Rhode Island § 42-137-5 - The Select Commission on Race and Police-Community Relations Act

§ 42-137-5. Duties.

The select commission shall:

(1) Analyze and recommend changes that will improve police-community relations in Rhode Island.

(2) Study and recommend changes needed to statutes, ordinances, institutional policies, procedures, and practices deemed necessary to:

(i) Improve law enforcement work and accountability;

(ii) Reduce racism;

(iii) Enhance the administration of justice; and

(iv) Affect reconciliation between diverse segments of the statewide community.

(3) Study, recommend, promote, and implement methods to achieve greater citizen participation in law enforcement policy development, review of law enforcement practices, and advocacy for the needs of law enforcement agencies, officers, and the public at large in the prevention of crime, administration of justice, and public safety.

(4) Study, recommend, promote, and assist in the incorporation of evolving homeland security needs with effective models of neighborhood-oriented community policing, crime prevention, and public safety.

(5) Promote greater understanding of the need to incorporate cultural diversity in everyday as well as extraordinary activities involving law enforcement, public safety, and the administration of justice.

(6) Analyze, review, recommend, assist in, and monitor changes to police policies, procedures, and practices related to:

(i) Recruitment, hiring, promotion, and training of police officers;

(ii) The level and quality of diversity training, sensitivity awareness, and cultural competency;

(iii) The level and quality of efforts related to building and improving overall community relations;

(iv) The use of firearms by on-duty and off-duty police officers;

(v) The use of force, the use of excessive force, or the excessive use of force;

(vi) The use of racial profiling and other forms of bias based policing; and

(vii) Legislation reforming police policies, practices, or procedures involving community relations.

(7) To assist the select commission in its duties pursuant to subsection (6), all police departments shall submit to the select commission on an annual basis beginning on January 15, 2004, and for six (6) years thereafter, a report indicating what action, if any, has been taken to address any racial disparities in traffic stops and/or searches documented in the study authorized by §§ 31-21.1-4 and 31-21.2-6, and to otherwise implement any recommendations of that study. The reports shall be public records.

(8) Collect and publish data regarding complaints of police misconduct pursuant to § 31-21.2-8.