Thursday, September 10, 2026, 10 a.m. (Boston time), Boston City Hall, 1 City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201
Hearing on Dockets #0185, 0999, 1390, 1419, and 1602
Committee: Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee
The Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee, chaired by Councilor Santana, held a hearing covering five dockets: a cross-sector citywide community safety strategy (0185), firearm trafficking and gun violence hotspots in districts B2/B3 (0999), a community-based summer public safety plan (1390), noise complaint response and enforcement (1419), and codifying the Office of Violence Prevention with a biannual violence prevention strategy plan (1602). Boston Police Department command staff and Boston Public Health Commission officials presented data showing summer gunfire incidents at historic lows but shooting victims up, scooter/motorcycle seizures nearly doubled, and 819 firearms processed in 2025, with most crime guns traced to Maine. Councilors questioned officials on staffing levels, with Councilor Flynn arguing officers are overworked and understaffed and BPD officials saying they are not critically short. A second panel featured the Boys and Girls Club, YouthConnect, and a community advocate, followed by public testimony from residents and organization leaders on prevention funding, police morale, mental health investment, and neighborhood safety concerns.
1:59 and.
2:42 I'm.
8:59 a factory.
9:03 for the record my name is
9:05 henry santana and our city
9:05 councilor.
9:07 And I am the chair of the
9:08 boston city council committee
9:10 on public safety and criminal
9:10 justice.
9:13 Today is SEPTEMBER 10th, 2026.
9:17 The exact time is 10:09 A.M.
9:18 This hearing is being recorded
9:18 .
9:22 It is also being live stream at
9:25 boston.Gov/city council dash tv
9:26 and broadcasted on xfinity
9:29 channel eight, rcn channel 82
9:31 and fios channel 964.
9:33 Rain comments MAY be sent to
9:37 the committee email ask for
9:38 as@boston.Gov.
9:39 And we made part of the record
9:41 and available to all councilors
9:41 .
9:44 Public testimony will be taken
9:45 in at the end of this hearing.
9:47 Individuals would be caught on
9:48 in the order in which they
9:49 signed up and will have two
9:50 minutes to testify.
9:52 If you are interested in
9:54 testifying in person, please
9:55 add your name to the sign up
9:56 sheet near the entrance of the
9:57 chamber.
9:59 If you are looking to testify
10:00 virtually, please email our
10:02 central staff liaison shane
10:06 pack uh shane.Pack@boston.Gov.
10:08 For the link and your name will
10:09 be added to the list.
10:14 Today's hearing in is on um
10:16 many docket so I'll read the
10:18 docket into the record now.
10:21 First docket is docket number
10:24 0185 order for a hearing on
10:25 cross-sector collaborative
10:26 citywide strategy for community
10:28 safety and violence prevention.
10:31 This matter was sponsored by
10:32 councilor ruchi louijeune and
10:34 brian row and was referred to
10:37 the committee on JANUARY 28th,
10:37 2026.
10:42 Second docket is docket number
10:42 0999.
10:44 Order for a hearing to examine
10:46 fire on firearm trafficking,
10:49 gun violence hotspots and the
10:51 concentration of firearm
10:53 violations in the boston police
10:54 districts b2 and b3.
10:57 This matter was sponsored by
10:59 councilor manure culpeper,
11:01 councilor at flynn and
11:02 councilor brian morrow and was
11:04 referred to the committee on
11:05 MAY 13th, 2026.
11:08 The next docket isn't docket
11:11 number 1390 order for a hearing
11:12 regarding a community based
11:14 summer public safety plan for
11:15 the city of boston.
11:17 This matter was sponsored by
11:19 councilor manure culpeper
11:22 myself and councilor wu and was
11:25 referred to the committee on
11:25 JULY 8th 2026.
11:31 Docket number 1419 order for a
11:31 hearing regarding the city
11:33 of boston's response to noise
11:34 complaints and enforcement
11:35 of noise control laws.
11:39 This matter was sponsored by
11:41 COUNCILMAN Culpeper, a
11:42 councilor council PRESIDENT
11:44 Breadon and was referred to the
11:46 committee on JULY 8th 2026.
