In America's oldest park, drug use is a 'Common' and growing problem

BOSTON — It is where throngs of tourists pick up the Freedom trail -- the path that links Boston’s many historic sites -- and where city residents go to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life. But in recent months, the Boston Common, a jewel located in the center of Boston, has started to lose some of its luster.

An analysis of call logs to Boston 311, the city's non-emergency service, and Boston Police indicate drug use and crime are chief concerns among residents and park visitors alike. 25 Investigates started looking at issues in the Common back in August, following the big police crackdown in the area known as "Methadone Mile."

In the last three months, the bulk of citizens’ complaints mentioning the Boston Common, America’s first public park, were mostly about needles and drugs, homelessness, trash and vandalism.

“Sometimes you’ll get people who are on something, and they’ll come up to you and you want to get away from them as quickly as possible,” Brianna Gray, a city resident, told 25 Investigates’ Ted Daniel on a recent afternoon.

One hot spot for problems inside the Common is the Tremont Street side near the Park Street T stop. Police have responded to this location 133 times this year so far. One of those calls came in as 25 Investigates was recording a group of street performers. It was for a suspected overdose.  A man was nodding off and in need of help just yards away from where we and families were watching the show.

As that was unfolding, nearby two women were arguing and shouting vulgarities at each other. The police officers on scene appeared to be familiar with the pair and quickly got the situation under control.

“It’s getting worse,” said Craig Caplan, who owns and runs a souvenir pushcart near the Freedom Trail. “But it was getting worse before they cleared out the Methadone Mile, I believe.”

Caplan spends as many as 70 hours a week working in the Common and says he has noticed an increase of people who appear to be struggling with addiction, homelessness and mental health issues.

“There's been an issue with drug dealing, drug using, people fighting over drugs. It's become a situation that has become very tenuous and, I feel, dangerous,” said Caplan.

25 Investigates reviewed all the events that occurred near the Park Street T stop over the last three years and found police response to that location nearly tripled since 2017. A total of 45 calls were logged in 2017. In 2018, there were 86 calls and, in the first nine months of 2019 alone, there were 133 calls. Most of the calls were related to drugs.

“It’s been very discouraging to tourists and there’s a day care that comes through here every day,” said William Garfield, a Boston Common pushcart vendor.  “They don’t need to be subjected to that.”

A review of Boston 311 call logs also shows a spike in citizen complaints about the Commnon over the past three years.  In 2017, 32 complaints related to drugs, homelessness, trash and discarded needles were registered. The number of complaints jumped by 56 percent in the first 10 months of 2019.

Karen LaFrazia, the president of St. Francis House, which is located around the corner from the Common and provides services to the homeless and destitute, says she saw many new faces in the neighborhood after the cleanup of Methadone Mile but what's happening in the Common is symptomatic of a bigger issue in Boston and around the country. 
  
"We are not going to be able to solve this by looking at a handful of people who are disruptive in the Boston Common," said LaFrazia. "What we really have is an obligation, as a society of caring and compassionate people, is to find responses to that. Not to shun or shame but to really seek meaningful and lasting solutions."

25 Investigates asked Mayor Marty Walsh about the issues we observed at the Common over the course of our three-month investigation. He said that the problems at the Common are rooted in the opioid epidemic affecting the city and nation.

“These are longstanding issues and you can't justify it or normalize it. You can't ignore the situation, and we’re not ignoring the situation,” said Walsh. “I think it comes back to treatment and recovery.

Last month, Walsh unveiled a plan to increase services and outreach along Methadone Mile, and earlier this year the city also announced a $28 million master plan to renovate the Boston Common.

Cox Media Group