Any government's first responsibility is to the safety of its residents. Crime destroys the lives of its victims, and it destroys the spirit of a community. The emergence of terrorism has brought a new threat to our country and to all American cities, including Providence. And the nation has been reminded once again of the crucial importance of preparation for natural disaster.

David Cicilline inherited a police department full of many brave men and women, but with a leadership compromised by the taint of corruption. Mayor Cicilline and his vision for a totally revamped department were powerful enough to lure one of the nation's leading crime fighting officials, Colonel Dean Esserman, to become Chief of Police.

Mayor Cicilline created the City's first Department of Emergency Management & Homeland Security, and has worked very closely with the Rhode Island federal delegation to secure tens of millions of dollars to invest in preparedness. He also became a member of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Homeland Security Task Force, with access to the latest information and best practices for disaster preparation and emergency preparedness.

• Mayor Cicilline quickly implemented a new community policing model that put officers on the streets walking beats, and established nine districts in the city, each headed by an accountable lieutenant, and each with a community substation.
• Mayor Cicilline's strategies resulted in a 21% drop in murder, a 20% drop in robbery, and a 22% drop in burglary for 2003-05 as compared to 2000-02, bucking regional trends.
• Mayor Cicilline has made it a top priority to take guns off the street, capturing 150 guns in 2005 alone. Gun locks are issued free at neighborhood district substations.
• Mayor Cicilline's new police department addressed the notorious promotion testing scandal head-on and served justice where it was due.
• Mayor Cicilline's new police department is gaining a national reputation for innovation, implementing new techniques and technologies.
  • Mobile high-speed computing for instant crime data on location.
  • Anti-gang "Streetworkers" program
  • Pursuing national accreditation from Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.
• Mayor Cicilline's Providence Emergency Management Agency & Department of Homeland Security has led first-of-their-kind, large-scale drills in the city, and is implementing first responder inter-communication – one of the earliest adopters of this national priority.
• Mayor Cicilline led the successful fight against building a marine LNG terminal in Providence, taking the case to Washington, DC to directly argue against the proposal.
• Mayor Cicilline updated and expanded the arsenal of equipment of the Providence Fire Department, adding a special hazard unit, a new ladder truck, and replacing two aging rescues with state-of-the-art vehicles.