FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS HENRY SANTANA, AT-LARGE CITY COUNCILOR AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
TODAY IS MARCH 13TH, 2025. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED. BOSTON DARK OF SLASH CITY COUNCIL DASH TV AND BROADCASTED
ON CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 FILES CHANNEL 964 RAN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL DA DA BOSTON.COM AND WE
WILL BE MADE PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS PROBABLY TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THIS HEARING. INDIVIDUALS MAY BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGNED
UP AND WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING IN PERSON PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN UP SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHAMBER. IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY PLEASE EMAIL OUR
CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON. SHANE PAC SHANE BACKPACK BOSTON DAC FOR THE LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBER 0421.
ORDER FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS PUBLIC SAFETY AND POLICE STAFFING IN BOSTON. THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY COUNCIL MEMBER MURPHY AND ED FLYNN AND WAS REFERRED TO THE
COMMITTEE ON FEBRUARY 5TH 2025. TODAY I AM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL COUNCILORS ED FLYNN AND COUNCILORS AARON MURPHY.
WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER OF ABSENCE FROM BOSTON CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT RUSSI LOUIJEUNE.
AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO GIVE MY COLLEAGUES AND THE LEAD SPONSORS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OPENING STATEMENTS AND THEN WE WILL PROCEED WITH THE HEARING.
SO COUNCILOR MURPHY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO WE ARE HERE BACK ON FEBRUARY
5TH I FILED THIS HEARING ORDER ALONG WITH COUNCILOR FLYNN TO DISCUSS PUBLIC SAFETY WHICH DIRECTLY CORRELATES WITH POLICE STAFFING IN BOSTON.
I BELIEVE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ROLES WE PLAY AS CITY COUNCILORS IS TO ADDRESS QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES AND PUBLIC SAFETY MAKING SURE OUR
RESIDENTS FEEL SAFE AND ARE SAFE IS ONE OF I TAKE THAT WAS ONE OF MY MOST IMPORTANT ROLES ON THE COUNCIL HERE AND WE KNOW THAT THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN ENSURING PUBLIC SAFETY
,MAINTAINING ORDER AND PROTECTING RESIDENTS AND VISITORS DURING LARGE SCALE EVENTS ACROSS THE CITY AND WE KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF LARGE SCALE EVENTS.
WE HAVE THE MARATHON. WE HAVE PARADES LIKE THE CELTICS PARADE THAT CAN BRING MILLIONS OF PEOPLE INTO OUR CITY. WE ALSO HAVE THE EVACUATION DAY PARADE WHICH IS COMING UP THIS
WEEKEND WHICH LAST YEAR WITH THE GOOD WEATHER AND THE WEATHER THIS WEEKEND IS EXPECTING TO BE IN THE SIXTIES THAT WE'LL SEE UP TO A MILLION PEOPLE IN SOUTH BOSTON THIS
WEEKEND. BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE CURRENT DATA IN OUR POLICE FORCE EVEN THOUGH THEY'VE BEEN ACTIVELY TRYING TO RECRUIT MORE IS DOWN 135 OFFICERS COMPARED
TO LAST YEAR DESPITE THEIR ONGOING RECRUITMENT EFFORTS AND THE THERE IS A CURRENT POLICE ACADEMY CLASS AND TRAINING THEY DID HAVE FUNDING TO HAVE A
LARGER CLASS BUT THE NUMBERS YOU KNOW I THINK THEY'RE AT ABOUT 118 IN THIS CLASS BECAUSE THAT WAS ALL THEY COULD RECRUIT TO CONSIDER BEING ON OUR POLICE
FORCE AND THESE STAFFING SHORTAGES PREVENT PRESENT CHALLENGES TO OUR PLANNING AND EXECUTION AND DUE TO THESE CONSTRAINTS BPD HAS INCREASINGLY RELIED ON MASS
STATE POLICE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN SURROUNDING TOWNS. BUT THANKS TO COUNCIL OF FLYNN SINCE LAST MARCH THE DE AFTER
THE PARADE LAST YEAR HE HAS BEEN CONVENING ALL STAKEHOLDERS NOT JUST THE POLICE BUT FIRE EMS, TRANSPORTATION AND OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS TO TALK ABOUT
INCREASING THE SUPPORTS THAT ARE NEEDED AT EVENTS THAT DRAW THAT MUCH PEOPLE AND ALSO BEHAVIORS THAT NEED TO BE DEALT WITH.
AND I KNOW THAT THIS WEEKEND WE'RE GOING TO BE SPENDING MONEY ON SURROUNDING TOWNS THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO STEP IN BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH OUR FULL
POLICE FORCE IS EXPECTED TO BE ON CALL, THEY'LL BE WORKING THAT DAY. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ENOUGH TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS WE HAVE ACROSS THE CITY. I DO BELIEVE THERE'S A NEED FOR
GREATER TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY REGARDING THE COSTS WE INCUR WHEN REQUESTING ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL FOR OUTSIDE AGENCIES AS WELL AS WELL AS THE LONG TERM IMPACT
OF CONTINUED STAFFING SHORTAGES . AND I DO I DID HOPE THAT THIS HEARING THIS MORNING WOULD PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING ANSWERS FOR US PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW
OF CURRENT BPD STAFFING LEVELS INCLUDING VACANCY RATES, RECRUITMENT EFFORTS AND RETENTION CHALLENGES. ASSESS THE IMPLICATIONS OF STAFFING SHORTAGES ON PUBLIC SAFETY RESPONSE TIMES, CRIME PREVENTION AND LARGE EVENT
SECURITY. EXAMINE THE FINANCIAL COSTS AND OPERATIONAL IMPACTS OF RELYING ON STATE POLICE AND REGIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES FOR STAFFING LARGE EVENTS AND TO
EXPLORE POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS STAFFING SHORTFALLS INCLUDING INCREASED RECRUITMENT INCENTIVES, OFFICER RETENTION PROGRAMS AND OTHER STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE PUBLIC SAFETY.
WHEN WE FILE THIS HEARING ORDER WE DID ASK FOR REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. WE ASKED FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ALSO ANY OTHER RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS.
UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE YOU CAN'T SEE IF YOU'RE WATCHING FROM HOME THAT WE ARE SITTING IN AN EMPTY CHAMBER. THERE ARE NO REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE ADMINISTRATION.
I DO KNOW THAT ONE PERSON WHO COULD ADDRESS MAYBE SOME NOT ALL BUT SOME OF THE BPD STAFFING ISSUES HAD HAD A REASON THAT SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO
BE HERE BUT THAT IN MY OPINION DOESN'T MEAN THAT NOBODY ELSE IN THE ADMINISTRATION COULD HAVE COME TO ADDRESS THIS VERY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION THAT I DO HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE TO HAVE EVEN THOUGH WE WILL NOT BE
GETTING ANSWERS. BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE OUR QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
COUNCILOR MURPHY. I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR PRIMERO, COUNCILOR ENRIQUE PAN AND COUNCILOR JOHN FITZGERALD.
