Boston City Council, MA Public Safety & Criminal Justice, 18 May 2018

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From YouTube: Committee on Public Safety & Criminal Justice on May 18, 2018

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Docket #0722 - Hearing regarding concurrent jurisdiction of Massachusetts Port Authority properties in Boston

A

Five city councilor I'm, joined today by my colleague district councillor, Edie Flynn, and my other colleague city councilor, at-large Michael Flaherty I, want to remind everybody that this is a public hearing being recorded in broadcast and Comcast eight ICN 82 and Verizon 1964. It's also being streamed on line Boston gov. Please silence your cell phones and other devices. We will take public testimony if you want to sign in on the on my left.

A

We have one panel up today. If you could state your name and affiliation through the panel. That would be appreciated. You want to start from. My left to right would be fine, Michael.

B

Grady from the Port Authority Tommy Butler.

C

Massport William.

D

Ridge Boston Police Bureau field services, William.

E

G gross superintendent in chief in.

F

That Bill Evans Police Commission for the city of Boston thank.

A

You very much everybody for coming here. I am disappointed that some of our invites were not taken seriously. This is an incredibly serious issue when you look at the Seaport you're, looking at a brand new neighborhood you're, looking at an extensive neighborhood with city of Boston residents, you're looking at city of Boston residents that deserve all of the benefits of having, arguably or in my opinion, not arguably, the greatest community service police force in the nation. The tax revenue in in the Seaport alone in 2000 2005 FY 5, was 16 million in tax revenue.

A

Now in FY, 16 was 108 million dollars, which is an increase of five hundred and twenty six percent. That neighborhood has become an integral part of this city and we are all very, very concerned, as we put this docket in councillor Flynn and I. This docket is docket number zero, seven to two. It's an order of a hearing regarding concurrent jurisdiction of Massachusetts Port, Authority control properties located within the city of Boston.

A

We'll talk the South Boston waterfront again, I can't tell you how disappointed I am that the colonel and in massport couldn't find their way over to City Hall.

A

Today, with due respect to the people who are in front of me, I will certainly hear what everybody has to say and as we go along I believe at the end of this hearing, I do I, don't believe I know at the end of this hearing, I will adjourn the hearing, and then we will set up another date and another time where the proper authorities can be here to talk about this serious serious issue.

A

I find it disrespectful that the the people who were called upon did not contact us in any way shape or form personally, but they called our staff and said they couldn't make it will send staffers. This is a big issue, so I want to open the floor quickly to my colleagues and then we'll have Commissioner Evans make his opening statement, counsel, Flynn.

D

Thank You council, McCarthy, Boston City Council, are lodged. Michael Flaherty and I recently offered a resolution in support of concurrent police authority for State Police in Boston police on massport properties, including the South Boston waterfront.

D

That resolution was related to a House of Representatives budget amendment filed at the state level by former representative Nick Collins knows no state senator the Boston City Council went on record in support of rep Collins's amendment for concurrent and jurisdiction in equal access to police services for all areas of Boston.

D

This hearing is on enforcement jurisdiction between the Boston Police in State Police, on massport properties in the waterfront area. This proposal would not take away the authority of the State Police. It seeks to provide the Boston Police the same police jurisdiction as the State Police in the city of Boston. The South Boston waterfront has drastically changed in the decades since the concurrent arrangement, since the current arrangement on the waterfront was a moved in the 1990s. There are more businesses in residents than ever before in the area, as I have said before.

D

This hearing is about public safety in providing equal access to services from the Boston Police for all our residents across this great city, no matter where they reside.

D

We want what is in the best interest of the community members in business owners as well, Weah merely seeking concurrent jurisdiction for law enforcement, just as we currently have for state roads, the MBTA in DCI property, the residents of South Boston, especially the residents of South Boston waterfront, want the same level of basic city services and we're confident that the Boston Police Department can work closely with the Massachusetts State Police and the South Boston waterfront we're asking for respect and we're asking for concurrent jurisdiction.

D

Thank You, Council, McCarthy Thank.

A

G

Council in council clarity, Thank You, mr. chairman, it's absurd that we're having this discussion in 2018 public safety is of paramount importance to the residents of South Boston, the visitors and tourists of the South Boston waterfront, as well as the taxpayers and businesses down there. So we need to resolve this issue immediately, whether that's through an MoU which is probably path of least resistance, IND or otherwise, through state legislation.

G

So look forward to listening to the testimony and through collective efforts to try to find some common ground and I guess, allow the State, Police and massport please to continue to patrol the roads and handle the traffic and get the details and give BPD access to the 9-1-1 calls, as well as the lysis premise violations.

G

People don't realize that all those businesses down there a licensed through the city of Boston's for the special services through our city's Licensing Board, and there are issues that come up from time to time and and we're probably best apt to handle those things because they license permits violation. So with that, mr.

G

chairman look forward to hearing from from folks that took time out of their schedule to be here and we'll support the chair in efforts to either recess this hearing in, if necessary, used City Council subpoena powers to get the appropriate authorities here to resolve this issue once and for all. Thank.

A

You very much councilor before I, open it up to Commissioner Evans when counsel Flynn and I announced that we were going to do this. The one thing that kept popping into my head, the one question that I want to get out of this hearing and I wish I, could ask this question to the colonel to tom Glenn to Dan. Bennett is why is this an issue at all? Why is this not a solution for the city of Boston and for the people who live in that in that area?

A

That's my question and that's the that's the really the question that we need to have answered and I think as we peel this onion apart, we'll ultimately find why there why it is a solution and not an issue so Commissioner Evans, you have the floor.

F

Okay, thank you, council, McCarty, and thank you countless flowery and in Flint for holding this meeting. You know obviously, and this isn't a new issue. I know for the last ten years we've been fighting this issue up in the state legislation.

F

You know and I've been adamant about getting the right, Police Agency down there to please a Boston, City, neighborhood I, think everyone knows that the Boston Fire in Boston EMS patrol that neighborhood and and people pay good money to live down there and pay city taxes and clearly they should get what I consider and President Obama considered one of the top community policing agencies in the country, and so you know it's frustrating. You know we patrolled just to make it clear that was always our jurisdiction.

F

As a young officer, we all patrol down there when it was just jimmy's homicide and somehow in 97 an amendment was thrown in that took it away from us. So this wasn't always Massport at all. You know something was slipped in and we lost jurisdiction 20 years ago. So we're not looking to take something that we never had. We had it before, but with the transportation bill we lost it, so we're just trying to regain something through the legislative that was taken away from us.

F

You know, what's frustrating to me, like you said, is nobody's here to answer the question that have continually asked when I've testified in the legislature. Give me one good reason why and nobody can in what's always troubling to me even up the Statehouse. No one even comes in opposes it and when I get up there and yeah, obviously that's troubling.

F

You know: I have a letter from Tom Glen here written he didn't show up to show his face, but he wrote that and I'll just state a few things here that he strongly opposes concurrent jurisdiction and he gives reasons about liability which weren't true, because the city indemnifies us and he talks about having 45 Massport cops exclusively assigned to patrol the seaport. Now we could probably do with five to tell you the truth and he talks about 67 state troopers assigned to that barracks.

F

So that's 110 people that he claims in this letter written 16 months ago that are patrolling the Seaport. You know we're talking about probably five or six blocks down there that easily we can do with you know we have three bikes down there. Now we have vehicles riding down there, but it seems like those resources with 365 cities and towns can be put to a better use. We have the same men powers to stay police, basically almost 2200 officers that they have. We have ample resources without paying any overtime to patrol that here.

F

What we also have is specialized units which deal with real city issues if someone's sexually assaulted and we've had sexual assaults down there. We have a unit who deal with victims all the time and so they're not revitalized. When we run into them in the state police, they call basically a homicide unit in which is statewide to deal with these sexual assault victims. All of our district stations have domestic violence advocates in detectives who really deal with these victims. They get them to court. That doesn't happen with the state police.

