Take Action Today: Public Safety Advocacy & Engagement

We are often asked by residents and business owners, “what can I do to help improve public safety around Downtown Boston?” We have put together a list of actions for your consideration below:

1. Use the City of Boston’ 3-1-1 system to report non-emergency issues like potholes, needle clean-ups, streetlights out, broken signage, traffic signal malfunction, etc.

   1. You can call 3-1-1, download/use the app, or use the website to file a report. Learn more at https://www.boston.gov/departments/boston-311

2. Dial 9-1-1 in the event of an emergency (e.g., robbery, crime in progress, including drug dealing, suspected overdosing, burning house, accident, situations that need immediate attention). The City relies on 9-1-1 call data to inform resource allocation decisions. This call volume is critical as we advocate for additional resources for Downtown

3. The best practice advice from our shelter partners is to not offer food or money to the homeless as this encourages them to remain on the streets, which in turn makes it more difficult to get them to shelter and treatment, if needed, and makes them susceptible to being preyed upon by drug dealers. Instead, consider donating to food banks, shelters, and social service organizations

4. Write to City and State elected officials, agency leaders, and stakeholders. The following are some areas to consider focusing on - the “potential talking points” are simply items that you might consider including in your note. Please feel free to incorporate some, all, or none of these items in your notes. We suggest rephrasing and personalizing these talking points as you see fit:

   1. Item #1: Growing Population of People Experiencing Homelessness and Addiction in Downtown Boston and on the Boston Common

      1. Potential talking points

      1. In light of the significant increase in people experiencing homelessness and addiction in Downtown Boston and the public safety and public health threats associated with this, there needs to be greater urgency and better coordination among the City, State, District Attorney’s Office, Boston Police Department, Boston Public Health Commission, MA Department of Public Health, social service providers, and other stakeholders

      2. When Mass & Cass was disbanded recently, there appears to have been a lack of coordination and planning, resulting in, predictably, various neighborhoods, including Downtown Boston, bearing the brunt of this dislocation with no obvious plan to deal with this ongoing situation

      3. This has led to a significant increase in open-air drug dealing and drug use, needles and human waste in our public spaces and parks, and an increase in violent and non-violent crime in the neighborhood

      4. Revive, with urgency, the Long Island recovery campus to offer organized addiction and mental health treatment and housing and help those experiencing homelessness and addiction to stabilize and begin their recovery journey. This will make a major difference across Boston and beyond and needs to be part of the solution

      2. Send an e-mail regarding Item #1

   2. Item #2: Arresting and Prosecuting Criminals

      1. Potential talking points

         1. The criminal drug dealers and repeat offenders need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law

         2. Condoning and perpetuating petty theft is irresponsible - Boston Police Department officers should not be put in position where they are being asked to arrest an offender only to see that individual back on the street within a few days committing the same crime. At some critical point, there needs to be a consequence for committing a crime. Residents and businesses across Downtown Boston demand greater law and order

         3. The current situation calls for a more aggressive posture on prosecuting crime. We should be doing everything possible to deter petty crime vs. embracing it by letting offenders off the hook without consequence. The current policy of non-prosecution and diversion is not working in Downtown Boston - the drug dealers and repeat offenders need to be off the streets

         4. The 2018 law that raised the threshold for larceny from $250-1,200 should be reconsidered. A shoplifting misdemeanor carrying a maximum one-year sentence or fine of up to $300 is not an effective deterrent. We can’t expect our officers to repeatedly arrest when the offender will most likely be back on the streets within a few days, committing the same crime

         5. Small businesses cannot afford Asset Protection teams. These businesses and their employees need the assistance of the District Attorney’s Office and law enforcement to counter theft and create a safe environment for customers and workers alike

      2. Send an e-mail regarding Item #2

   3. Item #3: Make Our Streets and Sidewalks Safe for Pedestrians and Bikers

      1. Potential talking points

         1. This video highlights the realities on our streets and sidewalks

         2. Drastically increase signage, indicator lighting, and bike traffic signals at major intersections and crosswalks. 

         3. Install signage along bike paths to educate and compel biker compliance with traffic laws

         4. Given the inherent challenges of having a limited number of police officers enforce traffic laws at all times, follow the lead of other major cities, like New York City and Washington, D.C., and implement automated traffic enforcement to curtail and deter reckless driving, blocking of intersections, and running red lights. This should lead to safer streets for pedestrians, bikers, and responsible motor vehicle operators