11:50 And the last docket with us
11:54 today is docket number 160 to
11:56 order for a hearing to explore
11:57 codifying the office
11:58 of violence prevention and
12:00 establishing a biannual
12:01 violence prevention strategy
12:03 plan plan in the city of boston
12:03 .
12:06 This matter was sponsored by
12:07 councilor manure culpeper,
12:09 brian rowe, councilor brian
12:10 moreau and was referred to the
12:13 committee on AUGUST 26th, 2026.
12:16 Today I'm joined by my
12:18 colleagues in order of arrival
12:20 councilor at large erin murphy
12:22 ,councilor for district seven
12:25 manor culpeper and I know I've
12:26 got a few of my other
12:27 colleagues will be joining us
12:28 soon.
12:29 But I.
12:33 want to read and a brief
12:34 opening statement I'm going to
12:37 allow my um councilors to read
12:40 or to to provide a brief
12:41 opening statement and we're
12:43 going to take just one person
12:45 out of order for public
12:46 testimony and then we're going
12:48 to introduce today's um, panel.
12:51 I'd like to thank everyone for
12:52 joining us today.
12:54 Please join me in a moment
12:55 of silence to recognize
12:57 everyone in boston who lost
12:59 their lives to violence this
12:59 past summer.
13:14 Thank you.
13:18 As an at large city
13:19 councilor and the chair of the
13:20 committee on public safety and
13:23 criminal justice, it is my
13:24 priority to make sure boston is
13:25 prepared for all types
13:26 of threats to public safety.
13:29 Public safety is about more
13:30 than emergency response.
13:31 It is about creating conditions
13:33 where every resident can feel
13:35 safe walking down the street,
13:36 traveling through their
13:37 neighborhoods and returning
13:38 home to their loved ones.
13:47 Today's hearing on dockets
13:49 0185099913901419 and 1602 shows
13:50 that this committee and the
13:51 entire city council are
13:52 committed to confronting the
13:54 challenge of public safety
13:56 thoughtfully and from multiple
13:57 angles.
13:59 This summer, while filled with
14:00 celebrations was also a
14:01 difficult one.
14:04 As a city we must recognize
14:05 incidents like too many that
14:07 occurred this summer have a
14:09 lasting impact not only on the
14:10 victims and their families but
14:13 also on the witnesses, first
14:14 responders and entire
14:14 communities.
14:16 For far too many black and
14:17 brown communities, tragedy and
14:19 loss have become experiences
14:20 that occur far too often.
14:23 We owe it to residents not only
14:25 to mourn after these incidents
14:26 happened, but to take
14:27 meaningful action to prevent
14:28 them from happening again.
14:31 Crafting a proactive strategy
14:32 to address and prevent issues
14:34 like youth violence by
14:36 investing in increased job
14:37 opportunities, mentorship
14:39 programs and community activity
14:43 will um will have its benefits
14:44 by investing early in our youth
14:45 and their communities.
14:47 We can address the problematic
14:49 behaviors before it is too late
14:50 and make everyone safer in the
14:51 Long term planning is our theme
14:55 today, and I believe that
14:57 establishing a community based
15:00 summer public safety plan and a
15:01 biennial violence prevention
15:03 strategy are two common sense
15:05 steps that will improve the
15:08 capacity of the city public
15:11 safety um and keep residents
15:12 here in the city of boston
15:13 safer.
15:16 Um, we've been joined by
15:19 district two city councilor um
15:19 ed flynn.
15:24 I'm going to turn it over to um
15:27 councilor murphy for uh, a
15:28 brief opening statement and
15:29 then I'll go to
15:30 councilor culpeper and
15:30 councilor flynn.
15:31 Councilor murphy.
15:32 Thank you.
15:33 Chair.
15:34 Um, and thank you to the
15:35 panelists for being here.
15:37 And I know we have community
15:39 advocates who will be speaking
15:39 next.
15:41 Um, I want to get right into
15:41 it.
15:43 I know we have lots of dockets
15:44 here.
15:47 I am interested in hearing
15:47 about.
15:49 I know it's SEPTEMBER but it's
15:50 never too late to talk about
15:52 summer safety because obviously
15:54 anything we were implementing I
15:55 know we'll continue that into
15:57 the fall and learn from it.
