Warwick, RI – It’s been an ignominious year for Motel 6 — 75 arrests, including a sex trafficker this week and meth lab operator the week before— but Warwick officials aim to reform practices at the hospitality chain location and rein in criminal activity.
The motel also made the news when a drive-by shooter who fired blanks was tracked to the location in December, and in August when a Warwick SWAT negotiator had to talk a shooter into surrendering peacefully after he locked himself into a room there.
The activity there hadn’t escaped Mayor Scott Avedisian’s notice, who asked Warwick Police Col. Stephen McCartney to review police visits to Motel 6 after the meth lab arrests.
The Mayor and McCartney were in the process of arranging a meeting with the manager of the motel about the 75 arrests made there this year when the news of the sex trafficker broke. After that, he said, they decided to convene a meeting with the Board of Public Safety and Motel 6 management.
Avedisian said their intent is to look for ways the motel can curb criminal behavior there.
“I will tell you that he is very cooperative,” Avidesian said.
On Thursday, Avedisian announced he is calling upon the Rhode Island Hospitality Association to help heighten awareness to the training available through the American Hotel & Lodging Association to enable hoteliers to identify signs of human trafficking and suspicious activity.
The organization provides a host of anti-human trafficking materials including an Awareness Poster, a Human Trafficking Indicators card, and an online webinar entitled “The Role of Hospitality in Preventing and Reaction to Child Trafficking.”
“My administration is dedicated to ensuring public safety. I want to assure the people of Warwick that we are taking the incidents which have occurred at Motel 6 over the past week very seriously. I have spoken with Dale Venturini about ways in which the Rhode Island Hospitality Association can help hoteliers recognize the signs of human trafficking, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their assistance. I appreciate Dale’s efforts in getting the word out to hoteliers about the various training materials available on-line through the American Hotel & Lodging Association,” Avedisian said.
“Knowing the signs of potential illegal activity is paramount to stopping it. We are happy to partner with Mayor Avedisian and offer comprehensive training seminars on what to look for. Our industry has an excellent record on self-policing and we will continue to be vigilant and work with our local authorities to ensure that any illegal activity is discovered and dealt with to the full extent of the law,” said Venturini.
When asked whether the city would review the motel’s license, Avedisian said McCartney feels working with Motel 6 and the Hospitality Association is a good first step. If this doesn’t work, Avedisan said, the city will look at other options.
Author: Rob Borkowski
Rob has worked as reporter and editor for several publications, including The Kent County Daily Times and Coventry Courier, before working for Gatehouse in MA then moving home with Patch Media. Now he's publisher and editor of WarwickPost.com. Contact him at editor@warwickpost.com with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.
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