PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- What many anticipated would be a contentious meeting between the Police Department and members of the West Broadway Neighborhood Association over the department's plans to consolidate the number of district commanders turned out to be nothing of the sort Tuesday night.
Police Chef Hugh Clements Jr. won people over at the meeting with assurances that their neighborhood will not suffer.
Residents had expressed concern in recent days over the impending loss of Lt. Luis San Lucas who has been in charge of the department's District 4, which includes the West Broadway, Federal End and the West End neighborhoods. Over the last five years, San Lucas has gained the trust of the district's residents, who have seen him as the "go-to" guy when it came to asking the police to crack down on nuisances and criminal activity.
Maj. Thomas Verdi, head of the uniform division, announced that Lt. Alyssa DeAndrade will soon become head of District 4, including West Broadway, and also the neighboring District 5, which includes the Olneyville, Hartford and Silver Lake neighborhoods.
Clements told the group there is no question that San Lucas is an outstanding officer. It's because of it, he said, that San Lucas is now being moved into another critical post, that of training new recruits in the soon-to-be-opened Providence Police Academy.
"I believe nobody should be held penalized for the good job they've done," Clements said.