Captain Hasson: Hot Spots for Public Drinking Being Patrolled

Dear Residents:

As we transition into summer, we would like remind residents that summer events at our local parks and holiday cookouts held at our homes can lead to traffic safety concerns.

We encourage our community members to enjoy social gatherings and celebrate in a safe fashion. Please adhere to the rules of the road.  Be aware of parking signs that state hour limits or no parking. Be advised that it is illegal to park in front of a fire hydrant, a driveway, or a handicap spot and those who choose to ignore the city’s parking limitations will be ticketed or towed. With limited parking spaces available at large events, it is important to adhere to parking regulations in order to prevent unsafe circumstances in case of an emergency. These signs and parking restrictions are in place for your safety; we ask that you please be respectful of them.

We hope you to join us for the summer events planned by District 5; the Jr. Police Academy, G.R.E.A.T Camp, and National Night Out in Adams Park. For more information about dates and times please contact the E5 Community Service Office at 617-343-4564. We also invite you to take part in our last Advisory Council meeting, before we break for the summer months.  Our meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 13 at 6 p.m. in the community room located at . 

With high school students out of school and college grads home for summer break, we ask that parents keep their family members educated on the dangers of driving while under the influence and we ask for parent’s cooperation as we endeavor to reduce underage drinking in public areas during the warmer months. 

Complaints from community members regarding this persistent issue have prompted our Community Service Office to compile a list of “Hot Spots” for E5’s directed patrol list. District 5 Officers will be heavily patrolling , Fallon Field, woods, the , and the in order to deter local youth from drinking at these locations.

If you live near a spot utilized by teens intended for this purpose, please report this location to the CSO by calling 617-343-4564; if you witness teens entering a location known to the community as a “drinking spot” please call 9-1-1 immediately for police assistance.  Underage drinking is taken extremely serious and it will not be tolerated.  Individuals caught drinking and those who buy for them will be arrested.  We ask that parents join forces with the District 5 in our efforts to eradicate this problem.  Be mindful of your teen’s whereabouts during their free time, especially during the evening hours.  In order to keep our children and our community safe and prosperous we must work together to ensure our teens take part in safe, productive activities and we must help them to make responsible choices.

We’d also like to take this opportunity to remind residents to take additional precautions to keep your homes safe during the next few months.  Although violent crime has decreased by 25% in District 5, there has been an increase in home breaks since the beginning of the year. With families taking the next few months to travel for vacations, we advise residents to take precautions before embarking on a getaway. As part of planning for vacation, we suggest organizing a home safety plan. Prior to traveling residents should take the time to create an illusion that their home is occupied.  Lock all windows and doors, use timers to activate lights, utilize alarm systems, and arrange mail/newspaper pick-up with neighbors.  Be sure to properly store your tools after gardening and toys/bikes when kids are finished playing outside. Valuables can be stolen if they are in plain view; and tools such as ladders could be used by thieves to enter your home. Do not display packaging of expensive items in your trash. It may cause thieves to target your home. Wait until the morning your trash is being picked up to dispose of such packaging. Even if you aren’t traveling, take advantage of the warm weather and spend some time on your street. Sit outside on the porch, garden, and do yard work — this is valuable for overall neighborhood safety! You get to know who lives around you, it allows an opportunity to share information, and you create a watchful presence.  Keep your yard and neighborhood well maintained, by doing so you’re sending a message that “we care” about our neighborhood.   A deteriorating street sends a message that no one is watching out for the well being of the area.  With neighbor’s assistance, make sure street lights, vacant lots, and other common areas on your street are well maintained. If you find that these or any other quality of life issues need to be addressed, contact the Mayor’s Hotline at 617-635-4500 to report the problem and the location.  

Although motor vehicle larcenies have decreased since this time last year, we have discovered a new trend in our District. Over the past few months E5 officers have taken several reports of steering wheel theft. The suspects are taking the steering wheels to obtain the airbags. Officers have discovered that the most frequently . This however doesn’t mean they are the only cars targeted. In order to prevent yourself from theft, we recommend the following safety tips: Lock and park your motor vehicle in a well lit area, if possible. If you have an alarm on your car, use it! Look out for any suspicious activity in your neighborhood.

What is suspicious activity?

• Slow moving vehicles
• Person looking into a home or a car
• Peron carrying property on foot
• Property being removed or placed into a vehicle
• Someone going door to door in a residential neighborhood
• A non-resident going into a backyard

We also recommend investing in The Club. These locks are available for as low as $40 online (at amazon.com) or at your local car shops.

Maintaining the level of quality of life everyone on this district has come accustomed to can only be achieved by working together- everyone doing their small part. Whether watching out for your neighbor, helping take out the garbage, noticing things, people, or events that are not part of the neighborhood routine, or just saying hello creates the community everyone is envious of in other parts of the City and State. I look forward to working in partnership with the neighborhoods in District 5 to uphold this status and I wish everyone a safe and happy spring and summer season! 

Thank you,

Captain James Hasson