§ 42-137-5 - Duties.
SECTION 42-137-5
§ 42-137-5 Duties. – The select commission shall:
(1) Analyze and recommend changes that will improvepolice-community relations in Rhode Island.
(2) Study and recommend changes needed to statutes,ordinances, institutional policies, procedures and practices deemed necessaryto:
(i) Improve law enforcement work and accountability;
(ii) Reduce racism;
(iii) Enhance the administration of justice; and
(iv) Affect reconciliation between diverse segments of thestatewide community.
(3) Study, recommend, promote and implement methods toachieve greater citizen participation in law enforcement policy development,review of law enforcement practices, and advocacy for the needs of lawenforcement agencies, officers, and the public at large in the prevention ofcrime, administration of justice and public safety.
(4) Study, recommend, promote and assist in the incorporationof evolving homeland security needs with effective models ofneighborhood-oriented community policing, crime prevention and public safety.
(5) Promote greater understanding of the need to incorporatecultural diversity in everyday as well as extraordinary activities involvinglaw enforcement, public safety and the administration of justice.
(6) Analyze, review, recommend, assist in and monitor changesto police policies, procedures and practices related to:
(i) Recruitment, hiring, promotion and training of policeofficers;
(ii) The level and quality of diversity training, sensitivityawareness and cultural competency;
(iii) The level and quality of efforts related to buildingand improving overall community relations;
(iv) The use of firearms by on-duty and off-duty policeofficers;
(v) The use of force, the use of excessive force or theexcessive use of force;
(vi) The use of racial profiling and other forms of biasbased policing; and
(vii) Legislation reforming police policies, practices, orprocedures involving community relations.
(7) To assist the select commission in its duties pursuant tosubsection (6), all police departments shall submit to the select commission onan annual basis beginning on January 15, 2004, and for six (6) yearsthereafter, a report indicating what action, if any, has been taken to addressany racial disparities in traffic stops and/or searches documented in the studyauthorized by §§ 31-21.1-4 and 31-21.2-6, and to otherwise implementany recommendations of that study. The reports shall be public records.
(8) Collect and publish data regarding complaints of policemisconduct pursuant to § 31-21.2-8.