Boston Police Department: The Impact of Technological Innovation on Police Performance

1. Boston Police Department: The Impact of Technological Innovation on Police Performance A Summary of Peter Manning’s Case Study of the BPD Professor Byrne, October 28, 2009

2. Five landmark Changes in the Boston Police Department 1989 to 2003 The first landmark event was the Charles Stuart Murder Investigation( 1989),where Stuart killed his pregnant wife, Carol DiMatti-Stuart. The second event was the issuing of the St. Clair Report in January, 1992. This was a turning point in reforming the police department. The third major event (1995) a spike in publicly noted youth violence. The media began to focus on youth gang violence. A fourth event is in fact a series of related issues arising from concerted attempts to control youth violence, resulting in a new initiative: Operation Ceasefire(1995)and the Ten Point Coalition. A fifth turning point was the continuing focus on guided and rational change within the Boston department. The department continues to innovate, focusing on community policing. They have a policy that officers will spend at least 60% of their patrol time in a given designated area or "neighborhood beat”

3. Charles Stuart Murder Investigation The Stuart murder of his pregnant wife Investigation: Focus on the predominantly African-American Mission Hill neighborhood in the search for the killer Evidence planting in connection with the Stuart investigation Reaction of the African American community to events.

4. St. Clair Report The Mayor at that time, Raymond Flynn, then appointed a commission headed by Boston lawyer, James St. Clair, to investigate the Department and make recommendations. As a result , the Police Commissioner (Mr. M. Roach) was forced to resign, and a new Commissioner, William Bratton, was appointed.

5. Recommendations for Change Increased supervision (lowering the sgt. to officer ratio), Developing New leadership, Improved training, Developing written policy and the mission, Improving information technologies, and Institutionalizing more systematic citizen complaint procedures.

6. Media Depiction of Youth Violence In 1995, an assassination of a prosecutor who was known to be focused on prosecuting gangs, Paul McLaughlin (1995). The shooting and stabbings at Morning Star Baptist Church in May, 1992. These events were touched off by the funeral of a murdered gang member, and gang members’ wish for retaliation and revenge.

7. Operation Ceasefire(1995)and the Ten Point Coalition In the Mid-90’s, a Number of New Police Initiatives were in place: The named projects included “Operation Night Light” (teaming probation officers, street workers and police); “Operation Scrap Iron” (to cut off the flow of illegal guns into the city) and “Operation Ceasefire.”

8. The Ten Point Coalition: Key Principles Inner city violence should be dealt with as a crime problem rather than as symptom of other social effects and forces (broken homes, unemployment and so on). Only a small percentage of youth cause the vast majority of crime problems. The community should have a say in the disposition of some offenders If the police behave badly, they are to be held accountable

9. Community Policing in Boston They have a policy that officers will spend at least 60% of their patrol time in a given designated area or "neighborhood beat” They seek to maintain their reputation for success in reducing youth violence and crime in general. In December 2003, The BPD introduced of crime analysis meetings(CAM).

10. Crime Analysis Meetings: Key Features of Good Policing Accurate and timely information; Rapid and coordinated deployment of resources to address problems; Utilization of effective strategies and tactics; and Relentless follow-up and assessment.