A new Brown University study suggests that Colonel Richard T. Sullivan's accessible style has bolstered the image of the Providence Police Department. But even though a majority of city councilors back a proposal for external review of the department -- a crucial step, in the eyes of critics, for raising accountability -- Sullivan has yet to offer steady support for the plan.

The civilian review proposal remains in the Ordinance Committee after Ward Nine Councilwoman Patricia K. Nolan introduced it in early September. "The next campaign is to get the rules and regulations, and looking into the funding of the program," Nolan says, while setting up further meetings with Sullivan and the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP).

The council proposal is based on a model that has been credited with improving police-community relations in Minneapolis (see "Accountability is the issue," News, January 25). Support from eight or nine other councilors augurs well for the plan, supporters say, but Nolan thinks Sullivan has mixed feelings because of the police officers' bill of rights. "What we've tried from day one is to work with the FOP and the police chief and the commissioner," she says. "I think our worst fear is at the end they're going to say, `No, we don't think this is the time for this.' "

Derek Ellerman, executive director of the watchdog group Center for Police and Community (CPAC), remains optimistic about the outlook. "We have a very good working relationship with him [Sullivan] and the [FOP] executive board as well," he says.

There's little doubt that Sullivan, with his highly visible presence, represents a vast improvement from the troubled tenure of his predecessor, Urbano Prignano Jr. As activist Matthew Jerzyk notes, "I think Colonel Sullivan has made significant attempts to find the pulse of the community." At the same time, Jerzyk finds it troubling that Sullivan has wavered in his support for community oversight of the police.

Sullivan, who didn't return calls seeking comment, will have a chance to offer his own update when he takes part this Friday, October 26 at noon in a discussion on reforming the Providence police. The forum at Brown University's Sayles Hall, part of a two-day conference, entitled "Assessing the Police," will be moderated by professor Darrell West and also include as panelists Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse and civil rights veteran Bernard LaFayette Jr., chairman of Governor Almond's Select Commission on Race and Police-Community Relations.

Ian Donnis can be reached at idonnis[a]phx.com.

Issue Date: October 26 - November 1, 2001