3.7 min readBy Published On: July 30th, 2013Categories: News13 Comments on Public Safety Meeting

in a nutshell

An overflow of people spilled out onto East Fourth Street in front of the Tynan School cafeteria on Monday, July 29th.  The focus of the public safety meeting was to discuss the recent crime in South Boston, in particular the two assaults and the tragic murder of Amy Lord on July 23rd. 

As expected, all the local elected officials were on hand including Representative Nick Collins, Congressman Stephen Lynch, Senator Linda Dorcena Forry, and Councilor Bill Linehan.  Also, in attendance were Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis, Suffolk County DA and mayoral candidate Dan Conley, and BPD Deputy Superintendent Billy Evans.  On hand from Mayor Menino’s office, Michael Kineavy, Chief of Policy and Planning and South Boston Neighbor Coordinator Sean Regan. 

 

Highlights:

  • Commissioner Davis announced that the detective who “dropped the ball” in the Mission Hill assault case was demoted and “will no longer be doing investigative work in Boston.”  He also announced that an additional BPD drug unit would be on patrol in South Boston. 
  • Dan Conley inferred that Edwin Alemany was most likely the person responsible for Amy Lord’s murder. “Edwin Alemany no longer poses a threat to South Boston.”  He also stated that the women’s body that was found on M Street Beach was not a victim of homicide.
  • Anthony Gilardi from the Boston Housing Authority stated that Alemany was not a resident of the BHA and the “head of household” at the address that Alemany did use is currently being evicted.
  • Congressman Stephen Lynch spoke to the suicide epidemic in the 1990’s and praised the Cushing House and the Gavin Foundation for all the good they do for Southie.
  • Deputy Superintendent Billy Evans has our back, Southie.  “Nobody watches as close to what is going on in this neighborhood than me.”
  • Councilor Linehan stated that the illegal sober house on East Fourth Street where Melissa Hardy was murdered in June will be closed as of August 31st
  • Commissioner Davis urged people to be informed and follow Boston Police on Twitter @Boston_Police

Audience Q&A Highlights:

  • A woman in the audience began by pointing out that there was only one woman on the panel of the Public Safety Meeting, Senator Linda Dorcena Forry.  She then went on to “man bash” and lecture the men on “keeping their zippers up” and stop exploiting women.  She revealed that certain home contractors have promised to give her a “better deal if she would sleep with them.”
  • Helen Allix – Administrator of the Tynan Community Center for the past 30 years – believes there needs to be more police officers walking the beat.  She also believes the City of Boston gives out too many liquor and beer/wine licenses to stores like Bell’s Market, Foodie’s and American Provisions.
  • An older gentleman began talking about “watching out for our women” and that drugs have always been a problem in South Boston.  He began to ramble and then admitted, he lost his train of thought and forgot what his point was.
  • Michaela Collins stated, “We need more police presence late at night and not just police giving out parking tickets.”

Nice touch:

  • White lapel ribbons where handed out to all those in attendance to wear in memory of Amy Lord
  • Well-prepared people in the crowd on East Fourth Street brought their own beach chairs which caused much chair envy outside the meeting

Guinness Book of World Records:
This two and a half hour marathon meeting may be a contender for a Southie World Record for longest Public Safety Meeting ever.

Spotted in the crowd:

  • John Connolly
  • Rob Consalvo
  • Marty Walsh
  • Ayanna Presley
  • Charles Yancey
  • Annissa George
  • Mike Ross
  • Mike Flaherty
  • Jeff Ross
  • Garreth Saunders
  • Charlotte Golar Richie
  • Denis Conway and the Southie Shuttle
  • Southie Rules reality star Leah Winters

Bottom-line:
Southie has had a tough summer when it comes to crime and violence.  Last Tuesday, it finally came to a head with two assaults and the murder of Amy Lord in less than 24 hours.  The Boston Police are doing their job to beef up police presence.  The politicians are doing their job by organizing this meeting and coming together to alleviate fears in our community.  The fact that so many concerned residents came out to this meeting tonight proves how solid we are as community.  As always, be informed, get involved, and watch out for one another. 

