Annual meeting sets Boston Police plan for summer crime wave

BOSTON — Preventing summer violence was the goal of a meeting of city leaders and stakeholders Monday afternoon.

The annual meeting revealed new information about a growing number of crime victims.

“In the winter time, sometimes the crime is lower because more people are in the house," Boston Police Commissioner William Gross said. "Summer strategy [is to] have more people out, more people visiting the city.”

Gross says the city doesn’t want to be reactionary.

"We’re saying be proactive. We know the history, so we’re willing to step up," he said.

And this year, there will be new focus on a slightly different demographic as crime victims are getting older.

"We focus generally on youth and youth violence. We focus on teenagers. When we look at over the last several years on the age of the victims of violence in the city of Boston, the age has gone from average age or 25 in 2013 to almost 30 years old in 2018," Mayor Marty Walsh explained.

Boston will continue a strong focus on its youth with peace walks, the National Night Out, and other efforts to create positive experiences between police and young people.

Those inside the meeting called the efforts inspiring and a reminder that it does take a village.

"The community organization, bringing together all these groups, people who are trying to make a difference," Morning Star Baptist Church Reverent Gary Adams said.

In addition to this annual meeting, Commissioner Gross says there's a deployment meeting every Wednesday. BPD examines what's happening where and place officers where they're needed most.

"This is our job to solve crime, not yours," Suffolk County District Attorney Rachel Rollins said. "But we do need your help in this process."

Cox Media Group