F

You know we have child advocacy groups if there's a crime against a child. You know these are the specialties that we bring. We have no idea if sexual offenders living down there, we don't even get their crime report. So yesterday we did CompStat and we had Joe Boyle up in front of our station going over the crimes in South Boston and we don't get what's going down in South Boston because they don't forward those resources. So it's very troubling to me this whole set up and I'm so I'm real disappointed.

F

Although I have the highest respect for the governor, because he about six weeks ago talked about a remedy here and we still don't have it obviously didn't Bennett's a great guy. He brought us together, but it made no progress and this was going to take some courage. So I want to change this because it doesn't make any sense that the Boston Police Department can't patrol a major part of their city.

F

There's so many residents down there, there's so many businesses and about three weeks ago I had a woman complaining about a club, and she says you know she had no one to turn to she's calling me to fix the problems at this club and I told that we don't have jurisdiction down there, but even more important. When I call the chiyan woman, not by a licensing board. She doesn't have one violation against that club, so we have the licensed premises down there, but nobody's reporting the incidence to us massport in the state police.

F

Don't like write licensed premises. So the whole way it's set up is very troubling. You know: State Police, grab, blossom, I, think they're, a great organization I every one of their members works hard to make this state safe, but their highway police and they patrol the state roads.

F

That's their specialty, they're, a paramilitary organization, we're a community based neighbourhood, policing, I, don't think anyone does it better and I think most of those residents down there don't realize how dysfunctional this system is when their crime down there is not reported to us, and so we got massport. We got State Police in Boston police, all fighting for calls and I've told you the story one day, I'm riding home with my son from church, and there was a dead body on a boat.

F

We were there first and for an hour half we argued over whose jurisdiction the boat was- and it's real troubling to me when we have those tight fights, because in this day of terrorism, in this day of cooperation, we do a great job except down the seaport. You know this is very juvenile. This behavior, it's as you can't have it. We should be concerned about public safety, not about it's our turf and it's never about details. When we sat down with the State Police, we said you can have all the details.

F

You can make all the money you want down there, you take the road like you have all across the city. Now, if you look at Marva, see Boulevard, the state has the road we do the sidewalks in the calls you look at Jamaica way. You look at Columbia Road. We work well together. Here we don't have any jurisdiction and it also applies.

F

So you know to Charlestown where mass sport has exclusive jurisdiction on residential property there and applies to Charles Town we're in this state do state troopers enter for the most part house, calls for law parties or bar fights. Even my support is police are going to buy fights down there now? What does maritime cops know about bar fights? You know, that's our specialty, so you know it's almost like it's. It's embarrassing.

F

You know when people like Tom Glenn in the people to be don't want to get up here and tell you face-to-face what the true reason is and they write letters instead, sort of behind your back. No, it's real frustrating for me and you know I, hope and I wish. They were here because there's no legitimate reason not to have us down that seaport and I.

F

Thank you for bringing it up, but it's a disservice to the residents of the Seaport not to have the Boston Police down there and I just again always ask whether it's on the Statehouse and funny. You give me one good reason, because I think President Obama said it everybody saying no one does better! Neighborhood policing in the Boston place thank.

A

You very much Commissioner, Evans, I, think we'll. Let everybody have an opening statement and then we can ask questions from there. So uh chief migrating.

C

I'll keep my remarks. Brief. I just want to kind of introduce Mike Radian is in the role but good morning, Jim McCarthy. So as Flaherty and Flynn Commissioner evidence, members of the Boston Police Department, my name's Tommy Butler and I- am the assistant director of government and community affairs at the Massachusetts Board Authority. We appreciate the opportunity to comment before the committee with me.

C

Today is my grady chief of the Massport police department and maritime security chief Grady was the longtime deputy under Joel lawless and was recently promoted with confidence when Joe retired I know Joe's, been on this panel of number of times and like to give Micah the opportunity to give some comments. Thank.

B

You Tommy good morning, Jim McCarthy, members of the council is Tommy Sarah Mike Grady, with the Port Authority director of maritime security. The massport Police I want to make clear at the outset my respect for the Commissioner and the men and the women of the Boston Police Department of the job they do day in and day out, the area's the Seaport District under the control, the authority effectively and professionally policed by the men and women at the mast, a police and the Massport police.

B

Instances of crime of being and had been historically responded to an Italian, thorough manner and the current policing protocols in the Seaport District. Currently, there's no question about who was in charge its Massport sesang native, the law enforcement agency, the math state police. There are clear lines of jurisdictional authority and responsibility which effectively established command and control on a sports properties. State police have multiple resources available and ready to be deployed at a moment's notice.

B

These include detectives, uod, k-9 teams, stop team gang unit, tactical response vehicles, personnel patrolling the district on foot bike, motorcycle mounted unit and vehicle and are directly assigned and dedicated 24/7 365 days a year, State Police amass port police work together to protect the public, prevent crime and train together. If a major instance in response, the number one priority of the authority is safety and security. For years, we've had affected communication cooperation, collaboration and sharing of information and intelligence with the Boston Police Department.

B

This starts with the weekly security meeting that meets every day of this the week, the same day that we going on 18 years at this meeting, a public and private stakeholders that include MSP the BPD, the hava masta members of the BRIC MSP Marine unit, FBI BPD, community service officers, the Coast Guard CBP, hotel security, members of the BCC security private corporation, the corporations in the district, the Marshal Service JTTF and EMS from Boston we've engaged the community through our port watch, see something say something program along with training programs.

B

Most recently, the seaport security initiative was held at the World Trade Center. This training was held to engage the community in response to active, shooter and hostile events. The BPD were engaged and present along with all law enforcement partners in the area. In the past, we've held multiple active shooter training sessions for hotel employees to train them on active shooter, an active shooter response.

B

We've worked together effectively on many large events to include multiple sail: Boston's Navy visits, LNG movements, concerts, Road races and festivals, officers from the State Police Boston Police and mass boat police collaborate together on North Shore gang task force. The mass port Police complement the State Police and act as a force, multiplier, visible crime deterrence providing additional first response capabilities. We also provide specialized security services under the maritime transportation security act at the cruise terminal, Container Terminal and East bosses Park systems.

B

B

A

You okay, I, just had to read into the record: I got a letter from moxie. um Oh he's got a bad back, so he apologizes for being unable to attend today's hearing a docket number zero. Seven. Two two he's writing to offer support from concurrent jurisdiction in the Seaport neighborhood of South Boston. He believes that the residence the city Boston people are residing in the Seaport deserve all the city services that the rest of the city has access to, including the service of the Boston Police Department.

A

That's mark co-moh, so cut a couple questions that I have right out of the gate and then we'll we'll you know hand it off to my colleagues as well, who represent the area directly as Eddie does I started out the hearing by saying you know what is the true issue with with concurrent jurisdiction? What is the actual issue so as as Commissioner Evans was talking about, he went on to talk a little bit about exactly what's going on in there.

A

So if, if Commissioner Evans, if you could take me through I, live in the Seaport I'm involved in a domestic dispute I'm on the 12th floor of a condo unit down, there walk me through I call 911 and what happens well.

F

What happens with a primary agency that receives the call- and you know if it's an emergency for the most part like a gun call, you know we'll we'll respond to a gun, call whether we have jurisdiction or not, but we'll notify mask Massport, as well as the State Police and we'll send it back out to Framingham, which again can end up in a little bit of a delay being said. But you know on serious calls.

F

We don't really care about the jurisdiction and safety is the factor, but then what happens at that point is we have to turn it over to the State Police, but in a domestic call. Obviously we have to refer that over to the State Police, and at that point you know they deal with it and I, don't believe they have domestic violence officers who were signed in advocates like we do that. Take that person to South Boston court the next day they walk them through, they make sure their children are safe. Whatnot.

