CITY OF CENTRAL FALLS
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS
JULY 20, 1992
A SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL FORUM WAS HELD ON THE ABOVE DATE IN THE CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT 7:00 P.M.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS
COUNCILMAN FERRI
COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE
COUNCILWOMAN MOREAU
COUNCILMAN CANAVAN
QUORUM PRESENT.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT ROBERT CANAVAN PRESIDED.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS SPECIAL MEETING WAS TO BRING TOGETHER COMMUNITY LEADERS TO RECEIVE INPUT TO THE PROPOSED CURFEW ORDINANCE.
REV. MIKE DEVINE, PASTOR OF ST. GEORGE'S EPISCOPAL CHURCY COMMENTED IN FAVOR OF THE ORDINANCE.
ROGER FORAN, DIRECTOR OF THE CENTRAL FALLS COMMUNITY CENTER COMMENTED THAT THIS IS A POTENTIAL PROBLEM.
REV. IWUC, PASTOR OF ST. JOSEPH CHURCH COMMENTED ON PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND SUGGESTED THAT THE ORDINANCE SHOULD BE TRIED. HE STATED THAT THIS WAS AT LEAST AN ATTEMPT AT TRYING TO MAKE THE CITY A BETTER PLACE.
REV. ROBERT PERRON, PASTOR OF NOTRE DAME PARISH COMMENTED ON OTHER COMMUNITIES' PROGRAMS AND STATED THAT SOME CITIES HAVE POLICEMAN ON BICYCLES, NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAMS AND SPORTS TEAMS.
PATRICIA MARTINEZ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PROGRESSO LATINO STATED THAT A CURFEW WAS NOT THE ANSWER TO THE PROBLEM AND SUGGESTED THAT A TASK FORCE BE CREATED TO STUDY ALTERNATIVES.
SIMONE BARCZYKOWSKI, PRESIDENT OF CENTRAL FALLS CRIMSTOPPERS STATED THAT SHE IS AGAINST THE ORDINANCE IN ITS PRESENT FORM, SHE STATED THAT THIS LABELS ALL CHILDREN AS TROUBLEMAKERS.
ROBERT SASSO, CHIEF OF THE CENTRAL FALLS POLICE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT A COMMITTEE SHOULD BE FORMED FROM AMONG THOSE WHO ARE PRESENT AT THIS MEETING TO INITIATE PROGRAMS THAT WILL KEEP CHILDREN INVOLVED, HOWEVER, HE STATED THAT THE ORDINANCE IS A CRUCIAL PART OF THE PROGRAM. HE STATED THAT THE ORDINANCE IS AIMED AT TIMES THAT CHILDREN SHOULD NOT BE ON THE STREET. HE ADDED THAT PRESENTLY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS NO TOOL IN WHICH TO TAKE CHILDREN OFF THE STREET WHO ARE CREATING PROBLEMS.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN COMMENTED ON THE TURNOUT FOR THIS MEETING AND THE INTEREST SHOWN BY THE COMMUNITY LEADERS OF THIS CITY.
CHIEF SASSO STATED THAT JUVENILE VIOLENCE IS ESCALATING AND THAT THE COMMUNITY MUST OFFER ALTERNATIVES IN THE EVENING TO KEEP CHILDREN OFF THE STREETS AND PROGRAMS MUST HELP ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM.
COUNCILMAN FERRI ASKED IF A SOLUTION COULD BE FOUND WITHOUT THE CURFEW.
CHIEF SASSO REPLIED NO. HE STATED THAT THE CITY NEEDS THE CURFEW TO GET CHILDREN OFF THE STREETS AT NIGHT. HE ALSO STATED THAT THIS IS HOW CHILDREN GET INTO TROUBLE. HE STATED THAT CHILDREN HAVE NO BUSINESS BEING OUT THERE AT
ALL TIMES OF THE NIGHT.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS ASKED HOW MANY POLICE OFFICERS WERE ON DUTY BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND 8 A M.
CHIEF SASSO RESPONDED ON POLICE CONTRACT AND MINIMUM STAFFING REQUIREMENTS.
COUNCILMAN CANAVAN ASKED IF THE POLICE UNION WOULD WAIVE RULES IF THE COMMUNITY REQUESTED IT FOR THE GOOD OF THE COMMUNITY.
CHIEF SASSO RESPONDED THAT STAFFING CHANGES WON'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
DISCUSSION ENSUED ON POLICE STAFFING ETC.
COUNCILMAN PAQUETTE ASKED HOW LONG THE POLICE WOULD HOLD A JUVENILE.
CHIEF SASSO RESPONDED TWO HOURS AND ELABORATED ON THE PROCESS.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS, REPRESENTING REV. ROBERT BEIRNE, PASTOR OF HOLY TRINITY PARISH, RELATED 3 MAJOR CONCERNS
OF REV. BEIRNE 1. HE WAS NOT SURE OF THE NUMBERS RELATIVE TO JUVENILE CRIME IN THE CITY, 2. HOW WOULD THIS BE ENFORCED AND WHAT FOLLOW-UP WOULD BE AND 3. WOULD THERE BE A TARGETING OF PROBLEM KIDS AND FAMILIES.
DANIEL ISSA, CITY CLERK READ A CORRESPONDENCE FROM BRUCE MACKSOUD, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL CENTRAL FALLS JR. SR. HIGH SCHOOL SUPPORTING THE ORDINANCE.
MAYOR LAZIEH COMMENDED THE GROUP FOR THEIR RESPONSE AND ATTENDANCE AT THIS MEETING. HE COMMENTED ON THE NEED FOR THE ORDINANCE AND THE NEED FOR COMMUNITY INPUT.
MAYOR LAZIEH STATED THAT THIS WAS A MODERATE PLAN TO HELP CURB JUVENILE CRIMES AND TO MAKE THE CITY'S STREETS
SAFE. HE STATED THAT THERE WAS A GREAT NEED FOR PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN THIS PROCESS. HE NOTED THAT CHILDREN SHOULD NOT BE ON THE STREETS AT 2-3 A.M. WALKING UNATTENDED WITHOUT PARENTAL SUPERVISION. HE STATED THAT THE COMMUNITY MUST FACE THE FACT THAT THIS DOES HAPPEN AND THE CITY MUST DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM. HE STATED THAT THE CURFEW ORDINANCE IN ITS PRESENT FORM IS NOT CARVED IN STONE AND IS A DRAFT TO BE WORKED ON BY THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
COUNCILMAN MATTHEWS QUESTIONED THE MAYOR.
MAYOR LAZIEH RESPONDED.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT CANAVAN COMMENTED ON THE CURFEW AND ASKED FOR VOLUNTEERS TO STUDY THE ORDINANCE. TWENTY PERSONS RESPONDED TO THE REQUEST AND LEO LECLAIR WAS ASKED TO CHAIR THIS COMMITTEE.
THE COMMITTEE WAS THEN SCHEDULED TO MEET ON JULY 29, 1992.
FORUM ADJOURNED AT 9:15 P.M.
DANIEL J. ISSA
CITY CLERK