Lawmakers are going on break next week and have packed agendas with the year s controversial issues, including LEOBOR reform, solitary confinement and life without parole.
Dozens testify in support of repealing R.I. Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights Published Tue May 11 2021 02:14:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) by John Bender
Rhode Island lawmakers are considering the repeal of the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights, which dictates how police departments investigate and discipline officers.
Eliminating the law emerged as a legislative priority among advocates who demanded changes to policing during protests last summer. And advocates for police reform who testified during a Monday hearing said the bill stands in the way of accountability, hampering police chiefs and public safety leaders from adequately disciplining officers for misconduct, and shielding departments from public scrutiny.
PROVIDENCE As the nation grapples with a string of deadly shootings by police including the March 29 shooting of a 13-year-old boy in Chicago Rhode Island lawmakers are grappling with the state s own law for disciplining and weeding out bad cops.
At one end of the debate is freshman Sen. Tiara Mack, posting on Facebook: This has been an incredibly hard week emotionally, physically, mentally. One thing I have learned is that we need to ABOLISH the police. Not reform. Not defund. Abolish.
But other R.I. lawmakers spent close to four hours in the last week debating the right balance.