16:00 So um hoping one thing that
16:02 comes out of today is how can
16:04 we work more collaboratively
16:06 and you know what was missing
16:07 or you know, just have that
16:09 honest conversation because
16:10 maybe the data shows something
16:11 different.
16:12 But there was definitely a
16:14 feeling that this summer there
16:15 was a lot a lot going on and
16:17 many neighbors and residents
16:20 across the city and not in the
16:21 usual places all the time.
16:21 Right?
16:23 We obviously have to make sure
16:25 we're addressing the
16:26 neighborhoods that need the
16:28 support the most, but we
16:30 definitely need to also have a
16:31 conversation about how do we
16:32 how do we keep all of our
16:34 residents safe and feeling safe
16:35 because if you don't feel safe
16:37 no matter what the data says it
16:37 doesn't matter.
16:39 So looking forward to that.
16:40 And you know as we started you
16:42 know schools back kids are back
16:44 into school and we have to make
16:46 ended.
16:46 sure you know summer jobs have
16:47 We don't have the funding to
16:49 keep all of our kids in jobs
16:50 through the school year.
16:52 So just hoping that we can
16:53 continue to work together to
16:55 make sure our residents are and
16:57 especially our young kids are
16:59 getting the supports they need
16:59 .
17:00 So thank you chair.
17:02 Thank you councilor murphy.
17:02 Councilor culpeper, you have
17:03 the floor.
17:04 Good morning.
17:07 Thank you, chair santana for
17:08 holding this hearing.
17:11 Thank you to the sponsors and
17:12 co-sponsors of today's dockets.
17:15 And thank you to my colleagues
17:18 in the administration, uh
17:19 community panelists and members
17:20 of the public.
17:21 Um, for being here.
17:24 Today as the summer comes to an
17:24 end.
17:28 Even though the summer is
17:31 coming to an end, we can't move
17:33 from the tragic events that
17:34 occurred this summer.
17:37 We experienced gun violence
17:39 connected to festivals and
17:39 gatherings in and around
17:42 franklin park and overall
17:45 increase in gun violence,
17:46 several devastating and
17:47 preventable tragedies.
17:51 We owe it to the victims, the
17:53 families and every resident who
17:55 did not feel safe this summer
17:57 to examine exactly what
17:59 happened, what could have been
18:01 prevented and what must change
18:02 before next summer.
18:04 That's why I filed docket
18:07 number 1390 regarding the
18:09 development of a community
18:11 based summer public safety
18:12 plan.
18:14 Let me just say that again a
18:17 community based summer public
18:20 safety plan right.
18:22 And I remember when we worked
18:26 isaac roy community policing
18:27 was a big thing.
18:30 We met periodically with the
18:32 police, worked out some of our
18:34 differences, talked about
18:34 strategies.
18:36 That's not what we're seeing
18:38 today in terms of real
18:40 community policing being in the
18:41 street.
18:44 We also really have to look at
18:45 firearms.
18:48 I am velazquez gun violence
18:49 both the police department.
18:52 When we look at the 2025
18:54 firearm trafficking report.
19:02 Found that bpd possessed 819
19:05 guns, that they had recovered
19:07 819 guns that were recovered.
19:09 I'm wondering how many are on
19:10 the street that aren't
19:11 recovered.
19:13 And when you really think about
19:15 it, the juvenile firearm
19:17 arrests went up 13%.
19:20 And so when you think about
19:22 where we are now firearm
19:24 recoveries and here's what's
19:25 interesting.
19:27 We know where the firearms were
19:27 recovered.
19:30 When you look at two when you
19:32 look at b3 and you look at that
19:35 map 90% of the firearms
19:37 recovered and b2 b3.
19:40 And so for me if that's where
19:42 the firearms are being
19:43 cover why aren't that?
19:47 why is it that we're all and
19:49 the focus really should be on
19:50 if that's where the guns are
19:52 coming from that's where the
19:53 shootings are coming from is
19:55 that's where the shootings are
19:55 coming from.
19:57 There has to be an intentional
19:59 focus on that area.
