News & Commentary

Calling the findings of the Rhode Island State Police (RISP) investigation into the Cranston Police Department likely the “tip of an iceberg,” the ACLU of Rhode Island urged the Cranston City Council to call for further investigations into police practices and possible abuses of power against individuals outside the department.

By Johanna Kaiser, Communications & Development Associate

By Megan Khatchadourian, Assistant to the Executive Director

By Johanna Kaiser, Development & Communications Associate

The American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island today called on Cranston Mayor Allan Fung to promptly release the full, unredacted report on the State Police investigation into the Cranston Police Department, noting that Mayor Fung’s stated plan to consult the Attorney General about what information would be appropriate to release under the state’s Access to Public Records Act (APRA) was “unnecessary and unwarranted,” and would likely significantly delay access to the critical report.

By Johanna Kaiser, Development & Communications Associate

By Johanna Kaiser, Development & Communications Associate

The ACLU of RI has filed a federal civil rights complaint against the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) on behalf of a recent Italian immigrant whom the DMV has barred from taking the written driver’s license exam in any language other than English, Spanish or Portuguese. The complaint, filed with the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), charges the DMV with violating a law that requires agencies receiving federal funding to provide meaningful access to programs and services for individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP).

By Hillary Davis, Policy Associate