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Where Boston Police are powerless
By adamg on Wed, 07/30/2008 - 10:21am
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).
Free tagging:
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Comments
And what a shock!
It all comes down to who gets to tie on the bib when there's a police detail needed at that particular location. Raise your hand if you're even a little bit surprised.
Massport in Medford?
The article also says that Massport owns land in Medford. Where, and why?
Sure, Medford was once a major shipbuilding center, but that was a century or two ago.
Could it be sloppy reporting
Could it be sloppy reporting where they saw Medford Street Terminal in Charlestown and thought: Charlestown, Medford ok two cities instead of a city and a street?
"Medford Street Terminal
The Medford Street Terminal is made up of the former Revere Sugar Refinery and Somerville Lumber warehouse properties. Massport purchased these properties in 1986 in order to ensure they would remain available for marine cargo use. The total Medford Street Terminal site is approximately 14 acres in size. "
http://www.massport.com/ports/othrmp_charl.html
Not sure where ...
Do they mean the Medford St. Terminal, which is on the Mystic River in Charlestown?
As opposed to getting in accidents on Boston streets...
...where the police won't come out unless there are injuries requiring an ambulance. When I was hit a few months ago, the guy who hit me was elderly, confused, and not wearing glasses. (License said he needed corrective lenses, and he didn't seem to be wearing contacts judging by the way he was squinting and holding my license and registration an inch from his face.) He kept telling me I went through the intersection without stopping, which, well, I did, since I didn't have a stop sign. I explained this, and the guy didn't seem to understand the rules of the road at all, insisting I should have stopped. Basically nice guy, sounded like a native English speaker, but didn't seem entirely with it. I called the police and asked them to come out, since there was substantial damage to my car and the guy seemed confused.
"Ma'am, do you believe he's intoxicated?"
"No, I believe he's presenting with effects of dementia and/or psychosis. I don't think he understands the rules of the road. Or can see very well."
"Ma'am, is he willing to exchange papers?"
"Yep, we're doing that."
"Ma'am, do you need an ambulance?"
"Nope. Just a police officer to come cite this guy for driving while confused and unable to see."
"If he's willing to exchange papers and there are no injuries, you'll need to file a police report yourself. We won't send anyone out." *click*
http://1smootshort.blogspot.com
Swell
You do the right thing and the police let that hazard back on the road.
Note to self, tell the police "He's acting like he's drunk" if this comes up in the future.
Better Yet
Disable his car while he wasn't looking, so he couldn't drive off. The cops don't have the authority to get anybody off the road - at least, they didn't several years ago when several people in our neighborhood approached the police about an impared elder on our street. The cops wanted him to stop, too, but they couldn't make him.
Our neighbor kept on driving until he hit something and damaged his car too much to drive. The towing guy and the guy at the shop told him that it could not be repaired because he didn't want to be responsible for him driving again, and knew that no one would sell him a car.
Um...
...it posted my reply to you in the wrong place. See below.
http://1smootshort.blogspot.com
another complaint about BPD
I was robbed at gun point on New Year's Eve in the South End returning home from a party many years ago. I was threatened with lethal force by a punk and his friends and it did not feel good.
The officer who took my statement could not have been less concerned. He took the statement because he had to and it was obvious he felt inconvenienced.
When we asked if there were similar reports in the area he didn't know and he didn't care. The Boston Police were not concerned about investigating armed robbery of a small amount of money/wallet/credit cards etc.
I was not so concerned about the "things" either but I was completely furious that they would take no action to try and get these punks with a lethal firearm off the street before someone got shot. Serve and protect... or can't be bothered?
One advantage of the other
One advantage of the other side of the river...
The last time two kids with a gun tried to rob me on the street in Inman Square of Cambridge, CPD had *six* cruisers on the scene, seemingly within moments of my call. One officer got a description of the suspects, and the others raced off to search the area. That officer then got a detailed statement and gave me a lift home.
Not a regular occurrence, I hope!
You wrote: "The last time two kids with a gun tried to rob me on the street in Inman Square of Cambridge..."
Yeah, couldn't really do that
If I ended up in court for any reason related to having called and said someone "was acting drunk," I'd be in a lot of trouble, since I'm a licensed mental health clinician.
Don't think it didn't cross my mind though. ;o)
http://1smootshort.blogspot.com