Mayoral hopefuls say how they would keep city safe

The context: With a fiscal 2010 budget of $278.2 million and 2,983 employees, the Boston Police Department is the city's second-largest department. Neighborhood policing is its stated mission. District police officers work with residents, community and faith-based leaders, and other local and federal law enforcement agencies to address crime and the fear of crime in Boston.

A comparison of statistics from 2004-2008 indicates an overall decline in most categories of crimeity. Violent crime was down 4 percent and property crime down 19 percent. Homicides increased by one case, or 2 percent over four years, but decreased by 15 percent in the past three. Rape decreased by 21 percent, aggravated assault by 5 percent, burglary by 24 percent and vehicle theft by 57 percent.

Conversely, drug arrests increased by 46 percent. Preliminary 2009 data through mid-August indicates a continued overall downward trend, except for rape and vehicle thefts, which have increased. The foundation for police officer deployment in the 11 districts is the beat plan, by which officers in cruisers are responsible for identifying and working to address problem areas while simultaneously providing rapid response to 911 calls. The plan is augmented by special service units such as the detective, homicide, drug control, and gang units.

In addition, neighborhood business districts are covered by walking beats. In high-crime areas, officers in Safe Street Teams are assigned to walking beats in an effort to provide visibility and engage with the community. Neighborhood policing is labor intensive. As of August 2009, the number of sworn officers in BPD totaled 2,191. This represents an increase of 199 officers since January 2004. However, the total has declined slightly this year and is expected to continue to decline through attrition as the BPD budget does not provide for a fall
class at the Academy. Further, officers who are pension eligible and receive Quinn Bill benefits may decide to retire before the reductions in Quinn Bill payments kick in next year.

The BPD is facing tight fiscal times. Its budget increased by just over 1 percent last year and decreased by 2.4 percent this year, due primarily to the reduction in state Quinn Bill payments. Officer layoffs were avoided only with the help of federal stimulus funds. The staffing requirements for neighborhood policing have been achieved, in part, by greater use of overtime, which has contributed to total police overtime spending being more than double what was budgeted in recent years.

The question: Is Boston safer than it was four years ago? How will you maintain neighborhood policing in Boston in a tight fiscal environment?

The answers: (alphabetically by candidate):

Flaherty: While statistics currently show less crime than in previous years like 2005, they do not tell the whole picture. Lowered statistics don’t change the fact that during the last 16 years, more than 1,000 families have lost a loved one to violence. Lowered statistics are not making residents feel any safer.

That’s what I have continued to hear during my Kitchen Table Conversations tour where mothers have shared their concerns about the lack of police presence in their neighborhoods and lack of support services for families looking for intervention before its too late. Neighborhood policing, as currently employed, is insufficient and lacks foresight and strategic planning.

As mayor, I will strengthen partnerships between the BPD and residents by decentralizing the BPD and empowering individual districts to collaborate with residents to develop neighborhood plans that meet the specific needs of their neighborhood. We must rededicate ourselves to community policing and capitalize on the latest e-policing technologies to better inform residents of criminal activity and also improve communication between our city departments through better data-sharing programs such as CitiStat. Through a more efficient use of our police resources, we can accomplish more without relying on additional federal monies or dangerous layoffs.

McCrea: Yearly crime rates fluctuate, but the important point is that they’re too high; a 2007 FBI report shows Boston violent and property crime rates per capita at double those of New York City. Yes, the number of cops on the beat matters; in 2006, neighborhood residents asked me to file suit to enforce a city ordinance for police staffing. Subsequently, more officers were hired. I will maintain 2300 officers, a modest increase.

Most importantly, we should attack the root causes of most violence: poverty and poor education. Crime occurs disproportionately in the disconnected minority neighborhoods. Boston’s schools fail to educate these youths and our hiring programs fail to help them get employment. I will enforce the Boston Jobs Policy. Community policing is a good idea, but the department, especially managers, needs to look more like the community it polices. According to BPD statistics, 82 percent of supervisors are white, while Boston is a majority minority city. I will reduce overtime, eliminate police details, and pay our police properly to fight crime.

Ultimately, the most strategic intervention in crime is through childhood and family assistance, to prevent school drop-outs and put kids on paths to gainful employment and stable family lives.

Menino: Boston is safer than it was four years ago. In 2008, our city experienced the fewest crimes in 40 years; and, in 2009, for the third consecutive year, violent crime and property crime are decreasing.

Community policing is at the heart of our public safety strategy. It is focused on people and powered by partnerships. More Boston police officers walk beats, building stronger relationships with the community. Our officers work with our over 600 crime watches, the faith community and organizations like the Boston Foundation to prevent and solve crime.

We pair our commitment to people with the deployment of new technology. Shotspotter helps police respond faster to shootings. BPD updates residents 24/7 through blogs and Twitter. Our first-in-the-nation text message program allows residents to send anonymous tips to police.
However, one act of violence is one too many.

That’s why we will increase the number of Safe Street Teams, continue our door-to-door outreach to connect youth to summer jobs, and reform CORI, so one mistake isn’t a life sentence for a young person.

With Mayors Against Illegal Guns, which I founded with Mayor Bloomberg, I will keep pressing for smarter federal laws that take more guns off our streets.

Yoon: Boston’s homicide rates have stayed steady over the past four years and our clearance rates for solving murders is well below the national average. It is unacceptable that young people are dying on our streets at the current rate.

I believe the Boston Police Department is in need of reorganization, modernization, and a top to bottom review - which hasn’t been done for 30 years. To solve crime and youth violence, we need to take affirmative steps to build trust between the police and community. I support instituting a real Civilian Review Board, which independent report after report has recommended but which the city has yet to implement. We need a police department and command staff that look like our city, which will require revising our process for advancement and promotion.

Most importantly, Boston must focus on prevention and collaboration. Youth opportunities and programming must be properly funded. Curbing overtime and shifting priorities will identify new funds for prevention. New leadership that focuses on collaboration over credit is required to ensure a comprehensive strategy to combat violence. I wholeheartedly support community policing and know that there is great room for improvement in collaboration with community based organizations and neighborhood leaders.

Coming Friday: Transportation

Previous questions: Spending on the city’s workforce; measuring city performance; mandatory alcohol and drug testing