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May 1, 2008

Hope High's turn for police roll call

PROVIDENCE -- Members of the Providence police department held a public roll call in front of Hope High School at dismissal today, part of an ongoing effort to increase the force’s presence in the community.

Police Chief Dean Esserman said that the department began holding roll calls in neighborhoods last spring and the public response was so positive that the chief decided to continue them this year. The department has already held at least three outdoor roll calls during the past 10 days, including one at Mount Pleasant High School on Wednesday.

“The rationale is nothing more than to increase our visibility in the community,” Esserman said, “and to send a message that we are here.”

Last year, one of the district substations held a roll call in front of the Davey Lopes Recreation Center. High schools are a natural choice because they are places where large numbers of students and teachers congregate, according to Maj. Paul C. Fitzgerald, head of the patrol bureau. The district commanders decide when and where to stage the roll calls.

-- Journal staff writer Linda Borg

Posted by Mike McKinney  at 4:58 PM | Permalink

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