Pawtucket City Leaders, Police Department, Community Organizations Gather to Celebrate NRU Office Opening and Adoption of Payne Park

PAWTUCKET – Tuesday night Pawtucket Police Captain and Director of the Neighborhood
Response Unit (NRU), Michael Newman, stood alongside City officials, community
leaders and neighborhood residents at the Blackstone Valley Community Action Program
(BVCAP) building on West Avenue last night to celebrate the opening of an NRU office
at that location and the adoption of Payne Park located right across the street from
the office.

Captain Newman led a brief speaking program stating his excitement to continue
working through the NRU to make a positive impact in the community. He thanked Mayor
Donald R. Grebien, Chief of Police Paul King, the City Council, and BVCAP for
providing him with resources and tools to make sure that this program is effective
in achieving the City’s goal of a true community-based approach to policing.

Mayor Grebien, District Councilor Mary Bray, Council President Moran, At-Large
Councilors Cano and Tetreault and Councilor Wildenhain and Chief King all spoke and
applauded the efforts of Captain Newman, the Police Department, BVCAP and the people
of the neighborhood for their dedication to making the neighborhood and the park
safe for the residents and the children that live there.

The speaking program concluded with, Sondro and Stephanie Rodrigues, co-founders of
Hayzel’s Helping Hands, a non-profit community organization that is committed to
helping inner-city disadvantaged youths and their families. Sondro and Stephanie
talked about their goals for the city and also issued a call to action for people
who were also looking to make a difference in the community by asking for
contributions of resources such as time, love, effort or financial contributions so
that they are able to continue the work that they do.

The speaking program was followed by a ceremonial ribbon cutting of Captain Newman’s
new NRU office inside the building. After the ribbon cutting, everyone present moved
across the street for the official adoption of Payne Park by Hayzel’s Helping Hands.
A ribbon was cut at the entrance of Payne Park by Sondro, Stephanie and large crowd
that had gathered to celebrate the park adoption.

«This is the type of partnership between the City, the department and the community
that we are going to need to have a positive impact in Pawtucket,» said Captain
Newman. «I am really proud to be part of the committed effort I see from everyone
here today and I am excited about the work that we will be doing for the residents
of this great city,» he concluded.