F

We have specialized units which deal with all those, and we that's why we get a lot of accolades because we do a lot of follow up and so it we don't go to calls down there. We transfer Alamosa, but the other day. I was hearing a call and it was a person supposedly with a gun at Dell Frisco's and on the air.

F

We could hear the so that the communication about that's on the State Police well assists it and what we're gonna go anyway and then what you end up having you have three agencies responding and then it's who's gonna, take the arrest and we've had a lot of disturbances. I mean a lot of fights down there or who's going to take what.

F

But the sad thing is if there's a sexual assault which I'm fortunate we've had both on the boats and in some of these clubs and will be sometimes the first ones to run into it, and so the girl, poor girl, has to tell us our story, but then she's remised again, because at that point we have to turn it over to the State Police. So again, don't have a sexual assault unit.

F

They have detectives who then deal with it, and so we're very familiar with the local courts were very familiar with the resources that all these young, ladies, can get down there. But it's you know we specialized in these neighborhood issues and again I'll respect to the State Police. They specialize more dealing with like the terrorism stuff, the highways in the packs we're at the community, policing, neighborhood police know where in the state does any police agency have exclusive jurisdiction to a neighborhood fine. They can have it to the airport.

F

We we don't want it in the airport, but we want our city neighborhoods. We want South Boston, we want Charlestown, those people just have what everyone else gets, and it's so sad that the legislation knows- and everybody knows this is the most crazy set up, but nobody wants to fix it of I've said numerous times. People got a step up. This is about public safety, not about a turf war, not about the State Police Union. It's about those residents down here. It's embarrassing that we're fighting over this. It's embarrassing.

F

This set up this day and age. You know we shouldn't be fighting, we should be working together, they have the street like they do in every other setup, and we have. The house calls the bar that that's the way it is across the city. Why here any different counselors and that's what I continually ask and I wish Tom Glenn was here. I wish the colonel was here because, like the legislation when I go, I asked them, give me one good reason and all I hear is cricket's. They don't even send anyone to oppose us.

F

That's how much it's a done deal.

A

You mentioned the Child Advocacy Center and we're very familiar with them. God forbid. If a child gets hurt down there, because it is a new neighborhood, can you want to dive in a little bit about your relationship with the Child Advocacy Center, with TA Conley and in the process of something happening to a child down there.

F

Well, you know they're a great organization, they will work with children who have been abused, and you know we just did a fundraiser with them a couple weeks ago the stair climb at the pool and they look out for the children's well for you more than anyone- and you know we have officers assigned to them. The DEA has offices to sign, but those are the specialties that we bring. We have a Family Justice Center in Brighton. That's all all services for everyone, social services.

F

We get them, help get the mothers settled in a good place, get the children safe and so that we we bring the whole spectrum of policing to issues like child abuse, to sexual abuse, to human trafficking, and we have again 2,200 offices just focused on the city. They have 2,200 focused on 365 cities and towns. We can bring the resources without any charge. You know this is such a waste of duplication. We have three agencies down there, costing the taxpayers big big money when the Boston Police can do it for nothing.

F

A

Last question: for him there over the council Flynn would go to chief Grady chief. You talked about the meeting that you have weekly or bi-weekly and you went through. Who was there quickly? So there seems to be a little miscommunication here, because there was a in the opening statements. There was. It seemed like there was not a knock communication with reports and things like that, and then it came to you, and you said there is communication, so if you could just kind of go over that one more time, so every.

B

Wednesday and it began post-911, it's held every Wednesday it massport and that, even though the faces may have changed over the years that represent the different agencies is the Seaport has begun to grow and it's a sharing of information to get together on an informal basis. Every Wednesday at 10 o'clock and you're welcome to attend, but it's to share. What's going on in the district, what may be happening?

B

What event may be impacting it maybe to talk about large events that have to be planned, for it may be small minutiae of an issue or a problem to try to to hear from whether it's the BCC or it's a hotel issue or hot poon fest is going to be held this weekend, a city property that would then impact the district. But it's to get everyone together. You know not every week, does everyone show, but there's a robust attendance and it's federal law enforcement partners, its regulatory partners, its its city, ems, BPD?

B

Maybe a seven walk more burnt end with captain McCormick's group, so it's really just getting together meeting each other and sharing what may be going on week to week to week. So we've done that for 18 years. We continue to do it, but again I may be one of the only constants that have been there that long to do it, but I think it's a very effective program and it's not high level information but its ground work, and this that's the information sharing that we really okay. We Excel that okay.

A

Thank You chief I see Commissioner Evans Lena.

F

I think again: I'm not that I mean we have those, but those are more about special events. We don't get the crime stats, we don't get the amount of cars broken into. We don't get the be knees down there. We don't get that information. Sorry information! If there's any sexual offenders, is anyone checking on them like a sexual offender register, do every two weeks in Compton that we make sure that's going on so I agree. There's this meetings, but it's more about ships coming in in more overview of who's.

F

Having an expo down there that crime reporting down there doesn't happen so a section of South Boston and do our comms that we have no clue as far as pop one crime overall going on down there, because there's a math sport takes reports, they police take reports, but if there's a bar fight you know we're not getting that information, so I guys can go down and write up those clubs.

F

So all those clubs in that area throughout the city sergeants, are constantly inspecting them to make sure there's no overcrowding to make sure there is no over-serving yeah. You know make sure they're not serving you know, I license people go down there and check for that. But if there's an incident in those clubs, nobody reports that out to us for the most part and that's why, when this woman called fun this one building, she said that place has been nothing but a pain.

F

Well, we knew nothing about because no one writes reports and we don't write up the place. So there is cooperation on the Terrorism and on that, but on the minor neighborhood stuff, that's where we we sort of don't get the information we'd like to have so when, when we pour out to council, Flynn and Flowery on their district, we're not where we point out on partial information, because we don't really have a good snapshot of the pot. One crime, that's going down there. Okay,.

A

Thank you very much, commissioner, and before I hand it over to councilor Flynn I'd, like everybody to acknowledge that councilor, who is in attendance, Thank You.

D

Commissioner Evans I know the mass port or the State Police is not sharing much information police reports on incidents that are happening, but if you, if they shared those police reports, a lot of those types of incidents might have people that you know in other neighborhoods of Boston and that's what Boston Police would would have a better handle on it, because Boston obviously knows all of the neighbors Austin Police knows the neighborhoods across the city, but I think we're probably missing a lot of information, not getting those police reports and not having Boston Police being part of the part of the process, because a lot of the incidents that do happen at the South Boston waterfront could have an impact on other neighborhoods as well.

D

I was just wondering chief, why? Why was she ever needing the police reports? I? Do.

B

Know that anytime there's an incident that occurs in a licensed establishment. But there is an effort to get those reports directly from the State Police to the 2c6, so that if enforcement is gonna be necessary with a license that that that takes place that has taken place and I. Think that is the protocol in place with the State Police to forward those reports for for any violation, issues that may occur and.

D

I'm down the I'm down the South Boston waterfront almost every day, that's the area I specifically represent in residence. There, many new residents and they that's the number one issue they ask me: why isn't the Boston Police able to patrol this area joint jurisdiction? I really don't have a good answer for them, but it's something that needs to take place. It's important to the residents. It's a quality of life issue.

D

They deserve the same basic city services as any other resident, whether they live in Charlestown or Roxbury or High Park, and that's where, where I'm coming from I have great confidence in the state place in the Massport Police too, but I do know the the tremendous role Boston Police does play in a lot of violent crimes and they highly trained highly skilled, as the Commissioner mention on, and they do an excellent job on community policing.

D

Commissioner is there: is there any way that we can continue the dialogue with with whether it's this meeting or another meeting with with State Police in you know, come up with the plan or come up with some type of Memorandum of Understanding? If you know giving Boston Police some type of joint jurisdiction, if it doesn't work and they legislate a process? Well,.