I WILL PROCEED WITH OPENING REMARKS FROM MY COLLEAGUES STARTING WITH THE LEAD SPONSORS AND THEN I'M GOING TO ADDRESS MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL. SO COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU MR CHAIR AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS IMPORTANT HEARING. THANK YOU FOR COMING. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY AS WELL FOR TAKING THE LEAD ON
THIS ON THIS IMPORTANT SUBJECT . I SPENT OVER THE LAST WEEK TALKING TO POLICE OFFICERS ACROSS THE CITY IN PREPARATION
FOR THIS HEARING. SO I SPENT FOUR OR 5 HOURS JUST TRYING TO DO MY DUE DILIGENCE AND BEING PREPARED FOR THIS HEARING BECAUSE IT'S A CRITICAL
HEARING TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD I REPRESENT FROM DOWNTOWN SOUTH BOSTON, SOUTHEND, CHINATOWN, BAY VILLAGE, BACK BAY, FORT
POINT, SOUTH BOSTON WATERFRONT . PUBLIC SAFETY IS ONE OF THE FOREMOST CONCERNS I HEAR FROM RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBORS.
NEIGHBORS WANT TO SEE MORE POLICE OFFICERS WALKING THE BEAT. THAT'S WHERE YOU GET YOUR INFORMATION FROM RESIDENTS
ABOUT ACTUALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. WHEN POLICE OFFICERS ARE WALKING THE BEAT THEY'RE GOING TO COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
THEY'RE TALKING TO RESIDENTS. I OBSERVE IT EVERY DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF BOSTON ESPECIALLY MY DISTRICT.
THERE'S NOT A DAY THAT GOES BY THAT I'M NOT IN MY DISTRICT TALKING TO RESIDENTS OR TALKING TO THE POLICE OVER THE PAST
SEVEN YEARS I HAVE CONSISTENTLY ADVOCATED FOR HIRING HUNDREDS OF ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICERS EVERY YEAR FOR THE NEXT DECADE TO ADDRESS THE LONGSTANDING
ISSUES OF UNDERSTAFFING, OVERSTRETCHED RESOURCES AND FORCED OVERTIME FOR BOSTON POLICE OFFICERS AS WELL AS LOOMING RETIREMENTS.
LAST YEAR I HELD A HEARING WITH COUNCILOR MURPHY TO DISCUSS BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT'S STAFFING LEVELS AS WELL. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT SUBJECT POLICE STAFFING IN RECENT YEARS
MEANT THAT CURRENT OFFICERS ARE MANDATED TO FILL IN THE GAPS WITH FORCED OVERTIME OR MANDATORY OVERTIME WHICH HAS LED TO BURNOUT AND OFFICERS TAKING UP PHYSICAL AND
EMOTIONAL TOLL ON OUR OFFICERS AND THEIR FAMILIES. WE MUST FOSTER AN ENVIRONMENT THAT ALLOWS OFFICERS TO FEEL VALUED WHILE BUILDING A STRONG OBLIGATION SHIP WITH RESIDENTS
THROUGH COMMUNITY POLICING. WE HAVE TO SUPPORT POLICE OFFICERS IN THEIR FAMILIES AS WELL. HAVING SUFFICIENT POLICE STAFFING LEVELS IS CRITICAL TO
HELP MAKE THE STREETS OF BOSTON SAFER FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF OUR DEDICATED POLICE OFFICERS, I HAVE TALKED TO THE BOSTON POLICE PATROLMAN ASSOCIATION.
I HAVE TALKED TO THE DETECTIVES UNION. I HAVE TALKED TO THE SUPERIOR OFFICERS. THEY ALL AGREE WITH ME. WE NEED MORE POLICE OFFICERS IN THIS CITY.
RIGHT NOW AS COUNCILOR MURPHY MENTIONED. BUT RIGHT NOW WE ARE DOWN 130 135 OFFICERS. COMPARED TO THIS THIS SAME TIME
LAST YEAR IN MY OPINION IT IS NOT OKAY FOR OFFICERS TO BE MANDATED TO MANDATED TO WORK EXCESSIVE HOURS. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT
CONSISTENTLY RECRUIT AND RETAIN POLICE OFFICERS. IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS AS WELL TO SUPPORT POLICE OFFICERS IN THEIR
FAMILIES. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS FOR OUR RESIDENTS. OUR POLICE OFFICERS AGAIN AND
THEIR FAMILIES YESTERDAY I WAS AT A MEETING THAT I CHAIRED WITH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT CITY, STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS TO DISCUSS FINAL PLANS FOR THE
EVACUATION DAY PARADE. AND WE HEARD FROM THE POLICE COMMISSIONER. WE HE TALKED ABOUT THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE AND POLICE
SHORTAGES AS WELL. BOSTON IS ONE OF THE MAJOR ONE OF THE MAJOR CITIES IN THE NORTHEAST AND HOME TO MANY IMPORTANT HISTORIC SITES HOST
MANY MAJOR EVENTS INCLUDING THE SAINT PATRICK'S DAY, THE BOSTON MARATHON. OVER THE NEXT YEAR WE WILL BE HOSTING MANY EVENTS CELEBRATING THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE
AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE. WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A GOOD PUBLIC SAFETY PRESENCE FOR THESE GATHERINGS BUT WE CAN'T DO IT WITH LIMITED POLICE
OFFICERS. WE NEED TO INCENTIVIZE WAYS TO NOT ONLY RECRUIT MORE POLICE OFFICERS BUT ALSO SO THAT OUR EXISTING POLICE FORCE HAS A
WORK LIFE BALANCE THAT THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES AND THAT THEY ARRESTED WHEN THEN WHEN THEY'RE ON THE STREETS IN DIFFICULT SITUATIONS.
I AM CONCERNED ABOUT POTENTIAL FEDERAL FUNDING CUTS TO PUBLIC SAFETY WHICH WILL HAMPER THE OPERATION OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, LAW ENFORCEMENT TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS.
THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT CURRENTLY WORKS TOGETHER WITH OUR STATE POLICE AS WITH OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT GREATER BOSTON TO GATHER INFORMATION, COLLECT
INTELLIGENCE. WE NEED TO DISCUSS CHALLENGES AND POTENTIAL FEDERAL CUTS THAT MAY HAVE ON OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, ON PUBLIC SAFETY,
ON OUR ON STAFFING LEVELS. BUT IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE WORK TOGETHER TO MINIMIZE THE DISRUPTION THIS MAY HAVE ON A CITY. BOSTON WORKS BEST WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FLYNN, I'M GOING TO HAND OVER THE FLOOR OVER TO COUNCIL FOR ALL YOU HAVE TO FOR . THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU
TO THE LEAD SPONSORS FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. I JUST ALSO JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF SPEAK TO SOME OF THE EFFORTS THAT THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT HAS HAS DONE IN TERMS OF RECRUITING AND TRYING TO INCENTIVIZE RECRUITING NEW OFFICERS AND ALSO JUST BIG SHOUT OUT TO THE POLICE
COMMISSIONER ON IMPLEMENTING THE COMMUNITY INTERACTIVE TEAM AND SHOUT OUT TO CAPTAIN SWEENEY AND CAPTAIN FLYNN FOR STANDING UP SOME OF THOSE PILOT PROGRAMS AND C-11. AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE
GETTING SOME IN GET ANOTHER PILOT PROGRAM AND BE THREE. BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT THERE'S OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY THAT HAS THESE COMMUNITY INTERACTIVE TEAMS THAT ARE VISIBLE THAT ARE
PRIMARILY IN BUSINESS DISTRICTS THAT ARE BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH NOT ONLY A COMMUNITY BUT BUSINESS OWNERS. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT ON THAT INITIATIVE BUT I DO
I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AROUND MINIMUM STAFFING LEVELS AND HOW WE FACTOR IN ANY OTHER RESOURCES OR ANY OTHER POLICE RESOURCES IN CERTAIN
NEIGHBORHOODS. STAFF IN THAT PUBLIC EVENT HOW ARE WE HOW ARE WE LOOKING AT THAT? ARE WE LOOKING AT THAT THROUGH
A WAY OF HOW CAN WE INCORPORATE MAYBE OTHER ALTERNATIVE SECURITY AT SOME OF THOSE PUBLIC EVENTS SHIFTS, CHANGES
HOW IT IMPACTS RESPONSE TIME AND COVERAGE AND THOSE ARE JUST A FEW HIGH LEVEL QUESTIONS I HAVE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION BUT I'LL DEFINITELY SUBMIT THEM TO
YOU CHAIR AND SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME ANSWERS TO THOSE. BUT NO FURTHER QUESTIONS AND LOOKING FORWARD TO MY ANSWERS AND FURTHER CONVERSATION AROUND STAFFING LEVELS. THANKS.
