NARRAGANSETT, R.I. (WPRI) — Narragansett Town Manager James Tierney unveiled body-worn camera footage Monday from the night that two University of Rhode Island (URI) students reportedly assaulted a couple of officers who were trying to break up a house party.
Cody Calkins, 21, and Jake Dignam, 20, were taken into custody earlier this month and have each been charged with simple assault, obstructing an officer in the line of duty, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.
Tierney shared a snippet of the body-worn camera footage with the Narragansett Town Council. The footage shows the officers walking up to the Leonard Bodwell Road home, which appears to be packed with students.
Moments later, a student can be heard shouting at the officers before abruptly shoving one of them.
“You’ll see a lot of green and pavement in these videos because the officer was knocked to the ground and that’s where the camera was pointing,” Tierney explained.
Chris Mannix, who lives in the Bonnet Shores neighborhood, thanked the officers for breaking up the house party and handling the situation appropriately.
“What we see on that video is totally unacceptable,” Mannix said. “We’re very concerned about how we got here, but we’re very grateful to the police who relied on their training and de-escalated a very explosive situation.”
Tierney stressed that there is no excuse for this behavior and it won’t be tolerated.
“We’ll do everything we can to try to mitigate these matters,” he said.
Councilor Steven Ferrandi hopes the footage serves as a wake up call for the university.
“It’s not all students, we get that,” Ferrandi said. “But URI has to stop dumping their students on this town.”
Ferrandi urged URI to invest in building more student housing so the town doesn’t “have to house 6,000 to 8,000 students.”
In a statement following the students’ arrests, URI stressed that it “does not condone the reported behavior.”
“The university appreciates the efforts of local law enforcement and is working closely with the Narragansett Police Department to uphold and promote the well-being of our community,” the statement reads.
The students’ behavior may also result in disciplinary sanctions, including suspension and dismissal, according to the university.
Both students were released on personal recognizance pending their next court dates. Calkins is slated to face a judge Tuesday morning, while Dignam’s next court date is scheduled for Sept. 24.