BOSTON — The city of Boston is shifting to a stricter stance on people using drugs in public with enforcement, consequences, and services over sentences for those who need treatment.
City leaders announced the expanded approach this week and spoke about it during a news conference on Wednesday.
Boston 25 News first reported the development on Tuesday.
A memo from the City of Boston’s Coordinated Response Team describes “a goal to end congregate substance use in neighborhoods of Boston and the criminal activity that supports it.”
“We’re talking about a targeted, balanced approach toward accountability and enforcement,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden.
The impending crackdown is expected to involve an increased police presence in affected neighborhoods, active enforcement of drug laws, and diversion into drug treatment programs.
“If they’re serious about enforcement, they need to start now because the problem is already out there,” said South End neighbor Bill Mootos. “I would like to see the drugs and the drug dealers and the drug users out of the neighborhoods.”
The Coordinated Response Team said the approach will also involve enhanced street cleaning and needle pickup and a shift in the delivery of harm reduction away from places where crowds tend to gather.
“Finally, the administration at the mayoral level is listening and taking action,” said South End neighbor Jonathan Alves. “It’s not a too little too late scenario. It is finally happening.”
Neighbors in the Mass and Cass corridor said they’ve been advocating for these changes for the last decade.
They believe the “anything goes” mentality of drug dealers and users has spread throughout the city into other visible locations, including Downtown Crossing and Boston Common.
“If the city follows through on this, I think it can possibly make a real change,” said South End neighbor Andy Brand.
Neighbors said allowing people to inject, snort, and smoke illegal substances in plain view has given drug users free reign across Boston for far too long.
“Active groups of individuals engaged in congregate substance use and dealing undermine quality of life in city neighborhoods, particularly in the Downtown and Boston Common, Roxbury, the South End and parts of Dorchester and South Boston and hinder ongoing efforts to connect individuals to addiction and recovery services and treatment,” explained the Coordinated Response Team memo.
The memo said that the city of Boston considers this “an adaptable point-in-time update and not a plan set in stone.”
A meeting planned for Thursday night involving leaders from across the city and state is aimed at addressing ongoing public safety and quality of life concerns in the Downtown Crossing and Boston Common area.
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