THANK YOU COUNCILOR. WELL, AND YES, ABSOLUTELY IF ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES GIVEN THAT THERE'S NO PANEL TODAY IF ANYONE ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES WANT TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS
THROUGH THROUGH MYSELF AND I'LL MAKE SURE TO SUBMIT THEM AND TRY TO GET THOSE ANSWERS TO YOU ALL. SO COUNSELOR BUT THEN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.
I WOULD LIKE TO JUST START OFF BY THANKING THE CAPTAINS OF ALL OF MY PRECINCT CAPTAIN HAGERTY E-5 CAPTAIN FLYNN FROM B3 AND CAPTAIN HAMILTON FROM 18.
THEY ALL RUN VERY WELL AND PROFESSIONAL PRESENCE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON, ESPECIALLY THEIR COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICERS THAT ARE ALWAYS OUT AND ABOUT IN THE COMMUNITY AT THE MEETINGS MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE ALSO PART OF THE
NEIGHBORHOODS. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC TO DISCUSS BECAUSE I'VE HAD NUMEROUS CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR POLICE OFFICERS SPECIFICALLY THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT AND CHAIR I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU
THESE QUESTIONS TO AROUND THE OVER TIME AND THE MENTAL WELL-BEING OF THE OFFICERS WHO MANY TIMES FIND THEMSELVES WORKING 1620 HOUR SHIFTS AND I
KNOW THAT THERE'S RHETORIC OUT THERE THAT THEY A LOT OF THEM WANT TO WORK THESE OVERTIME BUT MANY OF THEM DON'T AND I'VE HEARD THAT MANY OF THEM ACTUALLY WANT TO BE HOME WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND THEY WANT TO
BE ABLE TO THINK CLEARLY WHEN THEY'RE OUT IN THE FIELD. SO I WANT TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS TO ASK OFFICERS TO WORK OVERTIME, HOW DO WE, YOU
KNOW, MOVE AROUND THE SHIFTS IN THE DIFFERENT PRECINCTS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO THE OFFICERS IN MY DISTRICT BUT THAT'S IT FOR ME. MR CHAIR, THANK YOU FOR HOLDING THIS SPACE. I WILL GIVE MY QUESTIONS OVER
TO YOU. AWESOME. THANK YOU COUNSELOR PEP AND COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, CHAIR. WE KNEW FOR A LONG TIME THAT POLICE STAFFING HAS BEEN AN
ISSUE BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS THIS BAD. SO IT'S AN IMPORTANT HEARING TO HAVE ESPECIALLY COMING UP ON, YOU KNOW, ST PATRICK'S DAY WEEKEND. WE HAVE A VERY LARGE SCALE
EVENT PERHAPS ONE OF THE BIGGEST THE CITY SEES ANNUALLY . SO IT WOULD BE NICE TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT THERE FRESH TO CONSTITUENTS AS WELL AS TO HOW WE OPERATE, HOW THE POLICE OPERATE AND HOW THE CITY
CONDUCTS THEMSELVES DURING THESE THOSE TIMES. BUT LOOK, WE LOOK OUT FOR OUR POLICE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY PROVIDE FOR IT PROPERLY SO THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE FOR US
PROPERLY AND ENSURE OUR SAFETY. AND SO YEAH, WE'LL BE HAVING QUESTIONS FURTHER BUT GIVEN THE ATTEN BOND TODAY AND ADMITTEDLY DISAPPOINTED IN BOTH THE ADMINISTRATION, I AM PLEASED
FOR NOT EVEN SENDING ANYBODY SUBORDINATES YOU KNOW OTHER FOLKS. I THINK IT JUST WOULD'VE BEEN A GOOD TIMELY CONVERSATION TO HAVE. THAT BEING SAID, ALWAYS SUPPORT
OUR POLICE AND HAPPY TO BE HERE FOR THEM TO THANK YOU CHAIR APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD AND AS YOU MENTIONED THERE IS A PARADE IS HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND SO IF ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES AGAIN WANT
TO SUBMIT ANY QUESTIONS OR INFORMATION THAT YOU MAY WANT TO RECEIVE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION AND FROM OUR POLICE, YOU KNOW, I'LL TRY TO SUBMIT THOSE RIGHT AFTER THIS
HEARING AND TRY TO ADVOCATE FOR MY COLLEAGUES TO TRY TO GET THOSE ANSWERS PRIOR TO THIS WEEKEND. SO WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR WEBER CONSTABLE I WOULD GUESS SO YOU'RE GOING TO
GET UPDATED WHERE OKAY, GREAT. SO I'LL GIVE YOU THE FLOOR FOR ANY OPENING REMARKS. MY OPENING REMARKS OR CLOSING
REMARKS I GUESS BUT WELL, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THE FILERS FOR THIS HEARING I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT ISSUE. WE'RE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO I THINK ON THIS BODY TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN ADDRESS OUR PUBLIC SAFETY NEEDS AS WELL AS YOU KNOW, POLICE OVERTIME SPENDING. I THINK THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IT
CAME OUT YESTERDAY IT'S THE TOP SEVEN OFFICERS MADE OVER $500,000 IN THE LAST YEAR AND A LOT OF THAT IS OVER TIME. YOU KNOW, I THINK I THINK THERE
ARE DEFINITELY OFFICERS BECAUSE OF STAFFING SHORTAGES WHO ARE FORCED TO WORK DOUBLE SHIFTS AND WE WANT TO STOP THAT. BUT WE ALSO WANT TO, YOU KNOW,
ELIMINATE THE INCENTIVE TO WORK VOLUNTARY OVERTIME TO EXCESS AND PART OF THAT IS FIGURING OUT WHAT OUR STAFFING LEVELS ARE AND HOW THOSE NUMBERS ARE
ARE REACHED AND AND WHAT WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE AND THE POLICE COMMISSIONER ARE DOING TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY
BUT ALSO MAKE SURE WE'RE YOU KNOW, WE'RE BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE SO I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS DISCUSSION WHEN WE CAN GET PEOPLE TO COME
AND TALK TO US. THANKS A LOT. CHAIR THANK YOU. COUNCILOR WEBER WITH OR WITH
WITH THAT I HAVE IT INFORM THAT THERE IS NO WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE THAT HAS SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY. SO BEFORE AND I WANT TO JUST GO
TO MIKE SHEA IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO YOU DON'T HAVE TO SIGN AND YOU CAN IF YOU WANT AN OFFICIAL AND I'LL COME UP AND INTRODUCE
YOURSELF AND GIVE YOU A TESTIMONIAL. THANK YOU COUNSELOR SANTANA AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
COUNCILORS ON PUBLIC SAFETY IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE TO ME ANYWAY IS ONE OF THE PRIORITIES OF THE CITY.
