Thursday, March 12, 2026, 9:30 a.m. (Boston time), Boston City Hall, 1 City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201
Hearing on Docket #0167
The Public Safety & Criminal Justice Committee, chaired by Councilor Santana, held a hearing on Docket 0167 concerning drink spiking and drug-facicated sexual assault, sponsored by Councilor Coletta Zapata and timed ahead of St. Patrick's Day weekend. Four members of the public testified, including two survivors, a college student developing detection technology, and a representative of the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center. A panel of city officials from the Boston Public Health Commission, Boston Police Department, the Licensing Board, and the Office of Nightlife Economy presented data (roughly 266 reported drink spiking incidents and 25 drug-facilitated sexual assaults over three years), training and prevention efforts, and barriers such as delayed reporting and limited toxicology testing. Councilors asked about hotspots, investigation protocols, drink cover distribution data, crime lab capacity, and preparations for large events including the World Cup; several information requests were made to be routed through the committee. No vote was taken; the hearing was adjourned after discussion.
5:19 for the record my name is henry
5:21 santana at large city
5:22 councilor and I am the chair
5:24 of the boston city
5:25 council committee on public
5:26 safety and criminal justice.
5:29 Today is MARCH 12th 2026 and
5:32 the exact time is 9:35 A.M..
5:34 This hearing is being recorded
5:35 .
5:38 It is also being live streamed
5:40 at boston.Com/city council dash
5:43 tv and broadcasted on my
5:45 channel eight rcn channel 82
5:47 and files channel 964.
5:50 Written comments MAY be sent to
5:53 the committee email
5:55 ask@boston.Gov and will be made
5:57 and will be made part of the
5:58 record and available to all
5:59 councilors.
6:01 Public testimony will be taken
6:02 at the end of this hearing.
6:04 Individuals will be called on
6:05 in the order in which they
6:07 signed up and will have two
6:07 minutes to testify.
6:10 If you are interested in
6:11 testifying in person, please
6:13 add your name to the sign up
6:14 sheet near the entrance of the
6:14 chamber.
6:16 If you are looking to testify
6:18 virtually, please email our
6:20 central staff liaison megan
6:23 megan caruso boston.Gov for the
6:25 link and your name will be
6:25 added to the list.
6:29 Today's hearing is on docket
6:31 number 0167.
6:33 Order for a hearing to discuss
6:35 progress and opportunities for
6:36 address addressing drink
6:39 spiking and drug facilitated a
6:40 sexual assault.
6:42 This matter was sponsored by
6:44 councilor gravity partner and
6:45 was referred to the committee
6:48 on JANUARY 28th 2026.
6:51 Today I am joined in my by my
6:54 colleagues in order of arrival
6:54 councilor at flynn.
6:57 Councilor erin murphy and
6:58 councilor partner.
7:01 We've also received a letter
7:02 of absence from
7:03 councilor pemberton.
7:11 I will, um, allow
7:12 councilor curious about that
7:13 and my colleagues to give
7:14 opening remarks and I'll give a
7:16 few opening remarks and then
7:17 we'll go to, um, a first round
7:18 of public testimony first.
7:20 Actually today I misspoke
7:22 earlier and then we'll go to
7:22 panel discussion.
7:24 So councilor potter, you have
7:25 the floor.
7:31 Thank you.
7:34 Chair uh, for holding today's
7:35 hearing and I want to thank my
7:36 colleagues for being here as
7:38 well, uh, to discuss this
7:39 important issue ahead of a
7:40 really important weekend here
7:41 in boston.
7:43 I want to extend my gratitude
7:44 to the administration officials
7:44 who are here.
7:45 Thank you so much.
7:46 Boston police.
7:49 Um, members of the hc advocates
7:50 and members of the public who
7:52 are here to share their
7:55 expertise and experiences as
7:56 boston heads into saint
7:57 patrick's day celebrations one
7:59 of the busiest weekends for
7:59 nightlife in our city.
8:02 We want to be able to go out,
8:03 celebrate and have a great time
8:03 safely.
8:05 The vast majority of people
8:07 well and we know boston is
8:09 safe, but we also know that
8:10 drink spiking has been a
8:12 concern in the city over the
8:13 last several years, which is
8:14 why this conversation is so
8:15 important.
