Boston Police

Police Commisioner Davis admits need for improvement, police oversight

Anonymous — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 04:47:23 -0400

Police Commissioner Davis has not been sitting around on his arse as his detectives, the FBI, and Attorney Donald Stern investigate BPD procedure, potential negligence, civil rights violations or criminal action.

Rather, Davis has been exploring ways to improve policing large crowds in Boston with direct and immediate oversight by human rights lawyers, a technique developed in Northern Ireland.

Rubber Boston Police Baby Buggy Bumpers

Brett — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 12:00:39 -0400

Reckless driving bounces off them, sticks to you. Boston area press have failed to follow up on a Boston Police officer striking a baby carriage in Jamaica Plain, in a crosswalk, during First Thursday. BPD's strategy: refuse to disclose anyone's names, blame the mother for walking in front of the cruiser, stonewall, and hope everyone forgets about it. The E-13 Captain's Message rings a little hollow at the moment.

So, Mission Accomplished. It's been almost a full week, and The Globe, WCVB, WBZ, and the blogging community have all moved on to the next Shiny Thing. None of the press had the brass to grill BPD Media Relations about their questionable-at-best reporting of the severity of the collision. They can't even be bothered to follow up in any form, now that BPD can't hide behind the "under investigation" excuse. We still don't know the name of the officer, and whether he was reprimanded or issued a citation. Well, we know what's really deserving of reporter's attentions. In the Globe's defense, they had the most comprehensive story, being the only ones to bother to speak to a witness. Speaking of witnesses- this happened during First Thursday. So where are the first-hand accounts? C'mon, folks! Step forward!

Also, where is Mr. John "Slow DOWN Boston" Tobin in all of this?

Further proof Boston needs a functioning civilian review board for police

adamg — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 10:11:25 -0400

Mike Ball looks at what we know about that cruiser-hitting-baby-stroller incident in Jamaica Plain on Thursday, concludes:

Where were the Boston police department and union officials during responsibility lessons? It looks like they didn't take, much less pass, them.

In what could well be a short-term incident of physical pain for a baby and anguish for the mom, another city cop seems to have put on an artificial halo. The undisputed aspect is that a cop drove a patrol car around the corner, hitting a stroller while not yielding to mom and kid in a marked crosswalk. ...

Why, Kaitlyn, why?

adamg — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:39:29 -0400

It's the question Boston Police Officer Mike Keaney kept asking himself when he learned his niece, Kaitlyn Keaney, also a Boston officer, had killed herself:

... My brother-in-law, Kaitlyn's dad Jack, is a police officer at C-6 in South Boston. He was working this particular night and heard the 911 call given out over the air. He raced to his home along with several other officers and saw Kaitlyn lying there in her bed. He admitted to me later that night that all he could do was helplessly scream at her, "Why, Kaitlyn, why?" Several family members gathered across the street from the scene in sheer agony. None of us saw this coming, no signs of depression, nothing. The last time I saw her was on July 4 at my brother Joe's annual barbecue. We were shooting baskets with her younger cousins, same old Katie, funny, cheerful, with the brightest smile and most beautiful eyes I have ever seen in my life ...

Where Boston Police are powerless

adamg — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 10:21:16 -0400

Channel 4 reports that whenever Massport takes over property, Boston Police lose their police powers. Might make sense for Logan, but the authority controls growing chunks of South Boston waterfront as well:

This issue is causing tension between Boston police and State police. For example, on the sidewalk in front of the New Seaport Hotel, Boston Police have no police powers. Because the hotel is owned by Massport, it is the exclusive jurisdiction of the State police.

Of course, the issue is hardly a new one for those of us who live on or near parkways, where there's a similar phenomenon (get into an accident on the VFW Parkway in West Roxbury, and you have to wait for State Police to show up).

Teen shot by cop during struggle in East Boston

adamg — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:48:12 -0400

Shot in chest, in stable condition after the Princeton Street incident, Channel 4 reports.

Did David Woodman need to die?

adamg — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:03:01 -0400

He's a bit late to the game, but Kevin Cullen today writes what Dan Kennedy calls a first-rate column on the guy who died after being detained by police during the post-Celtics-win crackdown.

Boston cop commits suicide

adamg — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 08:26:59 -0400

E. 6th Street in South Boston shut for much of the night:

Herald: BPD tragedy: Young cop commits suicide.
Globe: Suicide suspected after Hub officer is found dead.

DA: Cop won't be charged in fatal South Boston crash

adamg — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:36:03 -0400

But Boston Police need to review their techniques and training for emergency situations to reduce the odds of more crashes, Suffolk County DA Dan Conley says.

Conley announced today that his office found no reason to charge Officer Jess Stots with the death of Ann-Marie McNally in a collision at West Broadway and D Street on Nov. 10, 2007.

Stots was racing toward a report of an officer in trouble and a man with a knife when he entered the intersection just as McNally did.

"The evidence is clear that Ms. McNally acted cautiously and reasonably and bears no responsibility for the collision," Conley said. At the same time, however, the fact that Stots was responding to an emergency situation was a mitigating factor on his behalf, Conley said.

Conley said he is urging the Boston Police Department to review its policies related to emergency calls to ensure the safety of civilian motorists - by reviewing training, policies on red lights and intersections and communication between cruisers and dispatchers. Police should also look at the potential use of dashboard cameras in cruisers.

"The McNally family, and everyone who knew Ann-Marie, must live with her loss forever," Conley said. "We owe it to them to do everything we can so that some positive, meaningful change can arise from their tragic loss and not one more family goes through what her loved ones have suffered."

Police blogwars

adamg — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 11:33:16 -0400

Looks like the Boston Police are investigating a blog called Badgewars.com that might paint them in a less than favorable light.

The Massachusetts Liberal is glad to see that things in Boston are now quiet enough for the police to investigate a blog:

Yeah, Badgewars is pretty nasty stuff. Just the sort of thing we should be defending in a society that values free, frank and open discussion. I seem to recall a line from childhood too:

Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never harm me.

Bullets and knives on the other hand. ...

Lewis Forman wonders why he didn't think of such a site:

... It's about time that the fraternity known as the Boston Police Department are called to task on their behaviour while our tax money goes to their ever ballooning pensions and salaries. But for the department to go after a site that uses free speech to bring light to their shortcomings? Please. Spend your time more wisely by putting the force on diets and see if they can run down a felon in a 100 yard dash...