A FAITH-BASED POLICE DEPARTMENT

PROVIDENCE WON'T PAY FOR PRAYER

Richard Higgins, Globe Staff, 12/3/2000 - Bucking charges that it is unconstitutional, a Providence police officer is going ahead with a ''faith-based'' effort to healing the strained ties between police and civilians in Rhode Island's capital.

The outreach program, dubbed PRAYER, was kicked off Thursday with a ''Night of Prayer and Healing'' at a Catholic hall in Providence. About 50 police officers and chaplains, ministers and local residents attended, including Police Commissioner John Partington.

Bolden said he hopes PRAYER will ease strains caused in part by the mistaken police killing of an off-duty black police officer in January and an ongoing police corruption scandal.

But the notion of the Police Department sponsoring religious activities set off a sharp protest last week from civil libertarians, who said it clearly crossed the line dividing church and state. [for the entire article click on link.]

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