         5. Decrease the speed limit across the city from 25 MPH to 20 MPH - automated traffic enforcement is the only way for the Boston Police Department to enforce this

         6. Consider installing speed humps on major thoroughfares where there is clear evidence of cars, mopeds, scooters speeding excessively

         7. Install signage 20-30 yards prior to major intersections and crosswalks letting bikers know that they are “approaching a crosswalk – obey the law, stop on red / yield to pedestrians”

         8. The Boston Transportation Department needs to engage with the community - the lack of community engagement and public process is a major issue

         9. Use observation and data to make common sense changes, such as removing concurrent green and walk signals (e.g., Tremont Street / Boylston Street), particularly during rush hour - this has been an open item since the Fall of 2023

         10. The traffic network that has been implemented by the City in and around Downtown is broken - the current network has created an environment for poor traffic flow and traffic law violations to fester. This impacts public safety and quality of life and disrupts business

         11. Undertake a thoughtful and coordinated street planning effort that puts public safety first – the existing approach to street planning is piecemeal and lacks appropriate public input. The Downtown Crossing Streets Improvement project (https://www.boston.gov/departments/public-works/downtown-crossing-street-improvements) was initiated years ago - this project needs to begin ASAP and there needs to be a robust community process to ensure that it serves the needs of those who live, work, visit, and commute through the neighborhood

         12. Coordinate with the State to streamline moped / scooter laws to bring them in line with other motor vehicle laws

      2. Send an e-mail regarding Item #3

   4. Item #4: Continued Collaboration with the Boston Police Department

      1. Potential talking points

         1. Continue to engage with neighborhood stakeholders - A-1 partnership with the local community has been very effective and greatly appreciated

         2. Continue to partner with the District Attorney’s Office and retailers on the Safe Shopping Task Force Initiative

         3. Given the scope and density of A-1, more officers should be assigned to A-1 

         4. Increase foot, bike, and cart patrols in hot spots

         5. Recruitment and retention of talent is a major challenge for law enforcement. Consider lifting residency requirements and age restrictions to increase the size of the applicant pool. Consider, instead, a fitness-based approach for positions where it makes sense

         6. Enhance the camera network and implement new technologies to supplement officers in the field

      2. Send an e-mail regarding Item #4

   5. Item #5: Restoring the Boston Common’s Standing as One of the Safest and Nicest Public Parks in America

      1. Potential talking points

         1. The Boston Common Master Planning initiative needs to be refreshed, given post-COVID realities, and a project plan needs to be finalized to make the various improvements and design enhancements that have been contemplated. The park’s activation and design have a direct impact on public safety

         2. The Boston Common, the nation’s oldest public park and a major tourist attraction, deserves and needs the same level of attention as the Boston Public Garden. It often feels like the Boston Common is a second-tier park relative to the Public Garden. Proper planning, activation, and resource allocation are needed to improve the current conditions on the Boston Common. Whether this effort is led solely by Parks & Recreation, and/or in partnership with the Friends of the Public Garden, and/or with a yet to be formed non-profit that is exclusively focused on the Boston Common, we need to do more and with far greater urgency. Thoughtful planning and activation are key to displacing the negative elements that currently exist on the Common, particularly along the Park Street / Tremont Street edge of the park 

         3. The subway station headhouses on the Common are historically significant; however, eliminating or modernizing them (e.g., converting them into glass structures like the ones on Government Center Station) would deter illicit activity by eliminating a key hiding spot for those engaged in illicit activities

         4. Consider reinstating the Boston Park Rangers law enforcement powers so they can better patrol and protect those on the Boston Common

      2. Send an e-mail regarding Item #5

5. Actions that Property and Business Owners Can Take

   1. Put up “no trespassing” / “space is for customer use only” signage in your doorways

   2. Instruct staff to call 9-1-1 if someone is loitering in your doorway

   3. Instruct staff to use 9-1-1 if an encampment is set-up by your business. To the extent drug dealing or other crimes are witnessed, call 9-1-1 as well

   4. Cooperate with law enforcement

   5. Keep storage areas, power outlets, and dumpsters locked to eliminate hiding spaces

   6. Keep your property well-illuminated and consider motion-activated lighting

   7. Bring employees back to work – activation of our sidewalks, parks, local restaurants and other area businesses creates vitality and displaces the negative elements

6. Not sure what to do in a particular situation? Please feel free to reach out to us (info@downtownRA.org) and we’ll do our best to point you in the right direction