Elorza Unveils “Safety Through Community” Plan

At a press conference on Federal Hill on Tuesday, Democratic candidate for Mayor of Providence Jorge Elorza outlined his “Safety Through Community” plan for public safety and community partnerships. He was introduced by Ward 13 Councilman Bryan Principe, who also formally endorsed him.

“We need better schools, a stronger economy, and more vibrant neighborhoods, and public safety and community partnerships underpin all of these,” said Elorza. “Simply put: if people don’t feel safe in their own homes or engaged as active stakeholders in their neighborhoods, nothing else we do to improve the city is going to matter.”

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The detailed plan looks at public safety from a broad range of viewpoints, going beyond law enforcement into community development, public health, and education issues. Elorza explained that his plan “begins with the recognition that addressing crime is about much more than just police: if we are not addressing the root causes of our societal problems and only dealing with crime at the law enforcement level, then we’re treating the symptoms, not the disease.”

The proposal also tackles the issue of nightlife, something that has been a hot button topic on Federal Hill this summer. Elorza pledges to work with City agencies, as well as individual businesses, merchant’s associations, neighborhood groups, and law enforcement to ensure that the nighttime economy remains both vibrant and safe.

“Forward thinking plans like this are among the reasons I’ve chosen to endorse Jorge Elorza for mayor,” explained Councilman Principe. “Jorge recognizes that public safety is as much about building up our communities as it is about enforcing our laws. That kind of intuitive understanding of the challenges facing our city is why I believe Jorge is the right man to move Providence forward.”

You can read the entire “Safety Through Community” plan on his website, www.elorzaformayor.com.

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