2014 Election: Crime seems to be up. Why do you think it’s a hot button issue in this election?

RI Governor

Todd Giroux (D): The economy is in prolonged recession in RI, the crimes of opportunity are up. People are the eyes and ears of the community; they see it and aren’t okay with it. Elections are naturally the most effective time to bring them to light.

Gina Raimondo (D): Crime has a major impact on our communities and neighborhoods. Providence has had 100 shootings every year for the past three years, and is on pace to match that this year. No one wants to feel unsafe in their homes or driving to work. But it’s more than just a question of safety; it’s an economic issue as well. It hurts our ability to compete when our cities are known for gang and gun violence. And voters realize that we’re in a jobs crisis and can’t afford to have that reputation.

Clay Pell (D): Unfortunately, a number of recent violent incidents have left many people feeling unsafe and we continue to experience crime all too often across the state. This is something I take very seriously. As a prosecutor in the Coast Guard, I saw firsthand the toll that crime and violence can take on people’s lives. And it’s why, as governor, I will work to achieve a truly safe and secure Rhode Island for us all. You can see my whole plan at http://www.claypell.com/issues/safe-communities, but here are some highlights:

Without question, the best anti-crime program is a world-class education. Nothing opens more doors, creates more opportunities, and instills in a person a greater sense of self-worth and potential than a good education. That is why I have made improving education – at every stage of life – a central tenet of my campaign. My commitment to education starts with the belief that every child has the right to attend a great school and to learn from wonderful teachers. This cannot be the privilege of a fortunate few; it must be the right of all. This is how we build and strengthen the community of which we are all a part.

Providence Mayor

Daniel Harrop (R): There has been a series of high profile crimes (at Chad Brown; at the $3 Bar) that have kept this on the front pages of the papers and in the news. In addition, there are fewer police officers on the streets. We are down nearly 100 from a few years ago because of ongoing budget problems in the city, so people feel less safe. The solution to this is to bring the city’s budget into line and then add more police. We cannot add more until the budget is brought into line, and this will require the city to enter receivership.

Buddy Cianci (I): The first job of a mayor, before anything else, is to make sure the city is safe. Without safety, quality of life plummets, economic development doesn’t happen, and people lose faith in their government. I think we’re at a place in Providence right now where residents don’t feel safe, so crime is rightfully at the forefront of the discussion among mayoral candidates.

Michael Solomon (D): Crime is actually down in Providence, and our police are doing an admirable job with a depleted force. But any crime is too much crime. Residents, tourists and business owners need to feel safe in our city. This will only be accomplished if we all work together. My public safety plan is called “safety through community.” It calls for more officers in our neighborhoods, non-violence education as part of the curriculum in our elementary schools, and embracing our neighborhood crime watches. If we address violence on these fronts, I believe we can build a safer Providence.

Jorge Elorza (D): Crime is always going to be a hot button topic because it impacts people so directly. If people don’t feel safe in their own homes, then nothing else we do to improve the city matters. As mayor, my public safety policy will be guided by the belief that the most important tools in law enforcement are the relationships and trust between the police and the community. We certainly need to increase the size of our police force, but just putting more cops on the street won’t solve the problem if those relationships and that trust aren’t there. My public safety vision begins with the idea that every household in the city should be on a first-name basis with at least one police officer. We’ve got about 50 new officers joining the force later this year, and I’m committed to community policing, where they spend a significant portion of their first year literally walking their beats, getting to know the community. I’m also committed to a diverse police department that is reflective of the city it serves, and having more officers actually live in the city.

Brett Smiley (D): No amount of statistics can make someone feel safe. Safety is a feeling. This is where Mayor Taveras continues to get it a little bit wrong, in that every time somebody talks about crime, he says, “Well the crime statistics say XYZ,” rather than, “Here’s what we’re going to do.” There was that shooting at 9 in the morning, with bullets going into a Dunkin Donuts. Despite what the statistics may or may not say, that feels different. This is not happening strictly between gang members at night in places people might not see. It’s happening in broad daylight, in places that wide swaths of the city have been to.

There’s also the feeling that people don’t see the police as much, because there aren’t as many of them. There was a decision made by the Taveras administration to shift from daytime patrols to evening. Which is probably the right decision given that we’re short staffed, because that’s when most of the crime takes place. But for the average citizen, they see less police presence.

We put out our Safe City plan in December. At the time we called for more enforcement officers – we have two enforcement officers for the entire police department. I’m in support of a vibrant nightlife scene – it’s part of why people like living here. But it can’t involve shootings or beatings. And enforcement is most of the issue. It’s gotten such that the economics for a club owner mean it’s better to break the rules and get caught once or twice, because of all the extra money you can make on all the days you don’t get caught.