UM, YOU KNOW WE HEARD FROM MAYOR UH, IN DC SAYING HOW SAFE THE CITY WAS AND I AGREE TO A 80% OF THE TIME I AGREE WITH
THAT BUT UH, AS FAR AS THE PEOPLE THAT SHOULD BE HERE AND I DON'T KNOW I'M NOT BEING CRITICAL OF ANYBODY BUT I GET DISCOURAGED WHEN WE HAVE A
MEETING LIKE THIS AND THEN YOU LOOK UP AT THE STANDS. THE ONLY THING I PICKED UP THIS MORNING WAS A DEAD ROACH TWO
INCH ROACH RIGHT HERE. THANK GOD HE WAS DEAD. THAT'S THE PLUS OF IT. IT WAS DEAD. BUT AS FAR AS HAVING PEOPLE TO TO TO TESTIFY AND LET YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE STREETS,
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU FOLKS AND I RESPECT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU TO GO AROUND THIS CITY AND SEE THE PROBLEMS ON THE
STREET IF ANYBODY CAN AND THEY'RE BUSY SCHEDULE. IF YOU COULD JUST WALK DOWN TO STATE STREET WHETHER YOU'RE AT LARGE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT
CITY COUNCIL EVEN THOUGH IT MIGHT NOT BE A DISTRICT WALK DOWN TO THE OLD STATE HOUSE AND WALK DIRECTLY TOWARDS THE WATER AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE ROAD.
NOW I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE THE POTHOLES FROM THE WINTER THAT'S EVERY YEAR WE HAVE THAT THAT STREET IS SO DISGRACED.
WELL AS FAR AS SAFETY IS CONCERNED IT HAS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. YOU GO. I COULD SPEAK JUST FOR MY OWN COMMUNITY. SHOUT BOSTON MY NAME'S JOHN PROVENZANO BY THE WAY A I
SHOULD HAVE AN MY NAME AND WHERE I COME FROM SOUTH BOSTON WE'VE HAD MILLIONS HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS GIVEN FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO REPAIR A
LOT OF OLD PIPES IN OUR STREETS AND THEY'VE DONE THAT AND IT WAS DONE AND I'VE WATCHED IT ALL AROUND NOT EVEN JUST SOUTH
BOSTON BUT THE LACK OF POLICE DETAILS TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WALKING THE STREETS. WEST ROXBURY I HAVE GOOD FRIENDS THERE. ONE OF THEM I JUST LOST 92 YEAR
OLD FRIENDS, BEEN THERE HIS WHOLE LIFE. WEST ROXBURY ONE OF THE EXAMPLES OF IT CONSTRUCTION GOING ON NO POLICE DETAILS AS
SOON AS WE TALK ABOUT OVERTIME ,YOU KNOW IT WAS LIKE THIS JUST GOD FORSAKEN THING OVERTIME IT HAS TO BE DONE. WE NEED MORE POLICE.
WE NEED MORE POLICE FOR THE SAFETY OF THE STREETS AND FOR THE SAFETY OF THE CITIZENS AND THAT'S PART OF IT CONSTRUCTION WORK AS I'VE SEEN SO MANY
PLACES WHERE THERE'S NO DETAIL MAYBE THE CADETS COULD HELP OUT SOMEHOW. I DON'T KNOW HOW THE RULES ARE BUT WE NEED WE JUST NEED MORE
PROTECTION AND YOU KNOW, I AGREE WITH MAY WELL AND I DO WANT TO GIVE YOU JUST ONE EXAMPLE. I WOULD SAY AN ELECTED BOARD OF A TRUSTEE IN MY UNION FOR
OVER 20 SOME ODD YEARS IN MY JOB AS THE CHAIRMAN AND THE FOUR TRUSTEES THAT WERE IN IN THE TRUSTEE DEPARTMENT WITH
ME IS TO BE THE WATCHDOG WHETHER YOU YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU'RE KISSING UP TO MAYOR WU OR WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING, YOU HAVE TO BE A WATCHDOG TO WHAT'S
GOING ON IN THIS CITY. AND I WAS I APOLOGIZE THAT I DIDN'T MAKE THE MEETING YESTERDAY BY LISTENING TO THE MEETING WHEN I GOT THE CHANCE
TO PLEASE DON'T TAKE THIS ANY WAY AS FAR AS WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THE LEAGUE. Q IN THE WHOLE BIT THAT'S FINE. YOU KNOW YOU COULD YOU COULD
LABOR ME AS A HOMOPHOBIC IF YOU WANT BUT THAT'S JUST A TINY BIT OF WHAT'S GOING ON. WE NEED TO PUT MORE TIME WITH THE POLICE GETTING MORE POLICE
,GETTING MORE FIREFIGHTERS AND FIXING A SIMPLE THING THE COUNCIL SHOULD BE OUT THERE WALKING THE STREETS JUST JUST WALK DOWN STATE STREET. THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO COME TO MY TOWN. WE DID A LOT OF PIPE WORK THERE AND IT WAS ALL DONE WORK. THERE WAS NO NOBODY GOT HURT. THANK GOD THE CONSTRUCTION WORKERS AND I'M GOING TO GIVE
THE NAME OF THE COMPANY FEENEY BROTHERS THEIR JOB AND I HOPE THEY HEAR THIS THEIR JOB IS TO FILL IN ALL THE RIGHTS THAT WOULD MADE FROM PUTTING IN ALL
THE PIPES YOUR TOWN COUNCIL WEBRE FITZ YOUR TOWN YOU'VE SEEN IT SOUTH BOSTON I KNOW IT IS GOING THROUGH ALL
THOSE STREETS COUNCILOR MURPHY ALL OVER THAT ALL OVER THE CITY FINNEY BROTHERS JOB AND THEY GOT A LOT OF MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS TO FILL
IN ALL THESE HOLES AFTER THE PIPES REPORT IN EVERY SINGLE PLACE THAT I'VE GONE TO THE TAR THAT'S PUT BACK IN THERE IS TWO
INCHES BELOW SURFACE TWO INCHES THAT MEANS THEY'RE SAVING A TON OF DOUGH ON TAR. BUT GUESS WHAT? IT IT IT GETS WHAT HAPPENS FROM
THAT THERE'S A POSITIVE AND A NEGATIVE TO THIS. THE POSITIVE IS THAT THE CARS HAVE TO GO A LOT SLOWER BECAUSE OF ALL THE RATS. THE RATS TOO WHICH IS BELOW
FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT DOES TO YOUR FRONT END OF YOUR CAR WHEN YOU DRIVE YOU HIT IN THESE RUTS THE NEGATIVE IS THAT IT'S
RUINING A LOT OF THE FRONT ENDS OF A LOT OF CARS AND I BET YOU YOU HAVE A HISTORY OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE PUT IN FOR DAMAGE TO THEIR CARS.
