Providence Councilor asks police to designate properties as chronic nuisance

“The burden cannot continue to fall on residents to document the same violations week while awaiting another serious incident.”

Ward 14 Councilor Shelley Peterson wrote in a letter sent Tuesday to Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez. Thirty people were arrested over Halloween weekend in Providence’s Elmhurst neighborhood, WPRI reported, with police confirming 13 arrests on Friday night and 17 on Saturday night, most for open container violations and disorderly conduct near Providence College.

Peterson’s letter asks the police department to review the city’s code of ordinances and designate qualifying properties in the lower Eaton Street area as “chronic nuisance properties” based on the documented pattern of violations and police reports.

Eaton Street’s Year-Round Disturbances

According to WPRI, Peterson said Ward 14 residents have previously reported public safety and quality-of-life problems, yet violations continue “without meaningful consequences.” She described a rhythm of disruption that extends well beyond Halloween, noting that neighbors regularly experience gatherings three to four nights per week, with parties spilling onto balconies and into public streets.

30 arrests made in Providence neighborhood during Halloween

These gatherings, Peterson wrote, have brought recurring instances of alleged public intoxication, disorderly conduct, public urination, and obstructed traffic to the lower Eaton Street corridor. The councilor characterized the incidents as part of a broader pattern of “disruptive activity” throughout the academic year, not isolated weekend events.

WPRI reported that in 2025, police received numerous calls overnight for disturbances, shots fired, loud music, large crowds, and assaults on Eaton Street—but made no arrests. The 30 arrests made this year show law enforcement taking a more active approach, but Peterson says the problems driving them haven’t changed.

Providence Councilor asks police to designate properties as chronic nuisance — Photo: turnto10.com

Violence at the PC Mart

Turnto10.com reported that the Saturday night crowd included a fight that broke out at a gas station parking lot during a live NBC 10 news broadcast. Video from the scene showed officers deploying pepper spray as they worked to control the crowd near the PC Mart, a convenience store about a block from the Providence College campus. Police made 13 arrests the previous night after a crowd gathered at the same location.

Providence College student Will Kennedy, speaking to NBC 10 about the scale of the police response, offered a striking observation about the crowd’s composition.

30 people arrested following Halloween weekend gatherings by Providence College

“It’s a lot of people to get arrested in two nights,” Kennedy said. “I didn’t really see one face I recognized, which was pretty crazy.”

Senior Matt Debes told NBC 10 he hopes the public does not assume Providence College students were responsible for the disorder. It was not immediately clear whether any of the 30 arrested individuals were enrolled at the college.

Providence College Cites Outsiders in Arrests

In a statement provided to WPRI, a Providence College spokesperson said the institution is “deeply concerned” about the off-campus incidents that occurred near campus over the weekend.

19-year-old expresses regret after arrest near Providence College during Halloween weekend

“The safety and well-being of our community is always our primary concern,” the statement read. “Based on the information currently available, the arrests made in connection with these off-campus incidents were individuals who came into the neighborhood from other areas of the city and elsewhere.”

The college noted it has increased its usual police detail from six officers to 16 during Halloween weekend and holds regular meetings with local stakeholders. The spokesperson said Providence College continues to work with local police, city officials, and property owners to “promote safety and responsible behavior” in the surrounding area.

Yet Peterson maintains that these measures have not “produced lasting improvements.” In her letter, she emphasized that after years of documented complaints and police responses, the onus should not remain on residents to document the same violations repeatedly.

30 people arrested in Providence over the Halloween weekend

Seeking Concrete Consequences

“After years of documented complaints and police responses, residents deserve to know why these conditions persist and what concrete steps will be taken to address them,” she wrote.

The councilor is urging the police department to implement enforcement proceedings and formally designate properties as chronic nuisances, a classification that could trigger stricter penalties for landlords and repeated violators. Whether Providence adopts those measures remains an open question as Elmhurst residents wait to see if this Halloween’s 30 arrests mark a genuine turning point or simply another weekend in a cycle of disruption that has defined the neighborhood for years.