Providence cops plan no-confidence vote

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - Target 12 has learned the Providence Fraternal Order of Police has decided to take a vote of no-confidence in Providence police chief, Col. Dean Esserman.

The vote will take place Sunday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the union's Olneyville lodge.

In a statement released Friday afternoon , the FOP writes "The FOP's Union Body ultimately came to this decision after multiple attempts over months and years by the FOP Executive Board and Board of Trustees to work out various issues of contention with Chief Esserman - ultimately to no avail."

The statement goes on to say that while the issues are "too numerous," they highlighted the following:

• Failure to fulfill promises to supply necessary resources to properly staff districts.
• Elimination of the Traffic Bureau.
• Disregard for contract language, including using favoritism to assign overtime.
• Poor demeanor by the chief including publicly dressing-down rank and file officers.

But potentially the most caustic allegation accuses Esserman of using Internal Affairs to investigate officers that "disagree with his positions."

The call to vote comes on a tense weekend in Providence where police and firefighters are picketing outside the US Conference of Mayors.