I KNOW THAT'S ON THE RECORD HERE THAT PEOPLE WANT TO GET REIMBURSED FOR WHAT THEY HAVE TO FIX. SO AS FAR AS SAFETY IS CONCERNED, I WON'T GO ANYMORE. I COULD TALK ALL DAY ABOUT THE POLICE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I, I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THEM. I THOUGHT THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN PEOPLE HERE. I WISH THERE WAS A LOT MORE PEOPLE HERE. I REALLY DO. I'M AN OLD GUY. I HAVE MORE TIME THAN A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WORK AT STUFF.
I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE IN EACH FAMILY THAT COULD COME HERE AND LET YOU KNOW WHAT THEY'VE SEEN OUT IN THE STREETS.
SO I WOULD JUST ASK THAT WE GET AS MUCH RESPECT FOR THESE PEOPLE IN THIS CASE IN THIS MEETING THE POLICE BUT IT GOES FURTHER THAN THAT GOES FURTHER
IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE CULTURE, THE EVEN JUST CITIZENS OF OUR COMMUNITY CITIZENS THAT ARE LEADERS OF EACH TOWN AND THANK YOU.
I GO ON AND ON BUT I'M GOING TO SIT DOWN. THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME, HENRY. YOU'RE ONE OF MY HEROES. KEEP IT GOING. THANK YOU, JOHN. HERE.
YOU'RE ONE OF MY HEROES. WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNSELOR DUNCAN. SO I'M NOW I'M GOING TO THERE'S ALL RIGHT. OKAY.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GO TO NOW CLOSING STATEMENTS FROM AN AMENDMENT ALLOW THE SPONSORS TO DO THAT AND THEN IF ANY OF MY OTHER COUNSELORS WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE ANY CLOSING
REMARKS OR PUT QUESTIONS INTO THE RECORD, JUST PLEASE TURN ON YOUR LIGHT AND I'LL CALL ON YOUR NAME. SO COUNCILOR COUNCILOR MURPHY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO FIRST STATE THAT I MEAN WHAT'S THE POINT OF BEING AN ELECTED OFFICIAL IF YOUR ONLY AVENUE IS TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS?
YOU KNOW THAT'S WHAT RESIDENTS ARE ABLE TO DO THROUGH 311 ARE CALLING US DIRECTLY SO ALTHOUGH I APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS I DO THINK EVEN THOUGH THIS
WEEKEND IN ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COUNCILOR FLYNN AND I TRIED HARD TO DO IS MAKE SURE THAT THIS HEARING DID HAPPEN BEFORE SUNDAY. IT'S THE FIRST OF MANY UPCOMING
LARGE EVENTS ACROSS THE CITY. SO THIS WAS TIMED ON PURPOSE SO PUSHING THIS OUT KNOWING THAT MANY OTHER VERY IMPORTANT HEARINGS NEED TO BE SCHEDULED AND MANY OFFICERS ARE SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOTHING OPEN UNTIL MAYBE JULY AFTER THE
BUDGET. SO VERY DISAPPOINTING. SO I DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE ARE ON THE RECORD. ONE IS I KNOW THEY WEREN'T
INTENDING ONLY SENDING ONE PERSON OR I HOPE THEY WEREN'T BECAUSE I KNOW THAT I DID MENTION IN MY OPENING STATEMENTS THAT THERE WAS ONE PERSON BUT THERE IS NO WAY ONE PERSON AT OUR BOSTON POLICE
DEPARTMENT HAS THE ANSWERS TO ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT WE ALREADY ADDRESSED SO WONDERING WHY THERE WASN'T SOMEONE HERE FROM THE BUREAU OF FIELD SERVICES FROM THE BUREAU
OF PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS, SOMEONE FROM THE BUREAU OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FROM THE BUREAU OF ADMINISTRATION AND THEN ALSO THE BUREAU OF COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT FROM THOSE DEPARTMENTS ALSO HUMAN RESOURCES HERE IN THE CITY AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE
COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE BOSTON POLICE AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND THAT'S WHY IN THE HEARING ORDER WE DID ASK FOR ANY OTHER RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS. SO IF WE COULD GET AN ANSWER
FROM THE ADMINISTRATION WHO ELSE THEY WERE INTENDING ON SENDING AND WHY THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO COME, I WOULD LIKE THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
ABSOLUTELY WILL SUBMIT THAT ON YOUR BEHALF COUNCILOR MURPHY, COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND BEFORE I BEGIN, I JUST WANT
TO FOLLOW UP ON COUNCILOR MURPHY BUT IN THE INTEREST OF TRANSPARENCY AND OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE COUNCIL IS THAT ARE HERE AND
THE PUBLIC THAT IS HERE AS WELL JUST JUST SO WE HAVE IT ON THE RECORD THE BOSTON POLICE WERE INVITED TO THIS THIS HEARING. COULD YOU LET US KNOW WHO FROM
THE BOSTON POLICE WERE INVITED? MR CHAIR, JUST OFF THE SERVICE LEVEL? YEAH. I DON'T. COUNCILOR FLYNN, I'LL GET YOU THE INFORMATION OF OF OF THE
SPECIFIC PEOPLE THAT WE HAD INVITED. DO YOU WANT TO PLEASE PROCEED AT THE END OF YOUR REMARKS, PROVIDE THAT LIST TO YOU? YEAH. IF WE COULD GET THE LIST OF WHO WAS INVITED AND THE REASON
MR CHAIR, WHY THEY CHOSE NOT TO COME I THINK IN THE INTEREST OF TRANSPARENCY I THINK IT WOULD BE IT SHOULD BE GIVEN TO US.
I THINK THESE ARE I HAVE I SPENT FOUR OR 5 HOURS DEVELOPING QUESTIONS ON THIS PARTICULAR SUBJECT AND I DON'T I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT TO JUST
SEND THE QUESTIONS IN. I'D RATHER HAVE A BACK AND FORTH WITH WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON PARTICULAR QUESTIONS. THERE'S NO ONE THERE'S NO ONE ON THIS BODY THAT HAS BEEN A
BIGGER SUPPORTER OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAN THAN MYSELF. SO SO I REALLY WOULD LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO MEMBERS
OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT STAFFING LEVELS IN HOW WE GO FORWARD. THE FIRST THE FIRST
CONVERSATION I HAD WITH COMMISSIONER COX IS WHEN HE BECAME COMMISSIONER THERE WAS A POLICE OFFICER THAT WORK 19
MAYBE 19 STRAIGHT HOURS IN A DAY AND I HAD A CONVERSATION IN PERSON WITH COMMISSIONER COX ABOUT THAT AND I SAID
COMMISSIONER, THAT IS SO UNSAFE AND UNHEALTHY FOR THAT OFFICER AND FOR THAT OFFICER'S FAMILY AND FOR THE PUBLIC AS WELL.