F

Again, this was taken away from us legislatively in 1997. It has to be put back legislatively because to to have the power arrest. We need that in MoU. All that does is make us special offices for the State Police and you know in an MoU can be pulled at any time, and so you know we met and again I have the utmost respect for Dan back with the colonel, and you know they didn't want to give up. You know primary jurisdiction down there, so it really is hasn't gone anyway.

F

So, honestly, we had a decision from Martha Coakley years back on this very issue and she made it clear. The the best fix is a legislative change. Here you know an MoU is not going to work because that's just an agreement temporarily, basically where we become special offices for the State Police. You know again, this is about concurring. We are, they will have the street like they do throughout the city and we will police the houses, the businesses and whatnot again. Where else do you see this type of arrangement?

F

You know use these cities and towns we'll call in the State Police when they need them. We don't need them. We have 2,200 almost cops, who do a great job, there's 365 other towns that could use the services of the state police or the Massport. It's oversaturation down there. You know they should be on the beaches in the summer where we need them on the highways. You know we have this area covered. It doesn't take a whole lot more a resources. So I don't know that why the fight is so great about this.

F

They have so many other areas across the state to patrol it. Someone again I've said it's very juvenile. You can't have it it's eyes. You know this is a part of the city. How do we justify the Boston Fire in Boston EMS gone and people paying city taxes, yet they don't get the city resources which bring a whole spectrum of different services, whether it's our sexual assault unit bike unit, a gang unit. You know we specialize we're, not.

F

You know we're getting local cops, who know the city patrolling that neighborhood the state come from all over the state. Someone asks your directions. How do you get here? I, don't know I'm from the western part of the state. I, don't know how to get there. So you know it makes a lot of sense to have local cops, patrolling local streets right.

D

Gee chief cross I know you wanted to weigh in a little bit I'm gonna. Do I I see you at so many events and you do an excellent job of you know. Keeping the public informed of what's happening, a very transparent you're in the neighborhoods you're doing a lot of community policing, along with the superintendent I. Think that's! What's what's great about the Boston place. Is that open dialogue with with the community? Are you able to give a little background on that and how it relates to this issue as well? Yes,.

E

Sir, and thank you all the councillors for attending good morning, everyone, you know I, can't believe in these times the 21st century that were even having a discussion about segregation, not inclusion and exclusion.

E

That's totally ridiculous to me we're talking about the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, a place that began this entire nation, we're talking about a city that was under attack twice from terrorists, and we together defeated that so even in the 21st century study on policing. Again, as the Commissioner stated, President Obama said, if you want to learn about community policing preparedness, look to the Boston Police Department I cannot believe that again we're discussing segregation.

E

This is also about domestic preparedness, defending this city, defending this Commonwealth. There was no justification for saying this. We can train together. We can share information only when it comes to real-time, not you! You know. If there's a fire, the fire department can respond, EMS can respond, but not you is this. What we want to send out as a message to anyone? That's looking in you're fine, but not you! You know we work hard to end segregation and we need to even work harder to to make sure we're on a unified front.

E

Any study, any testimonies will show that the only people benefiting from segregation pretty much the bad guys, people who don't want to do the right thing, so they don't see us on a unified front. It's kind of like wow, Boston police can't go there. These guys aren't working together, they're at odds. That is not the message the Sun, especially in the 21st century. We should be pass against segregation, not inclusion and exclusion, and in closing I speak to a lot of our elected officials, both on the Statehouse level and here in the city of Boston.

E

There is no justification for not doing the right thing for your constituency. None at all. How can you even explain yourself when you don't even show up to talk about the safety of the city of Boston? This is about our constituency and the people we serve and I'm glad we're at the forefront and we're willing to speak and we're willing to discuss anything that has to do with the safety of our city and I.

E

Just think some folks are dropping the ball when it comes to protecting their constituency, those that a cold hard fast was what's in this non-inclusion of law-enforcement entities.

A

Thank you very much, I counsel, Flynn. Let the record show that we've been joined by City Council at large and he says Abby George, council clarity.

G

Thank You mr. chairman, and so based on that testimony then to the chief is there I guess can mask for T endure the State Police? Can you can you state? I guess one good reason why we should not have concurrent jurisdiction.

B

Right now, I would defer that counselor to the legislature on that issue into the ongoing discussions on on mou. So.

G

You can someone take me through a 9-1-1 call, so at the end of the day, it's it's Public. Safety is of paramount importance and I think that the person that would call 9-1-1 they would I would argue on their behalf that they probably wouldn't care. If it was a Boston cop, a state cop or a Massport cop. They just need help right from someone. You know it could be EMS or it could be the fire department. So if you can just take me through a 9-1-1 call so say I'm a resident and I'm living.

G

You know in one of the condos down on northern Avenue, say that I'm, a guest of the Renaissance Hotel say that I'm, a patron of del Frisco's, say I'm a motorist, just sort of driving down. You know: Seaport Boulevard and I call 911 one, either from a cell phone from the hotel room from my residence and or from the business. How does that? What happens? Well, one, your call 911 call is being recorded. What's the nature, you call.

F

Well, we get it, we find out the nature, obviously and who gets it for a spa, spa state we can. Then you know in because whether it's from a residential, a cell phone.

G

F

Say, let's use we always use the extreme, it's a lab pod. Let's say which we got a lot of parties down there. You know we take it and we just referred to framing him, which then Framingham will have to send it to probably the massport or State Police. To answer a house call which again is crazy to me that you have troopers in maritime cops in turn, house calls or answering bait bar fights. Now just listen to that it. It's the most ridiculous thing you've ever heard, but that's what happens on that.

F

But if there's really an emergency like someone want a gun or an after shooter I, don't care about the jurisdiction? I! Really don't we'll go in. You know, because our district stations not far away and we have patrols a botnet. We go to B Street and it's like a wall and then we pick it up on the other side, so we're down there. But you know an emergency I, don't care whose church we're gonna get there.

F

The only problem is, then: we have to turn the whole investigation over for them to conduct, and so it's so dysfunctional here- and you know what's sad to me- is you know everyone? You talk to gently individually, the elected Steve Lynch has come out for dual jurisdiction. I know, I've talked to Dean Connolly, he's troubled by the setup down there and the globe the Herald everybody says, fix it and why it's not being done.

F

It is beyond me to hear again I have all the respect for Massport they're here you're gonna have to refer to the legislature because we can't get a reason. Why is ridiculous because I've gone to the legislature and I've testified and I've asked them the same questions, and nobody can give me a reason. I think you know we all know, probably the reason you know, because no one has the courage to fix it because of you know whether it's Union or whatnot, but it's it just shows you sometimes how its politics sometimes can be dysfunctional.

F

This is about public safety. It's not about it's mine, it's yours! This is about doing the right thing here. So.

G

When you talk about sort of the crime stat piece of it, that's on the back end. So on the front end like in terms of the response times, are we tracking the response time so again, I I call nine-one-one? Is there a situation where we have sort of State Police mask or place in Boston at the front door, arguing as to who can come into the building and I'm I mean we're in the middle of a you know: there's a crisis on the 10th floor. How.

F

Is it working well, I think all three go and then you know, obviously we have to pull out at that point because they have again sole jurisdiction. So that's again the most ridiculous thing. I've ever heard we can go on the expressway because we have concurrent jurisdiction on. We can go on the beaches because we have concurrent jurisdiction and we can help, but some crazy reason Massport has in the legislature has supported we. These are like you know, wall barriers that we can't go into and you know nowhere else in the state.

F

Is this ludicrous set up? But you know and that's why we're so I mean I hate to be a pain all the time fighting this issue, but it's just so dysfunctional, it's so wrong, and it's all about politics. It's not about public safety and do.

G

We know who filed back in 1997, do we know who filed the legislation or which represent or inserted language.