Stay strong, Southie!

13 Comments

  1. Kerri July 30, 2013 at 3:53 am
    I am appalled that the detective who “dropped the ball” and indirectly caused two assaults and one murder is still employed by The BPD at all!!
  2. AJW July 30, 2013 at 1:14 pm

    Yea let’s gloss over the drug problem and then waste everyone’s time following such a terrible chain of events.

  3. AJW July 30, 2013 at 1:15 pm

    Yea let’s gloss over the drug problem and then waste everyone’s time following such a terrible chain of events.

  4. Brian F July 30, 2013 at 3:42 pm

    Thanks for the highlights from the meeting.  It is nice to to know civic leaders are ready to take action.

    However, I really do not see how the first three bullets under the Audience Q&A Highlights are representative of the issue or the proposed actions to alleviate residents concerns and move toward a safer South Boston.  A man’s ramblings, a woman’s issue with contractors and the sale of beer and wine at gourmet markets probably really are not the highlights from the audience Q&A.

  5. SeekingRealAnswers July 30, 2013 at 4:58 pm

    Thanks for this summary of the meeting for all members of the community undable to attend, but a few questions for your consideration.  Do you really think the Boston Police are “doing their job” by “beefing up police presence?”  Isn’t throwing additional resources at a problem a classic example of the naif’s approach to problem solving?  Worse yet, haven’t you considered that this is simply a short-term public relations maneuver – a dodge to distract from an issue that might be one of the real sources of the problem: challenging things that folks might not want to talk about openly, but that we all suspect might be the real problem, like a badly contaminated police culture or union?  And do you really think that “organizing a meeting” is the expectation level we should set for our local politicians “doing their job?”  Really? 

  6. Fed Up In The Lower End July 30, 2013 at 6:08 pm

    Why does it take a tragedy to get any action on the crime in our neighborhood?  The same outrage came after two women were killed in their homes.  Here we are again.  The old way of handling these things hasn’t worked.  The Mayor and City Hall need to come up with something more substantial than an increase in police presence for a while and then a return to what we usually get around here.  It’s unacceptable.  Don’t take us for granted.

  7. Anonymous July 30, 2013 at 7:39 pm

    The highlights make this report/article/meeting sound like a joke.  What is wrong with people?   I don’t think the meeting was the time for some of that.   Once again, where’s the common sense? 

  8. Rob July 30, 2013 at 7:51 pm

    Serious question, not sarcastic, what are substantive steps you would like to see the police and/or city hall take?

  9. Anonymous July 30, 2013 at 8:25 pm

    Also, Michaela Collins has a direct line to someone who could speak to the police.  But then again, her brother doesn’t actually do anything for his small group of friends/family.

  10. NO BS July 31, 2013 at 3:40 pm

    Funny how no one asks where Menino is.

    Cops dont want to do anything,except play with their phones and details. Get them off their big butts to walk around and watch these young junkie punks like a HAWK.They would all run &  cry to their union.Who cares if these little white trash riff raff get harassed by BPD.Make then show ID, tell them go do something productive

    stop hanging around every FN store.Send them in the service. JUST DO SOMETHING

  11. Demotion? July 31, 2013 at 6:25 pm
    I have seen people lose white collar jobs for spending too much time on the Web. This utter incompetence,ultimately leading to a brutal tragic murder and 2 serious assaults results in a demotion. Bet he keeps his big fat pension. #cronyism #corruption
  12. Michaela Collins October 19, 2013 at 6:53 pm

    This is Michaela Collins. I am like all other women- I don’t have any special priviledges. If you would like to make disparging remarks concerning my brother, please leave your name and state your case. Don’t hide behind your online, anonymous comment. My brother, my State Representative, does what’s best for his community, so the statement that he ” doesn’t actually do anything for his small group of friends/family ” gives GREAT exmaple of his impartiality. Thank you for pointing that out for all to see. 

    Michaela Collins

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