Providence city council approves police accountability ordinance

Providence has approved the Community-Police Relations Act. City council held a second and final vote on the ordinance on Thursday. The vote was 13-1, with Councilman Michael Correia as the only dissenter. The police accountability measure was formerly known as the Community Safety Act. The ordinance prevents discriminatory profiling based on race, gender identity and immigration status. After the first vote in April, the ordinance was tabled by opposition from the police union. The ordinance’s passage yesterday was a major win for community groups that have been fighting for it for three years. Vanessa Flores-Maldonado is the ordinance’s Campaign Coordinator. “It was youth, elders, black and brown, queer and trans, low-income, disabled folks who have been at this from the very start, and who have continued to push this,” Flores-Maldonado said. “And so no elected official can claim victory for this. This is our victory.” The ordinance will go into effect on January 1, 2018.