F

I'm not really sure it was tied to the transportation bill, but again we always had it. It's not like massport has had this property for ever and now because it's built up, we want it. I remember you know our officers used to be patrolling Jimmy's homicide down there in that whole area that whole northern app was us, but someone snuck in a bill and took it away from us and we've been fight for 10 years to get it back. So it's not like all of a sudden. We want it.

F

It was us and now no one wants to fix it for us and those people are denied the best police agency on community policing that anybody can provide and.

G

There was my understanding that at some point- and it's predate you as the Commissioner predates the chief as the chief predates the city, current city and state administration, but it was the previous administrations. I was told that there was an MOU and parties were at the table and it was about to be signed and either a sentence or a word was either inserted or deleted. And then then former Commissioner Davis was ordered to to step back from the table and to not sign it. As can anyone shed any light on that mo you guys again.

F

Mo use, don't work, counselor, Martha Coakley was at given and given this whole dispute- and she says it needs a legislative fix now. If we enter an MoU, we would not have you know jurisdiction in the sense we can make arrests. We would basically come security guides, our specials for the State Police, and if we were involved in a shooting down here, the state police would investigate it. You know it's a ludicrous setup. We not be special police yeah. Well, we're a excellent police department with has been recognized nationally.

F

We should be working concurrently down there, not working for somebody. You know I think we do a great job. You know crime continually going down in the city to the great work of the men and woman in this department and again we have 2200 officers. Just in our city. They have 2200 in the state covering 365 communities, I think there's better places than being down the Seaport follow my think. The state could use them on the beaches and on the highways all across this state and then.

G

Chief to massport, police and State Police: do you guys track the crime in terms of the part one crime? Do you keep a running list of that and, if so, can through the check and you submit to this committee, you know say the last. You know say two: three years of crimes that have occurred down there, where either the Massport, police and or the state police have investigated or responded to the call or reported to the call in to us sent them up to I would assume.

G

Does that all that stuff goes up to cell Boston district quarters, it kind of was that was the court jurisdiction itself Boston's a large district.

B

So the pot one crimes will be investigated by the State Police Detective units. I, don't have the data for the pot one crimes but I believe to be extremely minimal if any at all,.

B

G

Like to obviously see what, if any data is collected by mass sport, police or State Police on calls crimes, 9-1-1 domestics, whatever you have down there, just to just get a sense as to what we get down there and then the commissioner is saying through mo use. Not it's not gonna, be the the resolve. Here. It's gonna have to happen through state legislation. So I guess so there are there parts of the city. Where is there any trade-off here where we can get concurrent jurisdiction down around the South Boston waterfront through State Police in Massport?

G

Are there any other parts of the city where they they wish to have some concurrent jurisdiction where they currently don't? That would be willing to know.

F

They have jurisdiction throughout the state, so well, there's no place on us that they can't go. You know and and that's my argument. They have the whole state in city to cover and that's what troubles me. You just heard that there's nothing going on down there. If there's nothing going down there, then why do we need them down there? We can pick it up with a couple additional offices and that's the ludicrous argument here.

F

What's the big deal, if there's nothing going on down there, and even with the concurrent here we told them, they can have every detail, they want down there, it's not about the money. This is about protecting the residents with city police down here, but you've heard there's nothing going on down there. So why the fight you know we have police resources that have to stop at B Street and then they have to. They pick it up down by the pavilion and it goes all the way out to Samus tree and even Pappas way. Council.

F

We that's their way way going up through South Boston. So if there's no crime- and you have all these resources down there- it seems like it's a waste of resources, we'll pick it up. It's only a couple more blocks for us to patrol it.

G

So what happens on the Massport property down off of like East Street and down in Cypress Street, and they do have you have just? We don't have jurisdiction? No, this.

F

Law says everywhere: massport they have exclusive jurisdiction and.

G

Then, as it pertains to the MBTA, obviously the Silver Line, that's a main artery that runs down that did they have concurrent jurisdiction down the waterfront.

F

Mbta the same in similar all throughout the state, but you know I think the MBTA realizes we were. You know that it's better to work together. Then, okay, you know odds, but we have the same issue in East Boston. As you know, in Charlestown, because they're building and building on mass property out there so little by little we're losing jurisdiction out there even yeah. You know we walk our dog down around you know: god bless the late, Tommy Papa, you know the path down there. That's that's exclusively Massport property.

F

So if anything was even going to happen in that Park we don't have any jurisdiction yeah. So it's troubling that a lot more. The city is being developed by Massport and we don't have police jurisdiction in any of those areas, that's being developed and that's why I was hoping the chairman Tom Glen would be here rather than like right. Lettuce. Come here and tell us like everybody, give us one good reason: I, don't think. We've had a good reason today.

F

G

A

Linguist you thank you very much. Councillor Flaherty councillor wool, good.

H

Morning, everyone I'm here mostly just to support my colleagues I, want to thank you all for keeping this on the front burner. I know that you know we had passed. We voted on the council once to support this and and when that didn't work, I'm really glad that we're asking questions in real time today. You know I think the current situation is absolutely absurd. It's a threat to the health and safety of our residents.

H

It deprives the city of Boston of our authority within municipal jurisdiction within the boundaries of our city, and it deprives the residents of the area of the the benefit of a well-trained police force that is known across the country for community engagement, community policing, that's something that helps build and support a neighborhood, and those residents deserve that so I mean I, wouldn't wish this situation on any neighborhood in Boston, but in particular I mean this is potentially the the most quickly the fastest growing part of the city right now, population expected to double in the next 10 to 15 years.

H

So we're really not just talking about bars and clubs and visitors and tourists, all of which are important to make sure, are supported with Public Safety, but a real neighborhood that is growing and one of the largest.

H

It will be one of the largest subheads in the city, the South Boston waterfront, so I just I, don't even know what to say the situation is it's dragged on and on and I've you know it's been going since even before I was here, I guess I'm interested commissioner I've had the benefit of sitting in on some of your comps at sessions, and you know how closely you all track what's happening all across the city, so I heard I was just coming in late, I apologized and heard a little bit about what data you don't get.

H

So how does CompStat work when, with the this part of the city? Do you just include part of it? You have anything well.

F

Again yesterday we had CompStat where a Chester in South Boston was up and we looked at South Boston's crime rate in you know, and we don't get in formation from the seaport. So when we look at the overall picture of whether crime is up in and down even for UCI reporting issues across nationally, that data doesn't make it into a clump that. So, if there's a ration card breaks within that area, we really don't know about it.

F

If there's a rash of sexual assaults that we don't get the call to, we really don't know about it. If this, like I, said before a lot of problems around the bars, you know we don't really know about it. So, when we're actually reporting out on that district, there's a section that whole section, we don't get those crime stats at all yeah. We share information on threats on what crucial lines are coming in what the harpoon festival we know about that, but the nuts and bolts of what's going on down it.

F

We don't hear a whole lot, I'm glad to hear that you know it doesn't seem to be a whole lot which I figured they wouldn't be because you know it's it's a more happy neighborhood down there. But you know we don't answer your question. That's like a black hole for us. We don't know what part one crime is going down there, because there's no reporting mechanism for us another.

H

Question is, and the other thing that I see is the the looming threat for that area. In addition to the fast population, growth is how vulnerable it is to climate change and the storms and flooding. You know: East Boston, the waterfront and all you know all the way down toward Chester in particular, but we've already seen it in just a couple months ago that the streets get flooded. It's hard for ambulances to get through and in those situations I mean is the is.

H

What is the plan right now from the State Police and massport Police when it comes to emergency management and training for everything that happens in that situation?.

B

I'll, go back to the largest home in January I think it actually works. Seamless was with Captain Boyles team from from South Boston in terms of blocking off years, it became flooded with the high tide. The mass port has, as a department is looking at this long-term, so they're engaged in that and I'm sure that they've engaged the city for a longer-term plan. Flood resiliency, but I can't speak totally to to the climate change issue other than the incidence where there has been flooding with high tides and rows have had to be secured.