HE AGREED AND MADE SURE AND COMMITTED TO ME THAT THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. BUT I'M ONLY ABLE TO HAVE AN IMPACT IF I CAN TALK DIRECTLY
TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THIS TYPE OF BACK AND FORTH RESPECTFUL MANNER I HAVE I HAVE A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO ASK THE QUESTIONS TO TO NO ONE THAT'S HERE. SO I'M PROBABLY NOT I'M
PROBABLY NOT GOING TO DO THAT. BUT WHAT I WHAT I WOULD HIGHLIGHT IS THE INCREDIBLE ROLE THE BOSTON POLICE, THE MEN
AND WOMEN THEY PLAY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. BUT THE STAFFING LEVEL IS A MAJOR CONCERN. THE FIRST I GO TO THESE COMMUNITY COMMUNITY MEETINGS
LIKE ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES EVERY NIGHT IN DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE FIRST PERSON THAT USUALLY SPEAKS AT A COMMUNITY MEETING IS THE IS THE
POLICE CAPTAIN AND HE OR SHE WILL GIVE A UPDATE ON CRIME STATS OR COMMUNITY POLICING WHAT IS HAPPENING AND THE CAPTAIN WILL TAKE QUESTIONS
FROM THE AUDIENCE FROM THE FROM THE RESIDENTS. AND WHAT I ALWAYS NOTICE IS THE POLICE HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE
RESIDENTS. THEY RESPECT THE POLICE BUT THEY BUT THEY ALSO ASK THEY'LL SAY HEY, CAPTAIN FLYNN OR CAPTAIN SWEENEY OR CAPTAIN BOYLE WE NEED MORE POLICE IN
THE SOUTH AND AT THIS PARTICULAR PARK WE NEED MORE POLICE AT ANDREWS SQUARE. WE NEED MORE POLICE, SAID COPLEY LIBRARY. THEY DO AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB BUT
WE NEED MORE OF THEM AND THEN THEN WE'LL GET INTO THE SUBJECT ABOUT STAFFING LEVELS HOW HOW WE'RE DOWN 130 POLICE OFFICERS
COMPARED TO THE SAME EXACT TIME LAST YEAR. SO THOSE OF THOSE ARE ISSUES THAT I REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON
AND GET ANSWERS TO BUT OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT GOING TO GET IT HERE. BUT DO HAVE BEFORE I CONTINUE, MR CHAIR, DO YOU HAVE A ANSWER FOR ME?
AND SO THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN SO YOU THE COMMITTEE OF ME AS IS CHAIR I ALWAYS WORK WITH THE LEAD SPONSORS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
PEOPLE THAT WE WANT FROM THE ADMINISTRATION GET INVITED IN THIS CASE WE WE ASK FOR THE ADMINISTRATION TO BE HERE. I THINK WE WERE AND THEY DID
HAVE PEOPLE WE ALLOWED THEM TO BE ABLE TO STAND WHO THEY THOUGHT WAS APPROPRIATE FOR THIS HEARING AND WE DID GET CONFIRMATION THAT THERE WAS ONE PERSON WHO WAS ORIGINALLY
AVAILABLE AND I THINK IS A WAY TODAY AND YOU KNOW, THEY ASKED FOR A RESCHEDULING SO IN SOME INSTANCES, YOU KNOW, THE
COMMITTEE ALLOWS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION TO SEND IN WHO THEY THINK IS APPROPRIATE AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE LEAD SPONSOR WANTS TO SAY ANYTHING. YEAH. I MEAN LIKE I SAID, THIS IS A
BIG TOPIC SO I WOULD BE SHOCKED IF INTERGOVERNMENTAL WAS ONLY GOING TO SEND ONE PERSON TO ANSWER ALL THESE QUESTIONS. WE'VE HAD SEVERAL, YOU KNOW, MEETINGS LIKE THIS OVER THE
YEARS AND NO WAY WOULD THEY PUT IT ALL ON ONE PERSON AND I WENT I DID GO THROUGH THE LIST OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN NECESSARY TO BE
HERE AND THE TIMING OF IT ALSO SORRY TO INTERRUPT COUNSELOR FLYNN, BUT WE DID WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD THIS HEARING BEFORE THE EVENT ON SUNDAY WHICH I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY TO MAKE SURE
AND ANXIOUS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS SAFE ON SUNDAY I.
MR CHAIR, I CONTINUE TO REFER AS I AS I CONCLUDE I'LL I'LL
JUST SAY THAT I'LL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE BOSTON POLICE AND ADVOCATE FOR THEM AGAIN, THERE'S NO ONE ON THIS COUNCIL THAT HAS DONE MORE FOR THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT
THAN THAN MYSELF AS A CITY COUNCILOR ESPECIALLY DURING DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING TIMES IN THIS CITY WHEN ONE ELECTED
OFFICIALS WOULD OFTEN BE AFRAID TO SUPPORT THE POLICE AND THEIR FAMILIES. I HAVE STOOD WITH THE POLICE AND ACCEPTED THE CRITICISM FROM
ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE PUBLIC AND THAT'S FINE. I ACCEPT THAT THAT'S PART OF THE JOB BUT I'M NOT GIVING UP ON THE POLICE. I'M NOT GIVING UP ON THE MEN
AND WOMEN OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THEY ARE WORKING FOR SOMEONE THAT ADVOCATES FOR THEM, THAT FIGHTS
FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY, THAT UNDERSTANDS THAT HAVING 130 POLICE OFFICERS LESS COMPARED TO THIS TIME LAST YEAR
IS A MAJOR PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY FOR 24 YEARS AND I OFTEN HAD TO
WORK 16 HOUR SHIFTS SOMETIMES LONGER AND IT'S VERY UNHEALTHY AND VERY UNSAFE FOR ANYONE TO
WORK THAT TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT IN IN THE IMPACT IT HAS ON YOU AND YOUR FAMILY IS SIGNIFICANT . WHEN AN OFFICER'S HONORS HIS OR
HER 15TH HOUR AND THAT OFFICER HAS TO MAKE A SPLIT DECISION POTENTIALLY MAKING ARREST OR
PHYSICALLY STOPPING SOMEBODY FOR VARIOUS REASONS IN MY OPINION THAT OFFICER IS NOT ON TOP OF HIS OR HER A-GAME AFTER
A 15 HOUR SHIFT AND WHEN THAT OFFICER IS BROUGHT BEFORE A DISCIPLINE BOARD AT THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT IS THIS IS THIS BODY THE BOSTON CITY
COUNCIL, ARE THEY GOING TO SUPPORT THAT OFFICER? WILL THEY FACTOR IN THAT OFFICER WAS ON THE 15TH HOUR SHIFT.
