The City Council voted unanimously today to support this year's version of legislation that would give Boston Police joint jurisdiction over the streets of the South Boston waterfront, now legally under the purview of State Police.
At-large Councilor Stephen Murphy, who chairs the council's public-safety committee, said passing the legislation would prove important not only to give the residents and workers in what is no longer just docks and parking lots the police protection they pay for and expect, but would prove an important precedent for Massport land in East Boston and Charlestown, which could soon also face the same jurisdictional issues.
“If that enabling law remains in effect, then Boston Police will be pushed out of that area as well,” Murphy said. “We’ve won awards [for BPD work]. We’ve been heralded nationally. There’s no good reason why in Boston in 2015, the Boston Police department cannot have shared concurrent jurisdiction.”
Murphy's committee held a hearing on the legislation on Monday. As usual, State Police did not attend.