B

It essentially ran the gamut all the way up through almost to the locally bridge, but it was engaging with BPD in the state and to shut those roads down until the water receded that I thought it worked well, we'll.

H

Be lucky in the future if the only thing we have to do is block off some roads, I mean I, worry about health, emergent medical emergencies happening during that time and folks needing to get through or more and more residents needing other services or help, or you know, issues with stray voltage that we're going to have a hearing on later Commissioner. Do you have any thoughts about how the Boston Police would approach that that type of situation, emergency management, in that with the relationship with the city's emergency planning? Well,.

F

I know we're working very closely with Renee fielding on on that whole idea of the flooding down the I know the mayor takes it very serious and you know the flooding down there. Thank God. It wasn't any more serious but I think as far as the emergency management stuff goes, we cooperate very well, but one of the issues down there also is the whole idea of you know the transportation plan.

F

The comprehensive it just doesn't make sense to have three different agencies trying to get traffic out of there every night and also we don't communicate there on a whole different Channel. So, if you're on B Street on this side of the intersection, we don't know what's going on across the street because we're all on separate channels here.

F

So there is no clear communication, there's no clear unison of effort when we have an incident like that, because we're all on different channels for the most part down there and I know they experienced experienced major traffic issues down there. Every night which I know the mayor is working on, but it doesn't make sense to have three different agencies on three different channels: trying to facilitate emergency services as well as transportation services down there. So that's another big issue.

H

Thank you very much mr. chair. Thank you all Thank.

A

You council, before I turn it over to Council sorry George. Let the record show that we've been joined by city, councilor, Kim, Janey, counselor, sorry, George,.

I

Thank You chair and thank you to the sponsors of this order. I think that it if I, could use your words Commissioner Evans. This whole conversation is or the situation I suppose, is very juvenile and I wonder on the data and getting the information about the part. One crimes in particular, but all of the data from down there is there an opportunity for us either as a council to subpoena that data I'm wondering if maybe through the chair, if there's any knowledge of a way that we could access that data as a body.

I

Councilor McCarthy I, don't know if there is a way or council priority.

A

Through his historical.

I

Knowledge may no I.

A

Think the way to get some of that knowledge is to ultimately at the end, when we adjourn we'll adjourn this hearing with the with the knowledge that we're gonna have another hearing.

J

A

Quick-Like to make sure that the people who are invited to come, the colonel and Tom Glen and Dan Bennett are here to answer that question directly. Yeah.

I

It's also embarrassing to know that the State Police are not present for this meeting and it certainly demonstrates I think what chief Grasse is saying about this lack of a unified front. So I don't may think that our respect, you know my questions would probably be best answered by the State Police regarding types of crimes, the the rate of crime, but then also data on any of the response times. Would we have that you know the the average response time to a to a 911 call I'm.

F

Not sure we don't get that ya.

I

Know so it's it's frustrating and I think you're responsible for the state please to not be present today. That's all I have for questions. Thank you. Thank you all for being here. Thank.

A

You counselor councillor genies step back out.

D

Maybe maybe to the chief Nantz port chief under the state police is obviously not here, but we have an idea of how many state troopers are currently patrolling the South Boston waterfront at any. Given time.

B

Number fluctuates I know it's an adequate number. I know, there's always at least two troopers a sign apart from other personnel, but you'd have to get that question correct.

D

But they they would always two troopers are always physically present at the south wall in front I know from going to different community meetings. Does that one it into a square recently?

D

But there was the Boston Police was there, but they someone was mentioning from the South Boston barracks I, believe Braintree, there's only two or three troopers that are working at one. It had one time and there's one in the barrack. So that's a big area, but but not only that they still have troopers at the South Boston waterfront permanently separate.

B

Troops that would be H troop versus heaven that you know South Boston to Braintree Patrol versus F, Troop I'm.

K

B

Seaport I believe that would be its a response to that. So two different troops. Okay, so I, don't know what age group has from Southie to Braintree and.

D

If it's only like two or three troopers at one at one time and there's one in the barracks, not enough, obviously,.

D

And then my my other question I know councillor sabe George asked about it and I the state rule State Police are not here, but as the district City Council. That would be important for me to know what the what the crime stats say in the South Boston waterfront. We go to community meetings there every time every night talking to residents and not knowing about what's happening in the South Boston waterfront is not is not helpful to us.

D

So I just think they're doing a poor job of communicating not only with the elected officials but, more importantly, with the with the neighbors in that area they deserve. They deserve to be treated with respect. They live there, they pay their fair share of taxes and they want the same level of basic city services. And that's- and you know that's what they want is they want the Boston Police patrolling the cellphone, some waterfront and I'm, looking forward to talking more to the State Police when they do arrive.

A

G

You cops, aflame cops flirty, yes, thank you chief can. How is the how up patrols divided between the Massport Police Department in the State Police is really good. We're.

B

Interoperable on the same radio channels we meet daily and depending on what may be going on focus on today, for example, there's graduations down there it's graduation season, so it's very busy is also a cruise ship in so the year is very busy, but we interact frequently and share information and work that, through into.

G

Is there a I guess, there's a daily manpower so, for example, every day Monday through Friday into a seven days a week, this X amount of mesh port police office is assigned to the area, there's X amount of State Police and then in an instance like today, you get a graduation, probably down I'm swimming down at the pavilion there's a graduation ceremony down there plus the cruise ships are then based on the manpower you you beefed it up. If you.

B

Up on special events, I.

G

Think could we get a list of I guess daily staffing? If you will so it's 24/7, you had referenced earlier. So if we can get an idea through the committee as to how many mass support police officers are down there on a given day or a shift in how many State Police are down there in a given shift that that would be important to to see what we have from me and power down there through the chair for your mind, yeah and and then also the number of new residents down there.

G

Council of woo had referenced that who do we have an exact number of because I obviously 97. It really wasn't a lot Commission, but now there's a significant amount. Do we have a number of do? We do? We know the actual number of residences that are down in the South Boston waterfront portion that BPD does not have concurrent jurisdiction on there's.

B

Currently, two residential developments, Wireless I place and the Park Lane apartments I do not have the current occupancy for total folks living in those apartment, not including the hotels.

G

And they're beaten this more coming down sort of where you enter where rate flow marine industrial park is on. It's a possible cue. Tell me what pass okay I'm sorry! So that's another that'll, be another residential department coming out. Hotel resident L resident actually got you and yeah, so we get a number of the both residential as well as hotel guests on any given day. That's down on that! How did the cell awesome waterfront that we don't currently have a concurrent jurisdiction and then Commissioner?

G

Do we still continue to attract on the premise license violations if there's a fight at one of the establishments or if someone hit someone with the bottle, or this you had reference that there was a call.

F

The only issue is it's: it's at the well of them reporting it to us, and you know, and again I use the example. This one woman call me telling me this place is out of control and when I call the licensing board, there's not one violation against them, so you know they might turn some over. But for the most part you know we have licensing units that do that across the city, but.

G

So your stay there, so your licensing units- you have a licensing unit, so they are, they still able to go down and.

F

They go in and check the license and in the place, but if they would have to make an arrest, they don't have any jurisdiction to make arrest. Now, that's the craziest thing like we can look at the license and we can write several violations, but we can't take any criminal behavior.

F

So, let's for the most part, if, if there's a use, the example of overcrowding which can be a criminal offense, I'm, not sure right now that we can even write them up, because we have no jurisdiction on that particular incident, we can write them up civilly, but if we were to see a crime in there, when we were there unit licensing, you buy this sole jurisdiction. We wouldn't be able to lock up, even though we were there. So it just shows you how dysfunctional it is.

F

Talia- and you know it's our city licenses, but we have no jurisdiction to do anything criminally intial.