WILL THEY TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION? WILL THEY GO TO BAT FOR THAT OFFICER? THESE ARE THE TYPES OF ISSUES
WE NEED TO KNOW BECAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR CITY WHEN POLICE OFFICERS ARE WORKING CONSISTENTLY 16 HOURS A
DAY, OFTEN FIVE OR SIX DAYS A WEEK, WHAT IMPACT DOES THAT HAVE ON AN OFFICER THAT'S THAT'S HAS AN EIGHT HOUR SHIFT
AND YOU'RE TAKING YOUR CHILD. WE ALL HAVE CHILDREN WHEN YOU WHEN YOU'RE SCHEDULED TO TAKE YOUR CHILD TO THEIR DANCE RECITAL OR AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM AND OH, BY THE WAY, YOUR
SUPERVISOR WOULD SAY TO YOU, OFFICER FLYNN, YOU CAN'T LEAVE. YOU HAVE TO WORK ANOTHER EIGHT HOUR SHIFT. WE KNOW YOU HAVE A DANCE RECITAL THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR
YOUR DAUGHTER BUT YOU CAN'T GO BECAUSE WE'RE SHORT STAFFED. WHAT DOES THAT HAVE? WHAT TYPE OF IMPACT DOES THAT HAVE ON A MARRIAGE ON ON A
CHILD? THE CHILD IS COUNTING ON THEIR DAD OR THEIR MOTHER TO BE THERE FOR THEM TO SUPPORT THEM? YES, I DO TAKE THIS PERSONAL AS
A AS A FATHER AS I BECAUSE I WAS AWAY BUT FOR YEARS NOT BEING AT MY CHILD'S MY CHILDREN'S EVENTS BECAUSE I WAS AWAY IN THE MILITARY AND I KNOW
IT HAS AN IMPACT ON A FAMILY HAS AN IMPACT ON MY CHILDREN. BUT A PARENT A GUARDIAN NEEDS TO BE THERE FOR THEIR FAMILY, FOR THEIR SPOUSE, FOR THEIR
CHILD BUT ALSO AN OFFICER WORKING 15, 16 HOURS A DAY IS NOT GOOD FOR A PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD EITHER. IT'S NOT HEALTHY FOR A
NEIGHBORHOOD. IT'S NOT IDEAL. BUT THESE ARE THE QUESTIONS I WANT TO ASK I WANT TO FOCUS ON TODAY. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN FLYNN. COUNCILOR DURKIN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I JUST WANTED TO THANK THE FOLKS WHO BROUGHT THIS FORWARD . I THINK I WENT TO ALL THE
FESTIVITIES LAST YEAR AND HAD A VERY DIFFICULT TIME FINDING A WAY HOME AND SEEING ALL OF THE SORT OF THINGS THAT I SAW
COLLEGE STUDENTS COMING FROM THE STATE TO BOSTON OBVIOUSLY FOR WE LOVE TRADITION, WE LOVE ALL THE THINGS THAT TOURISM AND
FESTIVITY BRINGS TO OUR CITY BUT JUST REALIZING THAT WE ARE REALLY BEARING THE BRUNT OF SORT OF THIS WEEKEND OF EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING AROUND THE STATE EVERYONE'S
COMING HERE EVERYONE FROM THE ENTIRE REGION AND REPRESENTING 14 COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TOUCH DISTRICT EIGHT. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE COMING
IN TO HAVE FUN TO DO TO HAVE TO BE PART OF TAKE PART IN THE FESTIVITIES. I THINK PUBLIC SAFETY IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND I JUST WANT TO THANK OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
BUT KNOWING THAT THE NINE ON ONE CALLS THAT WERE COMING FROM MISSION HILL AND THE FENWAY LAST YEAR, THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO CAPACITY TO DEAL WITH THE
OTHER ISSUES HAPPENING ACROSS THE CITY AND ALL THE PARTIES AND SORT OF NUISANCE THAT WOULD HAVE RISEN TO THE LEVEL OF OF A
REPORT AND THAT AT LEAST IN MY DISTRICT THE IMPACTS OF HAVING ALL OF THE OFFICERS AND EVERYONE MOVE IN THIS DIRECTION DEFINITELY CREATES A OF VACUUM .
AND SO I REALLY JUST CAME TO THIS HEARING TO TALK ABOUT THAT BUT I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THERE WOULDN'T BE A PANEL. SO I DO APPRECIATE MY COLLEAGUES BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US ALL TO BE
HERE. OBVIOUSLY IT'S ALWAYS VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE A PANEL AND SOMEONE RESPONDING IF WE'RE TAKING OUR TIME TO BE HERE, THERE SHOULD BE SOMEONE HERE ON THE OTHER SIDE.
SO I SUPPORT MY COLLEAGUES IN ASKING FOR THAT. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU COUNCILOR THAT I CAN SEE IN THAT THERE ARE NO OTHER LIGHTS ON. WE DID HAVE WE DO HAVE ONE MORE
PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THAT PERSON WHO TOOK THE TIME TO COME HERE AND THEN WE'LL ADJOURN AFTER THAT.
SO DAVID LOPEZ AS THAT I WANT TO TABLE COPIES OF YOU CAN COME DOWN, INTRODUCE YOURSELF ANY NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION AND YOU HAVE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS DAVID LOPEZ. I'M FROM THE ROXBURY AREA. I KIND OF JUST WALKED IN HERE TODAY. YOU KNOW, NORMALLY I COME IN HERE I SPEAK TO NEVER GET NO RESPONSES BACK FROM ANYONE AS
FAR AS I JUST HEAR OUR CONVERSATION ABOUT WHICH IS BASICALLY POLICE AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT. I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT BETWEEN THAT 15 HOURS AND 8 HOURS EVERYTHING IS CHOICES. THEY CHOSE TO WORK IN THESE
PLACES. THEY CHOOSE TO BE WHAT THEY ARE. THEY CHOOSE TO WORK AS OFFICERS. THEY HAD PLENTY OF OTHER OPTIONS. THEY DON'T FEEL AS THOUGH THAT THEY'RE BEING TREATED RIGHT.
UM, AS FAR AS THAT'S CONCERNED ,YOU KNOW, COMING FROM MY BACKGROUND I'VE NEVER HAD ANY GOOD ALTERCATIONS WITH AN OFFICER. I'VE NEVER HAD AN ALTERCATION WHERE I NEEDED THEIR HELP AND I
ACTUALLY GOT THE ASSISTANCE I GOT THE OPPOSITE OF THAT. ON THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THEM. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH ANYONE I HAVE CLEARLY IT SEEMS LIKE
EVERYONE'S ALWAYS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH ME. I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE AGAIN LIKE I SAID, I'M JUST HERE TO SPEAK. I HEARD YOU ALL OUT. I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT MOST OF IT BECAUSE AGAIN LIKE FOR MY UNDERSTANDING OF EVERYTHING
THAT'S HAPPENING HERE, OFFICERS COME HERE ALL THE TIME ASKING FOR NUMEROUS AMOUNTS OF MONEY THAT GOES ABSOLUTELY WHERE EXACTLY YOU KNOW PEOPLE GETTING PAID MONEY'S GOING EVERYWHERE
WHEN THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN THE CITY A LOT THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN THE CITY INCLUDING HOMELESSNESS. I WAS HERE THE FIRST TIME I WAS EVER HERE WAS BECAUSE OF THAT SAME FACT. YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT'S GOING ON.
