Providence police oversight board has new executive director
More than one year after the ouster of its executive director, Providence's police oversight board has his replacement.
On Thursday night, the City Council approved Ferenc Karoly, a lawyer, Navy veteran and former police officer, to head up the Providence External Review Authority, or PERA.
Karoly received his juris doctor degree from Suffolk University and a criminal justice certificate from the FBI Academy. He spent 15 years in the Middletown Police Department, working his way up from patrol officer to deputy police chief.
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PERA, established in 2002 to investigate allegations of police misconduct, has not been highly active since the departure of its leader. In the past four months, it has met only twice. Though the attorney general had launched an investigation into police use of force in a July incident involving the arrests of teenagers, that was not discussed at either meeting.
Speaking to reporters after the council meeting, Karoly emphasized the need to determine the place of PERA in the city.
"Like anything, you need to get the lay of the land," Karoly said. "I think the most important thing with PERA is taking the time to meet with the stakeholders, City Council, board members and define PERA’s role."
Karoly added that PERA "needs to be shaped into an organization that has a function, that’s serving the community, is acting as that looking glass into the Police Department for transparency," advocating also for "partnership to actually create those effective changes."
Karoly's salary in the new position will range from $94,773 to $108,774.
Former PERA director José Batista
In November 2020, PERA fired former executive director José Batista for releasing bystander and body camera videos of Providence police Sgt. Joseph Hanley assaulting Rishod Gore, a man who was handcuffed. Months later, Hanley was convicted of simple assault and ordered to complete anger-management classes.
More: Providence police sergeant convicted of assault on handcuffed man
PERA previously had obtained the footage and decided against releasing it. Batista, however, later distributed it to the media.
In March, Batista, now a state representative, launched a lawsuit against the city, alleging retaliatory termination. The case remains active.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Providence police oversight board has new executive director