8:17 Public safety means making sure
8:18 people in our city can enjoy
8:20 without worrying that their
8:21 drink could be tampered with.
8:24 Since 2022, boston has seen
8:27 dozens of reported incidents
8:28 of suspected drink spiking each
8:34 year 116 reports in 2022, 107
8:38 in 2023 and 71 in 2024.
8:40 And I hope to get updated
8:40 numbers during this hearing.
8:42 While those numbers have gone
8:43 down.
8:45 Experts believe that many cases
8:46 go unreported.
8:49 One of the biggest challenges
8:50 is that substances commonly use
8:53 and drink spiking like hypno
8:55 commonly referred to as roofies
8:58 as well as ghb or ketamine
8:58 metabolized quickly.
9:01 That means by the time someone
9:03 realizes something is wrong and
9:05 seeks help, it can be difficult
9:07 to collect evidence or to
9:07 confirm what happened.
9:10 Over the past few years the
9:11 city has taken steps to
9:12 respond.
9:14 My office has worked with the
9:15 boston police department to
9:17 improve how these incidents are
9:18 tracked and investigated
9:20 through the mark 43 system,
9:22 including updating internal
9:23 reporting systems and expanding
9:24 officer training.
9:26 We have also partnered with the
9:28 licensing board and the office
9:30 of nightlife economy to work
9:32 with bars and venues across the
9:35 city to distribute drink covers
9:36 and expanding safety training
9:37 for nightlife staff.
9:39 We also know there are still
9:39 gaps.
9:42 Survivors can face barriers
9:44 when trying to access timely
9:46 toxicology testing and there
9:47 isn't always a clear protocol
9:49 for how suspected drug spike in
9:50 cases should be handled.
9:52 Today's hearing is an
9:53 opportunity to better
9:54 understand the current
9:56 landscape, identify challenges
9:58 that remain and explore what
10:00 additional steps boston can
10:02 take to strengthen prevention
10:03 efforts and survivor support.
10:06 My hope today is that today's
10:08 discussion helps us identify
10:09 practical steps that the city
10:10 can take moving forward.
10:14 Ultimately the goal is simple
10:16 people should be able to enjoy
10:18 boston's nightlife safely.
10:19 Thank you and I look forward to
10:20 hearing from our panelist.
10:21 Thank you chair.
10:22 Thank you councilor.
10:23 Let us about uh.
10:26 Um I'm just going to go to
10:26 councilor murphy.
10:28 Um, who was here first?
10:29 Councilor murphy, you have the
10:30 floor and then I'll go to
10:31 councilor flynn.
10:33 I know councilor flynn's always
10:33 first.
10:35 Throws people off when I get
10:36 here before I'm.
10:37 Um.
10:38 Thank you, chair, for holding
10:39 this.
10:41 And I know this is something
10:43 we've come together for before
10:44 and an issue.
10:45 I'm glad we're, like getting
10:47 updates and seeing the progress
10:48 that we've been working on
10:50 since the last time we met.
10:51 Um, kim, I know we spoke.
10:53 Briefly before this hearing but
10:54 looking forward to you have
10:55 some updates on this new role
10:57 which was kind of new last year
10:59 now in a year and now so
11:01 looking forward just to hearing
11:02 from the panel seeing what more
11:03 we can do on the council to
11:05 support this because like it
11:06 was said we want to make sure
11:08 that people have fun but feel
11:10 safe when they're out there and
11:12 know what supports if needed um
11:14 if something like this happens
11:14 to them.
11:15 So thank you chair.
11:17 Thank you, councilor murphy.
11:19 Councilor flynn, you have the
11:19 floor.
11:23 Thank you, mr chair.
11:27 Drink spiking occurs when a
11:29 person deliberately puts
11:31 alcohol or drugs into someone
11:32 else's drink without their
11:33 knowledge or permission.
11:35 These drugs can include roofies
11:38 ,ghb or other drugs.
11:42 Instances of drink spiking can
11:44 occur at bars, pubs,
11:47 nightclubs, even private houses
11:48 or parties.