I DO UNDERSTAND THAT OFFICERS ARE NEEDED, YOU KNOW, TO TO TO DEAL WITH CERTAIN BUT NOT EVERYONE IS THE SAME AND OUT THERE RIGHT NOW WHETHER YOU LIKE TO BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
WE'RE NOT GETTING TREATED THESE OFFICERS LIKE WE'RE CITIZENS OR EVEN HUMAN SOMETIMES. AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU AS AN OFFICER BUT AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, I THINK
MOST OF THIS IS CHOICE. AN OFFICER CHOOSES TO BECOME POLICE OFFICER. AN OFFICER DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A POLICE OFFICER IF HE FEELS AS THOUGH THAT HE'S IN FEAR OF HIS LIFE OR WHATEVER THE REASON IS OR IF HE FEELS LIKE HE'S NOT
GETTING TREATED RIGHT. YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE WHEN WE GO WORK FOR ANY OTHER COMPANY OR ANY CORPORATION, YOU KNOW, WE CHOOSE TO WORK FOR THOSE COMPANIES. WE MAKE A SIGN WE SAY WE PUT OUR SIGNATURE IN CERTAIN PLACES AND THIS IS IT. THIS IS WHAT WE MUST DO.
SO IF AN OFFICER OR ANYONE IS FEELING SOME TYPE OF WAY ABOUT THEIR TREATMENT THAT MAYBE THEY SHOULD START LOOKING AT THEMSELVES ABOUT WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON BECAUSE 15 HOURS IS A
CHOICE. WE ALL KNOW THAT 8 HOURS IS THE MINIMUM A MAN HOURS AFTER 8 HOURS EVEN IF YOU'RE REQUESTED OF YOUR. HEY, WE HAVE THE SMALL AMOUNT OF PEOPLE.
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE. WE NEED YOU TO TAKE. MAYBE YOU SHOULD HIRE MORE PEOPLE THEN BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY YOU'RE SAYING THAT THEY'RE EXHAUSTED BECAUSE THEY'RE WORKING 15 HOURS THAT YOU NEED TO HIRE MORE PEOPLE SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN GET THE SAME
MAN HOURS. THAT BEING SAID, THAT'S PRETTY JUST RESPONSE TO THAT. UM, I ACTUALLY CAME HERE FOR OTHER REASONS. UM, LIKE I SAID I KNOW THAT
IT'S NOT IT'S NOT I'M NOT I HAVE TO COME BACK TO SPEAK ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I JUST SEEN THAT BUT THE AGENDA IS GOING TO BE ON THAT FOR NEXT WEEK. BUT YEAH, JUST WITH THAT BEING SAID AS PRETTY MUCH AND I KNOW LIKE I SAID I'M NOT GOING TO GET NO RESPONSE FROM JOHN NEVER
COME HERE GET A RESPONSE FROM ANYBODY. YOU KNOW I SPOKEN TO YOU ALL ABOUT A LOT OF MESSED UP SITUATIONS THAT'S GOING ON IN BOSTON AND AGAIN ONLY THING I'VE GOTTEN WAS THESE FACES JUST LOOKS PRETTY MUCH NO ONE'S
EVER SPOKEN BACK TO ME. NO ONE'S EVER RESPONDED NO ONE'S ANSWERED NONE OF MY QUESTIONS. NO ONE'S ASKING ME OR TELLING ME EXACTLY WHAT IS IT WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF COMING OVER HERE AND JUST COME TO THE HEARING TO
SPEAK IF I'M NOT GOING TO GET NO RESPONSE TO THE THINGS THAT ASK FOR THE THINGS THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT YOU KNOW AND I'M PRETTY SURE I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO FEELS THAT WAY. YOU KNOW, EVERYONE WANTS ANSWERS. WE COME OVER HERE FOR ANSWERS NOT FOR JUST JUST TO SPEAK AND
JUST YOU KNOW, SEEMS LIKE WE'RE JUST WASTING OUR BREATH ON AGAIN. IT'S NOT MY FIRST TIME BEING HERE. THAT'S NOT MY ONLY CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH ARE UNFORTUNATELY AND AGAIN, LIKE I
SAID, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO WORK WHICH ARE TO TRY TO FIX OTHER SITUATIONS AND UNFORTUNATELY I'M BEING LOOKED UPON LIKE FOR WHO AM I? YOU KNOW THAT'S HOW Y'ALL LOOKING AT ME MOST OF THE TIME. SO MAYBE I'M JUST LOOKING AT
ALL LIKE Y'ALL LOOKING AT ME THAT WAY BUT MOST OF THE TIME Y'ALL LOOKING AT ME LIKE WHO IS THIS GUY? WHY IS THIS GUY EVEN COMING OVER HERE WASTING HIS BREATH SPEAKING TO US? YOU KNOW, BECAUSE AT THE SAME AT THE END OF THE DAY YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR ME AND DO NOTHING ABOUT IT.
NOTHING AT ALL. NO ONE HERE, NOT ONE PERSON, YOU KNOW. AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I REALLY HAD TO SAY CAME OVER HERE TO SPEAK AND HOPEFULLY I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON WITH
THOSE 59 OR 12 POLICE OFFICERS. I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THESE POLICE OFFICERS WANT BUT I DO KNOW THAT AT SOME POINT THERE'S GOT TO BE A LIMIT TO WHAT THESE OFFICERS CAN GET. YOU KNOW, LIKE AT SOME POINT LITERALLY HAVE IT ALL THEY HAVE
IT ALL THEY TO LITERALLY HAVE POWER OVER US. YOU FEEL THEY LITERALLY HAVE POWER OVER US. YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T GO AROUND SAY ANYTHING OR DO ANYTHING THAT SEEMS NATURAL TO US THAT
WOULD SEEM UNNATURAL TO THEM. YOU KNOW, THAT'S A COMMON COMMON COMMON CIRCUMSTANTIAL THINGS THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE STREETS WITH POLICE OFFICERS AND REGULAR PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE ME.
YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT'S ONLY COLORED PEOPLE. YOU KNOW I HAVE WHITE FRIENDS AND THEY GET TREATED LIKE ME JUST BECAUSE THEY MY FRIENDS . SO AGAIN, IT'S IT'S NOT A IT'S NOT A RACE THING. I KNOW IT'S NEVER BEEN A RACE
THING. I'M STARTING TO REALIZE A LOT MORE THAT'S NEVER BEEN A RACE THING IS JUST A POWER THING OR POWER TRIPPING THING. SO AT THE END OF THE DAY WHATEVER GOD DO DECIDE TO DO
HOPEFULLY MY NAME IS DAVID LOPEZ. MY PHONE NUMBER IS 4078539333 YOU COULD CALL ME CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I'M GOING TO TRY TO CONTACT YOU ALL ALL THE TIME AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.
YOU KNOW I JUST CAN SPEAK MY MIND ABOUT THAT PART BECAUSE I JUST WALKED IN AND STARTED HEARING ALL THIS SUPPORT FOR STUFF THAT I DON'T SUPPORT BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DAVID WRIGHT, APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND GIVING YOU YOUR TESTIMONY. THANK ALL RIGHT OF IT.
ALL RIGHT. SO WITH THAT I JUST WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR BEING HERE AND AS I SAID TO MY WHO DID PUT THE QUESTIONS INTO THE
RECORD WE WILL MAKE SURE TO SUBMIT THEM AND ENCOURAGE THE ADMINISTRATION TO ANSWER THOSE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE ACTUALLY WITH DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES HAPPENING OVER THE WEEKEND. SO I WANT TO THANK THE LEAD
SPONSORS HOUSE SAFE LANDING COUNSELOR MURPHY AND COUNSELOR FLYNN FOR BRINGING US TOGETHER
AND FILING THIS THIS HEARING ON
DOCKET NUMBER 0421 IS ADJOURNED