City Council - Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee Hearing on Docket #0180

• Committee Chair Henry Santana opened the hearing on Docket #0180, sponsored by Councilors Edward Flynn, Erin Murphy, and Julia Mejia, which was referred to the committee on February 26, 2025.
• Participating committee members included Chair Santana and Councilors Flynn, Murphy, John Fitzgerald, Benjamin Weber, and Brian Worrell.
• Chair Santana noted that neither the Boston Police Department (BPD) nor the mayoral administration provided a panel to testify. An email notification was received that morning stating BPD would not be present.

Councilor Opening Statements

• Councilor Edward Flynn highlighted long-standing concerns regarding crime lab operations:
  • Stated that the lab failed to meet the state mandate under Massachusetts law requiring sexual assault evidence kits to be tested within 30 days, citing an Executive Office of Public Safety report indicating that 93 of 186 kits received in FY23 were not tested within the 30-day window.
  • Urged adoption of advanced DNA "Y-screening" methods currently used by the Massachusetts State Police and New York City.
  • Recalled previous council budget actions, including a council-approved internal reallocation of $1,000,000 ($700,000 from BPD personnel services for technician hiring and the director vacancy, and $300,000 from BPD equipment for sexual assault testing equipment and Y-screening upgrades) and an unsuccessful $500,000 budget amendment.
  • Emphasized that the crime lab director position had been vacant for over two years with interim leadership, and reiterated his request to Mayor Michelle Wu and Commissioner Michael Cox for a residency waiver and an increased salary range to attract qualified leadership.
• Councilor Erin Murphy expressed strong disappointment over the absence of city and departmental representatives, emphasizing the duty owed to crime victims and survivors to investigate cases with proper staffing and technology.
• Councilor John Fitzgerald expressed frustration with the lack of administrative accountability, stating the council requires information to assess departmental performance.
• Councilor Benjamin Weber noted that BPD represents the city's second largest departmental budget and expends significant funds on overtime, stressing that council oversight is needed to evaluate internal resource allocation.
• Councilor Brian Worrell voiced appreciation for the sponsors' advocacy and noted that councilors were prepared for a status update that the department was not present to provide.

Discussion on Administrative Absence and Oversight

• Councilors Murphy and Flynn criticized the administration for providing notice of non-attendance after 9:40 a.m. for a 10:00 a.m. hearing, noting the hearing request had been actively communicated between offices since July.
• Councilor Murphy questioned why neither BPD personnel nor staff from the Mayor's Office of Intergovernmental Relations were present.
• Councilor Flynn indicated he would escalate oversight outside the city administration by sending a formal inquiry to the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security's Forensic Science Oversight Board (having previously testified before the board on February 14) and potentially asking the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts to review operations at the BPD Crime Lab.

Public Comment and Adjournment

• No individuals signed up for in-person or virtual public testimony.
• Chair Santana announced that committee staff will coordinate with the lead sponsors and the administration to reschedule the hearing for a future date.
• The hearing was adjourned without votes taken.