20:04 And so what really astonished
20:05 me and I'm kind of getting away
20:06 from the remarks they wanted
20:08 me to say was when we had the
20:12 world come 4th of JULY
20:13 everybody's down here for the
20:14 world cup.
20:16 We got all about the community
20:17 but that's where the shootings
20:17 were.
20:19 That's where we knew the
20:21 shootings were going to be for
20:23 the JULY every year.
20:25 But everyone's down here so I'm
20:27 hoping we can talk seriously
20:30 about a strategy a safety
20:32 strategy, a safety plan.
20:33 So the next summer we don't
20:36 have the same kind of fiasco
20:38 that we had on the 4th of JULY
20:39 and that we can really look
20:43 seriously at where the guns are
20:44 and where the shootings are
20:47 coming from because where the
20:48 shootings are coming from
20:49 that's where people are getting
20:49 shot.
20:55 And so hopefully we can have a
20:57 discussion about a strategy and
21:00 then begin to work together on
21:01 a strategy that works that
21:04 makes sense to focus on where
21:06 place.
21:06 the actual real is taking
21:07 Thank you, mr chair.
21:09 Thank you, councilor culpeper.
21:11 I've also been joined by
21:11 councilor fitzgerald.
21:13 Um, we're going to go to
21:14 councilor flynn for opening
21:14 remarks.
21:16 councilor thing, you have the
21:16 floor.
21:18 Thank you, mr chair.
21:21 And for the record, I partnered
21:24 with councilor um council role
21:28 and councilor culpeper on
21:29 firearm trafficking, the gun
21:31 violence hotspots,
21:33 concentration of firearms
21:34 violations in the districts
21:37 that council culpeper mentioned
21:38 as well.
21:39 I also partnered with brian
21:42 were all councilor role to
21:44 establish a yearly report on
21:46 gun violence trafficking
21:49 of guns that I read uh very
21:51 closely every time I receive
21:51 it.
21:53 Uh, it's a critical report that
21:56 helps us identify trends, um,
21:57 and what is happening in the
21:59 city as it relates to to gun
22:00 violence.
22:02 I was a few minutes late to
22:03 this meeting this morning.
22:06 I was at, um in the back bay
22:07 with the residents I conducted
22:09 at an on site meeting about
22:11 public safety but in front
22:13 of the public library residents
22:15 of the south end in the back
22:16 bay are very concerned about
22:17 public safety.
22:20 They don't feel safe was also
22:22 about quality of life issues.
22:24 Let me let me get to another
22:24 point.
22:30 Boston police officers they do
22:31 an exceptional job.
22:35 We don't have enough police
22:36 officers in the city.
22:38 We can't keep asking police
22:40 officers to work a consistent
22:41 16 hour day shift.
22:44 That's not a public safety
22:44 plan.
22:48 That's putting police officers
22:50 in danger when you're working
22:53 14 15 hours a day, 16 hours a
22:55 day expecting to be on top
22:56 of your game especially during
22:57 the emergency.
22:59 We're setting police officers
22:59 up to fail.
23:03 Police officers talk to me all
23:04 day long.
23:06 Their families talk to me all
23:06 day long.
23:09 It's having an impact on
23:09 morale.
23:12 It's having an impact on police
23:14 officers families work life
23:14 balance.
23:17 It's not helpful to public
23:17 safety.
23:20 We have to acknowledge that and
23:22 come up with the plan to add
23:24 more police officers on the in
23:27 the city, but part of it is the
23:28 retention of the current police
23:28 officers.
23:30 We have to treat police
23:32 officers and their families
23:33 with respect.
23:35 We're not doing that in the
23:35 city of boston.
23:38 They're not supported by
23:39 elected officials here in the
23:40 city of boston.
23:42 When we put someone on the
23:44 street for 15 hours for 16
23:47 hours a day that basically says
23:48 we don't have any respect for
23:51 you and we're taking police
23:53 officers from one district to
23:54 put them in another district.
23:55 We have so many events
23:56 throughout the summer.
23:58 The crowds are bigger.
24:00 The population is growing in
24:01 the city and we still have the
24:03 same number of police officers.
24:04 It's not fair.