to law enforcement. But changing a single law can take years of work. Sofia Rudin introduces us to one activist who’s been pushing for change from inside prison.
Posted inArticle, Politics
Providence’s police oversight board seeks details on two incidents from the past week
For the third time in two months, Providence’s police oversight board is activating its authority to monitor internal investigations into complaints of police misconduct. But the oversight board is still waiting on materials for two previous investigations.
Posted inArticle, Politics
Providence City Council votes to subpoena police body camera footage
The Providence City Council on Thursday voted to subpoena Public Safety Commissioner Steven Paré for body camera footage on behalf of the city’s police oversight board.
Posted inArticle, Health, Politics
Rhode Island doubles rent relief funding, but advocates say more is needed
Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo announced an additional $7 million dollars in rent relief funding Friday. But existing programs to help tenants and landlords have struggled to deliver. And advocates fear the need for rental assistance will only grow as federal protections expire.
Posted inArticle, Politics
PERA pushes for greater investigative power over Providence police
Providence’s independent police oversight board is advocating for a civilian review of police department policies.
Posted inArticle
The protester and the police commander: How a tense standoff ended peacefully
Across the country, protests against police brutality and racism have been largely peaceful, but some have escalated into violence, with police officers firing rubber bullets and teargas into crowds. Last Friday, a march through Providence’s Federal Hill neighborhood threatened to boil over. Instead, it ended peacefully, and only a handful of people were arrested.