G

Cheer woman pill genie who does a great job on behalf of the city, so she depends on the reports when she's issuing a I guess a licensed premise violate into a to sanction to take some type of action, rolling back of the hours or right. But she depends on that report. So so obviously she's.

F

Not getting through testimony.

G

She's not getting report.

F

When I called on this place, because the woman says she calls on this particular place and I call Christie and she didn't have any violations for the place and that's the type of stuff we do and even yesterday, I was on Joe Boyle about with all the establishments in South Boston, with the warm weather coming, we got to make sure these windows are closed on time. We got to watch him because I'm sure council, a planning, your priority, I hear it from my neighbors and so I. Don't want that area.

F

You know to get out of control, and so we watch our buyers very closely. Unfortunately, this is a no-man's land for us. We don't know what's happening in the bars. We don't know what's happening in the crime, because we got to rely on them to refer to us.

G

Okay and then shifting back over the chief, so in the instance of either and then one call or there's a bar fight, so you guys respond either the Massport police respond or the state police respond, and then they the break up the fight, but are they they are? They are they making reports? Are they turning those reports over to someone? The city's licensing board is not getting those reports, but so what are those do they make reports and where do they go.

B

Response, obviously the Commission is correct: I mean bosses coming bosses coming on nine one. One would never tell them not to come, but then you know particularly incidents of a bar fight if it wasn't 9 1 1 to a bar fight and report needed to be generated. That would be where the State Police Seaport, sergeant who's assigned, would deal directly with the district and forward that report and.

G

B

G

Would header that report would have to be have to be I guess forwarded to the city's licensing division so that the cheer woman on the licensing board can at least review the report and take necessary action? If, if necessary, I don't.

B

Want to speak directly with what the SP would do with it, but my experience and knowledge of it is that they deal directly with the district on it and then when they would, if the report were generated and then whatever the district would do it I would imagine, be dealt with through licensing. Okay.

G

And the same applies if there was an incident that happened down on one of the cruise ships or somewhere down around the waterfront same thing. 9-1-1 calls you guys show a report would be may've taken turned over somewhere, but the city's licensing board has to start to ask if the city's licensing board is not getting those reports.

G

While we try to figure out this concurrent jurisdiction in the meantime, so that something doesn't fall through the cracks I guess through you, chief to your your you know your offices, those reports have to come to the city's licensing board, so we can take appropriate action. Appreciating.

B

That I think over the years the protocol has become to deal with the district, so the district is aware of it and then we've left it to them to notify the licensing board. I, don't think there has been an occurrence with SPS notified the licensing board directly. I, don't want to say for certainty, but I believe that to be when.

G

You reference district you're, not that you're not saying like the c6 did the Boston police c6 district you're referencing, like the substance district, so this will take me through again. So there's a 9-1-1 call tell Frisco's someone smashed a bottle over someone else's head. You guys show up. A report is generated right. Basically, one way it works now. Cheer woman pull Gina doesn't even know about this incident right because she doesn't have anything in writing. You guys do the investigation make out a report and then you reach out to c6 and say hey.

G

There was a incident, the other night, where a guy smashed a bottle over another guy's head that we were yes and here's the report or just want to give you the heads up on it and then you leave it up to c6 to then get message to the licensing. Would yes.

B

At that point as well, I would imagine I, don't know if it's certain whether Boston would also generate their own report based on their 9-1-1 response. All.

G

Right so we're gonna kind of that has to be tightened up a little bit and I. Think in the interim and.

F

Normally, it's we'd have to write a violation, and so, if we have a fight, let's say at Lincoln and by the way, the the office of their calls to sergeant town, he talks to the management in here. Wish you a license violation right.

G

F

G

That happens on the spot. So what an incident like that right, you know it can be pretty serious right.

F

In the reporting, sometimes you know they don't the way the reporting is I think stay. Is they have a couple days to fill out their reports and I think sometimes they fall to the crates. They fall through the cracks where you know, I need to be poets every morning and I make sure if there's a fight at a licensed premise, that is a violation written because that's the only way we can really make sure these places are safe and that the responsive to the neighborhood, because no one should have to live with a place.

F

That's out of control and this one woman shouldn't be calling me saying you know, nobody's doing anything about this place when I have no clue about anything going on down there.

G

Right and so I would say in the interim, while we try to resolve the concurrent jurisdiction over to the chief I think, we would need to tighten that up too. Some of us are born and said in the event of a licensed premise: violation. There's got to be sort of a mechanism by which we have the ability to cite on the spot very much like Commissioner just described.

G

That's that's paramount to public safety and and also gives the city, particularly the chairman of the licensing board, the ability to do her job, which is to potentially, if we have to curtail hours of operation or, if there's suspension, for whatever reason whether it's over crowding over serving serving mine is premise like premise: violation premise, violations that may result in it could be fights could be anything we need to have that kind of updated information as soon as possible.

G

So if there's a way on your end through your your department, we can sort of tighten that mechanism up. That would be great.

B

Ultimately, that would work through a state police investigation, so it would come from the State Police. Okay, thank.

A

You, mr. Tremont, thank you for the record. We've been joined by city, councilor, Lydia, Edwards Commissioner, a couple questions: we've talked about sexual assault, domestic assault robbery as a neighborhood gets going, and you know that neighborhood is a, as you said, upper end or whatever. What about drugs? Drug unit, who's gonna, take care of that stuff, because I know that you deal with them a lot more than I.

A

Do obviously that's your end of the stick, but having said that, if I know that Boston detectives not gonna, follow me in there, if I know the drug units not gonna, follow me in there. What would stop me from going in there? No wouldn't I again.

F

You know we got a very good drug unit and you know again we don't if it's in that area. The rest would be questionable because of the way the statue is, but hopefully we would take them out before they got into that sort of no-man's land. But you know I, don't know if we've had an issue like that, but III think the issue is very much like the license promise. You know mass poet might go to the call, but then they turn over the state place. Then they turn it over.

F

It just seems a real duplication of effort. Here you know the mass sport has a fight. They have to turn it over state police, state police have to turn and that's what goes on with a lot of these incidents.

F

It's it shouldn't, be three agencies dealing with one one particular issue down there, and so the drug unit issue again, you know technically by statue, there's no right of a rest from B Street, all the way over to the Pahlavi Fleet for variant all the way to some Street in in in East Boston on those properties on Charlestown, and so that's the that's the issue here. It's you know again: State Police, a great group of men and women mass porn, ah this isn't being personal at all. This is just about you know.

F

The whole issue which again is is is crazy. Here we should be working together, not at odds yeah, but why they want to hold on to this piece when they have so much area to patrol around the state is beyond me. We should be working together, not in this day and age of terrorism. Last thing we need is not to be on the same channel not to be working at odds on whether it's here or anywhere in the state I was.

E

A member of the drug control unit for five years, I guarantee you that drug dealers know where they can go and where they can't go and where we're at and where we're not. So, as I have forced stated, the folks that benefit from a non unified front are usually bad people. Thank.

A

You I'm confident they're not watching today, pretty sure about that. So chief, my last question to you- and you know: we've gone round and around and around and around and and I asked this question in all sincerity, not to be a wise guy or smart aleck, as my dad would say, but I still haven't gotten the answer of of. Why like why, personally, why, as a chief, why doesn't concurrent jurisdiction make sense to Massport to Tom Glenn, to Dan Bennett, to colonel Gilpin, to whoever? Why doesn't it make sense? Well,.

B

Police diría, it's a very safe area. We have a good partnership with BPD and I know. You do want to him.

J

B

I know you don't in him I reply, but again I would defer to the legislation on this issue. Okay, okay,.

A

Thank You councillor Edwards and.

L

Just a couple of questions and to note I appreciate your services of both departments in East Boston, that I represent East Boston Charlestown on the north end and I just wanted to say, especially for the the guys who represent a seven. What I've seen continually is that the community has grown in trust and respect and they're excited to see those police officers. So when I see this disconnect or this lack of concurrent jurisdiction, it's a real concern.

