Boston Metropolis Councilor Erin Murphy plans to push for an emergency listening to in gentle of a current weblog put up printed by an area researcher who analyzed 311 information and located reviews of discarded needles have spiked and unfold all through town.
Murphy plans to introduce a late-file “emergency order for a hearing regarding the increase and spread of needle-related public health and safety hazards in Boston” on the Wednesday Metropolis Council assembly.
“I have repeatedly called for the City of Boston to declare a public health and safety emergency to address the growing crisis at Mass and Cass,” Murphy mentioned in an announcement. “The latest data confirms what residents across our neighborhoods already see: this is no longer contained to one area.”
Murphy’s emergency order is conscious of a Substack put up printed final week by native author and researcher James Piccirilli, who discovered that, as of September, 311 needle reviews in Boston are up 20% from final yr and greater than 75% since 2022.
Piccirilli discovered that whereas Mass and Cass stays “the center of the crisis,” needles are being discarded all through town.
He wrote that 311 needle reviews have greater than doubled in surrounding areas, with elements of the South Finish instantly surrounding the troubled intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard seeing spikes of 200% to 300% over the past two years.
“From the South End to deep into Roxbury and Dorchester, the shadow of Mass and Cass is looming over the city,” Piccirilli wrote. “Despite years of concerted effort, the problem is growing and spreading further than before.”
Mayor Michelle Wu carried out a plan to scrub up the Mass and Cass intersection in November 2023, starting with the clearing of a long-standing homeless encampment.
However metropolis officers have acknowledged of late that the open drug use, dealing and associated crime has since spilled over into surrounding neighborhoods, significantly the South Finish, which has been deemed a hot-spot space by town and focused for better police enforcement.
South Finish residents spoke at a group assembly final week of the well being and security dangers that now include taking their younger kids to parks and strolling their canines, because of discarded needles.
Metropolis Councilor Ed Flynn, who represents a part of the South Finish and noticed his emergency declaration push for Mass and Cass blocked by a colleague aligned with the mayor, mentioned the 311 information is reflective of what he sees because the bigger difficulty: that town is ignoring the issue.
“We have to acknowledge the significant escalation of open drug use, drug dealing, violence, criminal activity and discarded needles that we’re seeing, not just in the South End and Roxbury, but also throughout the city as well,” Flynn informed the Herald. “It’s a significant public safety issue and it’s being ignored.”
He mentioned town must take a “zero-tolerance” method.
“I don’t feel we have that commitment currently,” Flynn mentioned. “We need to hold everybody accountable that’s engaged in criminal activity and make arrests.”
Arrests have been up 163% within the South Finish this summer season, from Might 1 to Aug. 24, in comparison with that point interval final yr, per Boston Police information.
Boston Public Health Commissioner Bisola Ojikutu mentioned final month that town palms out greater than 80,000 needles per thirty days to drug customers, as a part of its hurt discount method.
