Commission coordinator reports grant applications, training events and recent bias incidents

Jen, the commission coordinator, reported that the Hate Crime Training Program remains primarily funded through grants and that the commission applied for a Byrne Justice Assistance Grant via the Rhode Island Public Safety Grants Administration with the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence serving as fiscal agent. She told commissioners that the Department of Administration funding has begun flowing and that federal Bureau of Justice Assistance funds continue to be disbursed.

Program activities

- Municipal academy: The commission held a municipal academy training on Feb. 27 at CCRI in Lincoln. Commissioners Taylor Dumpson Lippincott and Jordan Mickman led sessions; Commissioner Scott presented on unbiased policing. Guest presenters included Monique Paul from the TGI Network and Omar Baugh from the Refugee Dream Center.

- Upcoming trainings: Jen said Day 1 advocates will receive private training on March 30 and that a state police training is scheduled for June 20 in Foster. She encouraged commissioners who have not yet attended to participate where possible; daylong sessions can provide context on the program’s work.

Incidents reported to the commission

Jen said the commission received a handful of incident reports since the last meeting, including: - Distribution of recruitment literature attributed to the Proud Boys in Coventry. Local police were notified and advised residents to discard the literature. - A reported incident involving violence at or involving a group home; the reporting party did not follow up after initial contact with commission staff. - A Warwick parent reporting ongoing discrimination at a Warwick school against a neurodivergent child; the parent was given resources and did not feel a police report was appropriate at that time. - A previously reported church arson matter (Shiloh Temple Gospel) remains under discussion with community contacts; a reported defendant’s trial was mentioned but no new official update was provided by the commission.

Grant administration and partners

Jen said the commission was named as a subrecipient on a four-year Bureau of Justice Assistance grant alongside the Center for Southeast Asians, the Jewish Alliance, Youth Pride Inc., and the Nonviolence Institute to provide community education. She noted quarterly reporting timelines and thanked partners who provided letters of support for the Byrne JAG application, including the Attorney General’s Office, the Police Chiefs Association, Youth Pride, the Jewish Alliance, the Center for Southeast Asians, and the Refugee Dream Center.

Commission discussion and next steps

Commissioners asked Jen to flag incidents that occur within specific legislative districts so legislators can be notified. Representative Michael Chibendale recommended establishing a listserv or proactive distribution so legislators and legislative leadership routinely receive reports and minutes. Jen said she would provide a compiled legislators’ email list to help distribute approved minutes and incident summaries if the commission approves that step.

Quotation

"The Hate Crime Training Program is still unfunded," Jen said, and described the three funding streams the commission is tracking: Byrne JAG, VOCA/other federal funds, and state Department of Administration allocations.

Context and follow-up

The commission asked staff to continue compiling incident reports, to prepare quarterly reports for the commission’s records, and to work with legislative members to improve distribution of information when appropriate.