As Lt. Paul Campbell of the Providence Police Department assumes a more prominent role on College Hill, he says he will work to improve relations between the PPD and community leaders and address the proliferation of off-campus parties.
In April Campbell was named commanding officer of PPD's District 9 substation, which is located at 248-250 Brook St. and operates from South Main Street to India Point. He began working at the substation toward the end of the summer, bringing with him more than 25 years of law enforcement experience, including a stint as a military police officer and several years investigating murder cases throughout the city. He has been working with PPD since May 1985.
In order to build a relationship with the College Hill community, Campbell has begun introducing himself to local leaders, including members of the College Hill Neighborhood Association at the organization's Sept. 19 meeting.
Barbara Harris, president of CHNA, said the meeting served as a positive introduction. She described Campbell as "an excellent resource in our community." CHNA members, she said, "think he is terrific."
Campbell said he hopes to continue the "excellent relationship and partnership" between PPD and the University, with particular emphasis on collaboration with the Department of Public Safety. Because PPD and DPS interact at least three times a week, Campbell said he is prepared to work closely with the University's officers.
Capt. Emil Fioravanti, executive officer of DPS, has known Campbell for almost 20 years - 17 of which were in a professional context. Fioravanti worked closely with Campbell when they both served with PPD.
Fioravanti attends the substation's weekly staff meetings, and Campbell said this link was "a big help" in enhancing the relationship between the two police forces.
The transition at the substation between Campbell and his predecessor, David Lapatin, was seamless, forecasting "an ongoing cooperation between Brown DPS and PPD," Fioravanti said. Lapatin had been commanding officer at the substation since it opened in 2003.
In addition to building on the relationship between PPD and DPS, Campbell said he wants to improve conditions on Thayer Street.
To that end, he has begun introducing himself to members of the local business community, conducting a walk-through on Sept. 9 of several local restaurants that hold liquor licenses, including Liquid Lounge and La Luna.
Campbell said this walk-through helped him become better acquainted with the establishments and managers, which he believes will promote safety and order in the district.
"Ensuring the safety of students, residents and visitors on and around Thayer late at night is a priority," he said.
Campbell said he also hopes to increase the University's awareness of how off-campus parties disturb the neighborhood's other residents, adding that such parties "are a problem in my district."
Fioravanti called Campbell a "first-rate" officer and "a great investigator." "He's very engaging and very competent," he said.
"I can't say enough good things about the guy. ... He is a good leader, a good resource and he is supportive of the school and the greater community," Fioravanti said.
District 9 operates out of two adjacent Brown-owned commercial spaces, which the University leases to the city for $1 each year, according to a University press release.
