Mayor Smiley to host New England Mayors and Police Chiefs convening in Providence

Over 20 New England Mayors will join national experts tomorrow for a conversation on public safety and effective policing

From a City of Providence press release:

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley, Colonel Oscar Perez, Jr., and United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran will convene over 20 mayors and their police chiefs from across New England at CIC Providence on Wednesday morning for a discussion on key challenges facing local communities across the country. These regional leaders will join national experts for a dialogue on effective local police practices under this new federal administration, including addressing ongoing recruitment challenges, innovative overdose prevention strategies, community policing, and proactive anti-violence interventions.

“I’m thrilled to be hosting regional leaders from across New England to Providence to collaborate on critical issues impacting communities across the nation,” said Mayor Brett Smiley. “From proactive strategies that address the increasing threat of hate crimes and extremism to innovative policies and investments that support our most vulnerable neighbors impacted by the opioid overdose crisis, this is an opportunity to share best practices to better serve our local communities. Together, we are strengthening relationships with our neighboring communities and working to build a stronger City for all who live, work, and visit Providence.”

National experts from the Human Rights Campaign, Anti-Defamation League Center on Extremism, and the University of Chicago Crime Lab will join these regional leaders to share nationally recognized best practices and discuss solutions to the prominent issues affecting local communities. The event will also include local experts, including representatives from Project Weber/RENEW, the first state-sanctioned overdose prevention center in the nation located here in Providence, the Nonviolence Institute, and former Providence Police Chief and COPS Office director Col. Hugh Clements Jr.

“This conference is an invaluable opportunity for Mayors and Police Chiefs to gather to discuss the current challenges that we face throughout our communities each day,” said Colonel Perez. “Across New England, gun violence remains a concern, and ensuring public safety is a top priority to Mayor Smiley and the members of the Providence Police Department. I look forward to discussing strategies and exchanging ideas related to the reduction of illegal gun violence, the pressing challenges in police recruitment, innovative approaches to law enforcement, and quality of life concerns.”

As co-chair of the USCM’s Mayors and Police Chiefs Task Force and a member of the USCM Advisory Board, Mayor Smiley will highlight Providence’s multi-pronged approach to addressing the opioid overdose crisis, reducing gun violence and implementing effective non-violence intervention strategies in Providence. The meeting comes as cities continue to make important progress on safety, with many seeing declines in homicides, other violent crimes, and property crimes over the last few years.

“We thank Mayor Smiley for his leadership as co-chair of our Mayors and Police Chiefs Task Force in hosting this important meeting, which is providing a critical platform for mayors and police chiefs to come together to share insights and best practices for improving public safety,” said Executive Director Cochran. “This kind of collaboration not only ensures that we are responding to today’s challenges but also strengthening the relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve.”