Watson: Community Initiated Agenda for Addressing Violence

Raymond L. Watson

Following a five-person shooting in the Chad Brown section of Providence, and in response to a Call to Action by the Providence Branch of the NAACP, a number of concerned community members have been meeting to develop a strategy to effectively address these issues within the Providence and Rhode Island community.  

As a result of these meetings, the following “Community Agenda to Address Violence” has been developed.  As this is a grass roots, community based agenda to prevent violence in the communities that we live in and serve, Concerned Citizens of Providence believes that this agenda should be fully supported.

Community Agenda for Addressing Violence

A Community Stakeholder Summit should be called to identify key resources/supports and to develop short/long term strategies to address the root causes of violence in community

Youth Recreational Program/Service Initiatives: 

• The Providence Recreation Department should be evaluated to gauge its effectiveness in providing services and opportunities to Providence City youth
• Youth and Adult Community Members should be directly involved in the evaluation of Department
• More and better programs/services should be provided for youth ages 15 to 21

Targeted Workforce Development Initiatives

• Governor Chafee should direct the Workforce Board to target funds/resources to high unemployment areas of state
• The Providence Economic Development Office should compile a listing of all job training and placement programs and effectively promote them to City of Providence Residents
• These Programs should target high unemployment areas as well
• More resources and supports should be invested in organizations, individuals and initiatives that have a proven track record of proactively addressing violence in the communities they service
• Current legislation that is aimed at providing employment opportunities to residents of communities in most need should be effectively enforced.  
• Providence’s First Source Ordinance in Providence is one such example

Community/Law Enforcement Relations Initiatives

• Community Liaisons should be established  with the Providence Public Safety Department
• Youth and Adult Community Members should be directly involved in the selections of these Community Liaisons.
• The “Providence Community Safety Act” should be supported and enacted
• Legislation requiring local law enforcement to wear cameras while on duty should be developed and implemented
• Specific language should be included holding officers accountable for ongoing instances of camera malfunctioning
• The Providence External Review Authority should be effectively reestablished
• The RIAG Office should work with local Communities to develop a collaborative, proactive and preventative strategy to address violence in our communities

Raymond L. Watson is a Providence native and Member of the Concerned Citizens of Providence.  Raymond has served as the Executive Director of the Mount Hope Neighborhood Association, Inc., a Community Development/Social Service Agency, located in Providence since November of 2006.

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