Thursday, 4:30 PM
Patrick unveils anticrime initiatives with new funding for Boston
By Globe Staff
Governor Deval Patrick unveiled a range of anticrime initiatives this afternoon that included $550,000 to hire new police officers in Boston and $350,000 in additional funding for summer jobs for teenagers as the city has seen a recent spike in homicides.
"Violent crime is not just a Boston problem and it is not a new problem," Patrick said. "It is a constant threat to the security and safety of all our families in communities across Massachusetts and requires a coordinated and comprehensive approach in order to provide and ensure stability for our streets."
At a press conference in Dorchester, Patrick stood with Mayor Thomas M. Menino and other officials as he said he was delivering on his promise to help curb crime in the city this summer. The money is for the current fiscal year and is separate from Patrick's proposed budget.
"The governor is stepping up to the plate to help us," Menino said.
Patrick also outlined anticrime legislation that would limit gun purchases to one per person per month and allow people with gun offenses waiting for trial to be held without bail after a hearing. With an executive order, Patrick said he also planned to create an anticrime council that draws from a variety of agencies and disciplines.
To fund the new police officers in Boston, Patrick said he will use $350,000 from the state's share of the settlement with Turner Broadcasting System for a guerrilla marketing campaign that set off a wave of bomb scares across the Boston area in January. The remaining $200,000 will come from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, according to aides for the governor.
The additional $350,000 for summer jobs is money that was set aside for the grant program during the Romney administration that was never used, aides said. The money will increase the state grant total in Boston to $2.25 million.
Throughout the state, the administration will also distribute $250,000 in matching grants to support programs for violence intervention advocates in emergency rooms.