11:51 Physical symptoms of spiking
11:53 can include confusion, nausea
11:56 and vomiting loss of effective
11:57 communication memory loss.
12:01 If someone suspects that they
12:04 or someone else has been spiked
12:04 .
12:06 It is critical to tell the
12:08 establishments manager or party
12:10 host and seek medical attention
12:11 .
12:13 Last year I sponsored a
12:15 unanimous resolution in support
12:17 of expanding prevention public
12:19 awareness campaign regarding
12:21 drug track spiking.
12:23 This is one of the issues I've
12:27 worked on for eight years
12:28 including making major
12:30 improvements, said the boston
12:31 police crime lab.
12:34 I think is also part of the
12:34 conversation.
12:36 I worked on this issue as a
12:38 probation officer at suffolk
12:40 superior court for eight years
12:43 ,but I live in a neighborhood
12:45 where there's a lot of young
12:47 people young women.
12:49 Um, a lot of restaurants and
12:51 bars off of west broadway.
12:54 I am concerned about this.
12:56 I don't think we take this
12:58 issue as seriously as we
12:59 should.
13:01 I think we need more oversight
13:03 from the city of boston.
13:06 Um, as it relates to
13:08 restaurants and bars and we
13:10 must have zero tolerance for
13:12 any type of criminal activities
13:14 such as spiking someone's drink
13:14 .
13:16 Um, this is an issue.
13:18 Um, I've been meeting on
13:19 monthly with the boston police
13:22 and with, um, community people
13:24 going into the south boston
13:26 parade because I know it's an
13:27 issue in my neighborhood.
13:29 I'm not going to deny it.
13:30 It's not an issue.
13:32 So I'm going to do everything I
13:36 possibly can to, um, support
13:37 what the city is doing on this
13:38 issue.
13:39 Thank you, mr chair.
13:41 Thank you, councilor flynn.
13:43 Um, and as the chair of the
13:44 committee on public safety and
13:45 criminal justice, um, I'm
13:46 acutely aware of the threats
13:48 that drink spiking and sexual
13:50 violence pose to our residents
13:52 especially, um, uh, when it
13:53 relates to drug facilitated
13:54 sexual assaults.
13:56 We must ensure that our city
13:58 honors survivors by applying
14:00 best practices and sharing
14:01 timely evidence collection and
14:03 emphasizing prevention with
14:05 strong inter-agency
14:06 coordination and standardized
14:08 protocols following reports.
14:09 we can better protect our
14:10 survivors both immediately
14:12 after drug spiking or drug
14:14 facilitated drug facilitated
14:16 sexual assault and in the long
14:16 term.
14:19 Women and gender minorities are
14:21 at an increased risk of sexual
14:22 violence and the perpetrators
14:24 of this violence overwhelmingly
14:24 males.
14:26 While this hearing is on
14:27 prevention in response to drug
14:29 facilitated sexual assault, I
14:30 want to take this time to bring
14:31 light to the systematic issues
14:31 .
14:33 The broader issues are
14:34 particularly and the
14:35 normalization of violence
14:36 against women and gender
14:38 minorities, which underline
14:39 many of these crimes.
14:40 I look forward to learning how
14:42 we can better protect survivors
14:44 of drink spiking and drug
14:45 facilitated sexual assaults
14:47 from our panelists and through
14:49 our, um, public testimony.
14:51 Um, so before we go to our um,
14:53 panel, I really appreciate you
14:54 all being here.
14:56 Um, we are going to take, um,
14:57 public testimony.
14:59 Um, we're want to take three.
15:03 We will um, starting with I
15:04 think you're going to read um,
15:07 um, senator paul feeney's um,
15:08 letter to the record.
15:10 Um, counselor then.
15:10 Okay.
15:12 And then we have um two also we
15:14 have jessica s and alana katz.
15:16 Katz um, if you all could come
15:18 to the podium in the back here.
15:20 Um, and you will be given the
15:22 opportunity to testify.
15:25 Right up to.
15:34 yeah.
15:35 Yeah.
15:39 come on up and you state your
15:40 name and then you can, um, give
15:40 your testimony.
15:44 My name is elena katz katz and
15:47 I was drugged in late 2022 at
15:48 age 56.
