Union news and information along with law enforcement related articles and websites

---

Boston City Council may debate residency requirement amid police staffing crunch, but BPD commissioner remains skeptical 

Boston Herald, By Gayla Cawley, August 23rd, 2024

A Boston city councilor plans to ask the Wu administration to revisit the residency requirement for police officers, and whether easing up on that long-standing policy is a “viable option” to address today’s staffing challenges at BPD.

City Councilor Ed Flynn didn’t elaborate much on what form his request would take, but said the time is ripe for a new discussion on residency in the city, where the cost of housing may be prohibitive to potential officers, particularly young recruits who would be hired at the bottom of the contractual pay scale.

Read the rest of the article here.

---

Boston city councilors, mayor trade jabs over police hiring push 

Article on Union-Bulletin, By Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald 08/07/24

A measure from two Boston city councilors calling for a public discussion on how to increase police staffing levels ticked off BPD brass, and did not sit well with the mayor, who accused the councilors she often tussles with of playing politics.

The hearing order, filed by Councilors Ed Flynn and Erin Murphy for the Wednesday meeting, was met with exasperation from Mayor Michelle Wu and Boston Police Department leadership, who pointed to the city’s low crime rate and the success it’s had with bringing staffing levels up in the face of national recruitment challenges that have persisted since the 2020 murder of George Floyd.

The councilors’ push was praised by the head of the city’s largest police union, however, who said that it was moving the conversation forward, and forcing the city to confront a staffing crisis that has the potential to create a “recipe for disaster,” in terms of public safety on city streets.

“We’re in a full-blown crisis,” Larry Calderone, president of the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association, the city’s largest police union, said. “That’s why you hear the Boston Police commissioner and the mayor actually coming out and saying they’re doing all they can do, because we now have some city councilors that are being extremely vocal.

View the news article here.

---

Governor Healey Signs Legislation to Support First Responders Injured in the Line of Duty 

Karissa Hand, Press Secretary for Governor Healey, August 1, 2024

Boston — Governor Maura T. Healey signed into law An Act relative to disability pensions and critical incident stress management for violent crimes. This legislation ensures that first responders who are seriously injured in the line of duty can receive their full compensation until retirement. This applies to police officers, firefighters, public and municipal EMTs, and public and municipal licensed health care professionals.

“Our first responders go above and beyond to keep our communities safe and respond to emergencies. That’s why it’s critical that we support them when they experience emergencies of their own,” said Governor Healey. “This legislation ensures that first responders who are injured in the line of duty have access to the pay and health care, including mental health care, that they need to support their families and their road to recovery. I’m grateful to the Legislature for prioritizing the safety and wellbeing of our first responders and proud to sign this bill.”

“First responders always have our backs – we need to make sure we have theirs,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “This legislation sends a clear message that our heroes aren’t alone when they sustain serious injuries. Massachusetts will make sure they have the resources and support needed to get through this difficult time.”

View the News Release here.

---

Boston city councilor warns dwindling police force is a recipe for disaster 

Article on WBZ NEWS, By Brandon Truitt, July 30, 2024

BOSTON - Police departments nationwide took a hit to the ranks during the summer of 2020. Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn says the city is struggling to bounce back, suggesting they are several hundred officers below required staffing levels.

"Our population is growing and the number of police officers we have in the city is declining," Flynn said. "That's a recipe for disaster."

Officers working mandatory overtime

Flynn is looking to find new ways to recruit and retain police officers. "We have so many police officers right now that are working mandatory overtime which means they're consistently working 16 hours a day several days a week," Flynn said.

View the news article here.

---

South Boston Elected Officials Support Increased Public Safety Resources 

South Boston Online article dated July 26th, 2024

The South Boston elected officials support the installation of Shot Spotter technology to assist law enforcement response to shootings in real time.

After a series of shootings in South Boston, the South Boston delegation had a meeting at the MaryEllen McCormack and West Broadway Housing Development and have remained united in support of this technology. Despite some pushback from advocates and some City Councilors, the South Boston delegation is united in support of this technology.

It was a focal point of a meeting at the Maryellen McCormack and West Broadway Housing Developments after a series of shootings.

“We simply do not have enough police to cover every street and every neighborhood 24/7,” said Congressman Lynch. “Many of our police officers are already working long hours and extended shifts including holidays. By using this shot-spotter technology, we can bring a rapid police response to areas where gunfire has been detected, which can also accelerate the arrival of Emergency Medical personnel to treat gunshot victims. We should use every available tool to provide a safer environment for every family.”

View the article here.

---

Boston City Council fails to override most of Mayor Wu’s budget vetoes 

By Beth Treffeisen, Boston.com, June 27, 2024.

On Wednesday, the Boston City Council failed to override Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s veto of the $15.3 million line item changes they made to her $4.6 billion spending plan for the city.

Wu’s most notable criticism of the changes was the $3.7 million in cuts to the police and fire department budgets, which would instead go towards housing assistance, college and career readiness, and small business programs.

Even though the Council voted for the line item changes earlier this month in a 10-3 vote, the final vote was 7-6 for overriding Wu, missing the supermajority needed for passage by two votes.

View the article here.

---

Wu rejects City Council budget changes that would move money away from police, fire departments 

Boston.com, Ross Cristantiello, June 10, 2024.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said Monday that she is vetoing a series of budget adjustments that the City Council made last week, which included cutting allocations for the city’s police and fire departments.

By a 10-3 vote, councilors chose to reallocate money away from the Police Department, the Fire Department, Public Works Department, and the Transportation Department toward areas like housing assistance and youth jobs. Wu introduced her proposed budget for fiscal year 2025 in April. Councilors had been formulating their amendments to it during more than 30 hearings and working sessions that culminated in the vote last week.

The City Council reallocated $15.3 million of the proposed $4.6 billion budget. They did not reduce the overall spending level proposed by Wu. Under the council’s amendments, all of the city’s major departments, including those focused on public safety, would still see increases to their individual budgets.

View the news article here.

---

Boston City Council approves $4.6 billion budget with ‘cuts’ to Police and Fire 

Story by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald

The Boston City Council approved more than $15 million in amendments to the mayor’s budget while pushing back on the “narrative” that millions of dollars in reductions it made to police and other departments were “cuts” to city services.

The City Council passed an amended version of Mayor Michelle Wu’s $4.6 billion budget for fiscal year 2025, via a 10-3 vote, on Wednesday, setting a seven-day clock for the mayor to either approve or veto the changes.

While opposing councilors spoke against cuts to departments that provide basic city services — such as police, fire, public works, transportation and the Boston Center for Youth and Families — the majority pointed to a data-driven process that took from big-budget departments that have historically been underspending for other initiatives that benefit residents.

View the article here.

---

Boston city councilor ducks four more public safety votes amid attendance scrutiny 

By GAYLA CAWLEY, Boston Herald, April 13, 2024.

A Boston city councilor with a record of ducking key public safety votes and overseeing a budget last year that sought to cut millions from the police department left the room this week to avoid voting on four police contract funding requests.

Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson was present for the Wednesday City Council meeting, but was noticeably absent from a slew of votes that largely centered around approving funding for a $22.2 million five-year contract the city and a police union representing detectives agreed to last month.

Her absence was particularly notable given the recent scrutiny around Fernandes Anderson’s tendency to miss key public safety votes, following her call last week, later withdrawn, for attendance to be considered as a key metric for assessing the performance of councilors, while minutes reviewed by the Herald show she has missed more meetings than her colleagues since taking office in January 2022.

View the article here.

---