L

So I would love to see if Massport is so interested in keeping this jurisdiction that they start coming to the community meetings and doing the work that a lot of BPD offices are doing to to forge those relationships. If that's so important for them to have single jurisdiction, then I'd like to see them do the work, because what I've seen is with a lot of the immigrant populations, a lot of the people in my jurisdiction, they go to BPD, they go to a seven. We see them at the soup kitchens.

L

We see them put the work in so that they earn that trust so that we can come to them. So if Massport is so dedicated to having that single jurisdiction, that I think it's time that they step up and start to do that work as well and take on the concurrent jurisdiction of community service can concurrent jurisdiction of community policing or you could just allow BPD to continue that service on to mass port jurisdiction. So that's one.

L

No, the other couple things I actually have some logistical questions about parts of my district, specifically the Greenway near marginal street. What is the jurisdiction there? I really actually would like to know after out of Pierce Park and going in to the Greenway who who covers that.

B

Between Bremen Park and in piers parked at the Greenway strip, 87.

L

Okay and but massport, but.

F

The packs are, as you know, no.

L

No I know the distance in the parks, but in terms of the criminal jurisdiction and the crime. Okay and then part of the other parts that I wanted to discuss was with in Charlestown on the mass Portland. That is a great deal of what is the jurisdiction between a 1 and and the mass port police. Well,.

F

Again anywhere that it's mass sport property, they have sole jurisdiction down there. So we don't we're not. We don't have any powers on Massport property, whether it's in Charlestown art, East Boston, and so you know it's not concurrent and that's why we were hoping. You know again not to touch the airport, because we know the you know. The troopers is in Massport do a super job, but in our city, neighborhoods such as Yas and in Charlestown, East Boston, all Massport property right now is exclusive jurisdiction of the math point. So.

L

And I know that you guys already touched on this and I apologize for being late, but just when something then happens on the Greenway or when something happens in that gray area. Who calls who first or do what's the communication again well,.

F

You see 911, we get the call initially and it based on the nature. It's emergency obviously we'll always respond and then we'll have to turn it over to the state. But if it's a minor incident, we'll send it to Framingham and then Framingham will forward it to the appropriate mass port or state police officer. So.

L

I guess the issue with something B minor, as it can start off that way, right.

K

L

And then, by the time it gets back from Framingham and over it's something that we needed to do there by.

H

4:00, okay,.

L

Well, thank you so much for being here and I support the efforts to for concurrent jurisdiction and your and I wanted to thank the makers of this for your leadership.

A

Counsel, Flynn.

B

D

My final statement as I as I highlighted earlier, this proposal would not take away the authority of the State Police. It seeks only to give the Boston place the same police jurisdiction as a State Police in the city of Boston. My neighborhood, the South Boston waterfront, has dramatically changed in the decades since the current arrangement on the waterfront was approved.

D

There are more businesses residents than ever before in the area and the residents of the South Boston waterfront are entitled to the same basic city services, including police services, Boston Police Services as it as any neighborhood does across the city. I have great confidence, great respect and admiration for the Boston. Police have worked with them for 10 years as a probation officer at Suffolk, Superior Court I've seen the work they've done in the community and I think it's about time that Boston Police says joint jurisdiction in the South Boston waterfront Thank You.

G

Councillor Flaherty Thank You mr. chairman, for convening the hearing. We love our Massport police, we love our State Police. We love our Boston Police. We love our MBTA police. We got to figure this out council who had used the word absurd.

G

It's beyond the point of laughable, there's a sort of a new and emerging residential community down there, that's in conjunction with Seaport related activities, the cruise ship terminal, freight forwarding, cold storage, seafood processing, all those businesses that are technically in the trucking companies that are also on Massport property, but it's 2018 chief, probably said it best in terms of the collaborative efforts that have resulted in great gains for our city.

G

If we can just get in the room and try to figure this out into a work with the state legislature to to resolve it, I'm on board with that. So again, this is in casting aspersions. Everyone does a great job in respect to their own Lane and I also know we do a great job when we're all working together.

G

This is one of those examples of where we just got to try to figure this out and pull it together and allow for concurrent jurisdiction so that when the 9-1-1 call comes in an immediate and appropriate response, immediately, proprietary proprietary.

G

You, nuts or specialized forces that have to be deployed and have it not be about you know: I, guess the money and the details, and so if they, if the statement is that it's no interest in the money in the details continue to allow those that are down there, that are providing that function great and if it's just about a collaborative effort and allowing the Boston Police to be able to respond to those calls, and also for the information to come back to the appropriate Licensing, Authority I.

G

Think in those specific instances, I'd support that 100%. So through the chair, I, look forward to having a follow up if necessary and and get other authorities in here as well. Yeah.

A

Thank you very much, counsel, clarity. Now it's time for public testimony. I know nobody signed up, but somebody may have remorse if they don't say anything. So anybody want to say anything all right. All right. We have a taker.

A

If you could just state your name and affiliation for the record, hi.

K

My name is tamas Pratt I'm, a resident of South Boston I've lived in Charlestown, also I am a Boston police officer and what the council was saying in with the commissioner and chief everyone's saying this is absurd. I find, if I'm, if I'm coming home from work some night and I'm driving by a park or a playground in your neighborhood, your neighborhood and something happens on Mass bought property. I can't activate myself that being a police officer in the city of Boston I have no powers whatsoever. The most thing you do is call 9-1-1 I.

K

Think that absurd I think there is a middle ground here. The middle ground is concurrent jurisdiction. That's all I'm gonna say thank.

A

You very much mr. Pratt, so as we wrap up you know, my final statement is really simple: we all work for the people of Commonwealth we're just a city of Boston like we do with a Commonwealth of Massachusetts like you do I'm, not a cop I, don't pretend to be, but I do have a job to spawns and respect to the City of Austin and the people who live here. Even though this is not my district I find it.

A

We've used the word absurd too many times probably, but when fire is responding in EMS is responding. I used to work for Public Works, we plow the streets, we fixed the potholes, even the BPD. A way up on the ninth floor has a uses their authority to development down there and, as chief grass put it so eloquently, everybody can play in the sandbox except you and I think it is absurd. The last thing I would say is that Senator Nick Collins former rep now senator Nick Collins, who was sworn in last week.

A

He has a budget amendment before the Senate next week that would address this I'm gonna. Try to make my way up at the Statehouse I hope everybody else does as well to support Nick in this. We're gonna adjourn this hearing, but I'm a journey.

A

This hearing with all intentions to have a follow-up hearing and I apologize for duplicating your services, but I'm gonna ask you to come again: I, don't want to play the hot guy here and do the subpoena thing and all that other stuff I just want the common respect in a courtesy as an elected body as an elected official and as citizens of the City of Boston to have the kernel and massport and secretary of Massachusetts Office of Public Safety show us respect that I think we are just like you guys, earn the respect.

A

I think that everybody in this body we work awfully hard and as council Edwards, that said, you know we're at the soup kitchens. You know we're at the community meetings we're at the community breakfast we're at the fundraisers, we're at the flag-raising later on I'd love to have you at the Haitian flag, raising in about five minutes. There's a lot of good things going on in the city of Boston and what I mean by saying. That is that it is the city of Awesome and, as mr. Pratt stated, police officer, Pratt stated.

A

You know to not be able to activate yourself to not be able to do your sworn duty because of nonsense. Legislation is absurd, so again to repeat myself time we will have another hearing. Will we will be reaching out to the the authorities that were requested to be at the hearing the first time? And hopefully we get it right.

A

The second time so, at this point in time, docket number 0, 7, 2 2, sponsored by Council, McCarthy and council, offend Flynn in order for hearing regarding concurrent jurisdiction of Massachusetts, Port Authority control properties located within the city of Boston is now adjourned.

J