15:50 Ended up in the air mass
15:51 general where I was refused a
15:53 toxicology screen because I
15:54 hadn't been raped.
15:56 I'm grateful I wasn't, but a
15:57 victim should not have to
15:59 experience the worst case
16:00 scenario to receive basic
16:01 medical evidence collection.
16:05 Roofies are an epidemic since
16:06 MAY 2022, a single boston
16:08 facebook group with more than
16:10 19,000 members dedicated solely
16:12 to drink safety tracking drugs
16:14 and sexual assaults at more
16:17 than 100 boston area venues
16:18 identified not including the
16:19 rampant unreported incidences
16:21 at our universities often
16:22 leading to rape, robberies and
16:23 even death.
16:25 I'm here because there is a
16:26 dangerous disconnect between
16:28 the city's rhetoric on safety
16:29 and the reliability.
16:31 The reality on the ground.
16:34 While mayor wu authorized 225
16:35 liquor licenses in landmark
16:37 legislation which she boasted
16:40 and I quote introduced the most
16:42 liquor licenses to boston since
16:42 prohibition.
16:44 Her nightlife director corinne
16:46 reynolds, who is responsible
16:48 partially for safety policies,
16:49 has failed to back that growth
16:52 with protection despite her
16:54 claiming safety is a high
16:54 priority.
16:57 Not a single of the 42 grants
16:59 publicly listed on her $300,000
17:01 arpa budget was allocated to
17:04 victims safety instead
17:05 of protecting patrons and
17:06 operators.
17:08 She funded ice cream socials, a
17:10 trick called funk fest, blair
17:11 product and more all listed
17:13 online safety must come first.
17:15 Rather than showboating about
17:16 liquor licenses and where you
17:18 can eat late at night and get
17:18 alcohol.
17:20 How about showing tangible
17:21 efforts to prevent like this
17:22 life ruining crime?
17:24 The city claims they have
17:26 distributed 30,000 drink lids.
17:27 Where are they?
17:28 I live in boston.
17:29 Go out often.
17:31 Have never seen one frustrated
17:34 with the lack of publicly
17:34 available data.
17:36 I filed multiple freedom
17:38 of information act requests
17:39 through an attorney on AUGUST
17:41 21st, 2025.
17:44 Legally the city has 20 working
17:45 days to comply.
17:47 It has been 136 federal
17:48 calendar working days.
17:50 The city has missed every
17:52 deadline, refusing to even
17:53 provide an estimated completion
17:54 date.
17:55 If the city is truly committed
17:57 to safety, why the stonewalling
17:57 ?
17:59 I have copies of the foyer
18:00 request right here which I.
18:03 Will leave here and um for
18:04 anyone who wants.
18:05 I'm not a politician.
18:08 I'm a citizen who helps shatter
18:09 victims who are afraid to come
18:10 forward.
18:12 I made my own public service
18:13 announcement videos because the
18:14 city wouldn't.
18:16 We cannot let the nightlife
18:18 economy above the safety of the
18:19 people who sustain it.
18:21 Any one of you could be drugged
18:23 today via a glass of water,
18:24 coffee, wine, your teenage
18:26 daughter, your son, your
18:27 mother, your father.
18:27 Nobody's um.
18:29 You stop the showboating.
18:30 Stop the lip service.
18:33 It's time for concrete tangible
18:35 safety measures and total
18:36 transparency.
18:37 I thank you all for your
18:38 attention to this.
18:40 I will leave these here for
18:41 anyone who wants.
18:43 And thank you.
18:44 So much for your time and I
18:45 urge you to be safe.
18:48 Thank you alana for your
18:48 testimony.
18:52 Next up we have jessica s.
19:01 My name is jessica and I'm
19:02 speaking today as a private
19:03 citizen from personal
19:04 experience not in any
19:05 professional capacity or on
19:06 behalf of any organization.
19:09 Three years ago I was drugged
19:10 and raped by someone I met
19:11 through a dating app.
19:12 I reported the incident to the
19:14 police but the assistant
19:15 district attorney who handled
19:16 my case told me that what
19:17 happened to me does not meet
19:20 the legal definition of rape in
19:22 massachusetts because our laws