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Boston: Mayor Michelle Wu Shares End Of Year Update On Public Safety Efforts

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On Monday, Mayor Michelle Wu recapped Boston's public safety efforts across neighborhoods over the last year. Mayor Wu, along with the Boston Police Department, Boston Fire Department, Boston Emergency Medical Services, and the Boston Public Health Commission's Office of Violence Prevention, shared updates on Boston's work to be the safest major city in the country. Over the course of this year, the public safety teams responded to hundreds of thousands of calls, including 5,000 low-acuity behavioral health calls, and removed 673 guns from City streets. The City expanded the Office of Violence Prevention, awarded more than 120 EMT course scholarships, and welcomed 268 new recruits to Boston Police. These efforts build on Mayor Wu's work to make Boston a home for everyone.

"Boston is safe because these teams work so well together. Their work ensures that residents can enjoy community events like block parties, ball games, parades and festivals," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "Their care, hard work, and empathy make Boston the safest major city in the country. This is what it means to be a home for everyone and to be fighting everyday for residents in every neighborhood – earning trust through our actions 24 hours a day."

The Boston Police Department has continued to increase community policing efforts across neighborhoods. This year, officers attended 1,400 community meetings, hosted more than 160 Coffee with a Cop events, and conducted approximately 2,600 meet and greet events. The City achieved historic low numbers of shooting victims and incidents of gunfire and firearm violence, down more than 30% compared to the five-year averages. In 2024, the City recorded a 67-year low number of homicides. In 2025, Boston saw a 16% decrease in homicides, compared to the five-year average.

"The Boston Police Department continues to rely on the Community as our most valued partner in public safety in the City. Our mission is Community Policing, which is all about building trust and collaboration to address the issues that matter most to the residents of Boston," said Commissioner Michael Cox, Boston Police Department. "2025 has been a challenging year, but together with our City partners and the community we continue to make progress in a number of areas, including: violent crime, retail theft, quality of life issues and scooter/moped related dangerous and criminal behavior. We credit any success we have to the dedication of our officers, and our residents' willingness to participate in public safety with us. We are grateful for their partnership."

In an effort to improve residents' quality of life and support businesses, the Boston Police Department has implemented strategies combating retail theft throughout every neighborhood. The Safe Shopping Initiative, launched in 2024, partners with the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office and the retail community to address this issue. Under Mayor Wu's leadership, this initiative was expanded and has led to a 113% increase in arrests for retail theft in 2025, as well as a substantial increase in timely and more detailed reporting by retailers. This increased reporting supports BPD's ability to address repeat, violent, and high-volume offenders and ensures that residents, visitors, shoppers and retail staff are safe.

In an effort to improve quality of life and address unlawful behavior in Downtown and in the area surrounding Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard, Boston Police continue to  implement various strategies. Around Downtown, overall violent crime declined 24% this year and directed patrols in this area increased 31% compared to 2024. Officers also made 48% more arrests, including 30% more drug arrests this year. Additionally, quality of life calls for the Downtown area have declined by 36%. In the area around Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard, quality of life calls for service have decreased by 10% and arrests increased 54%. Total violent crime in the Mass and Cass area decreased 8% and property crime decreased 10% year to date compared to 2024.

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Building on the City's efforts to address street safety concerns around the improper use of scooters or mopeds, Boston Police continue to use various measures to address this ongoing issue. According to feedback from residents across neighborhoods, data shows that this is not only a quality of life and traffic safety issue - motor scooters have been used in a number of violent incidents. This year, BPD has increased its focus on educating operators regarding registration requirements and where appropriate, seizing and towing these vehicles. To date, BPD officers have seized 840 motor scooters, including 160 from the Downtown area in 2025, an increase of 22% in seizures compared to 2024.

Earlier this year, the Community Safety Team merged with the Boston Public Health Commission's Office of Violence Prevention, successfully expanding several crucial initiatives to keep Boston the safest major city in the country. The City has also allocated over $1 million to the long-term plan to end violence, which serves as the core for much of the work owned by the Office. In the new year, the Office of Violence Prevention will continue to expand investments in the primary prevention space and focus on secondary and tertiary violence prevention. This includes the Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative, shifting to a citywide focus to address resident needs in additional areas across the city, and the Community Healing and Response Network supporting multiple families in long and short-term recovery and connecting survivors of violence to high-quality resources that are needed throughout their recovery journey.

"This cross-departmental effort showcases the City's unwavering commitment to investing in violence prevention citywide," said Isaac Yablo, Senior Advisor for Community Safety and Director of the Boston Public Health Commission's Office of Violence Prevention. "From re-investing in community healing and response teams to consistently engaging in strategic conversations across our neighborhoods, we are ensuring that the appropriate protocols are in place to support our community."

Over the past year, the Office of Violence Prevention's Domestic, Sexual, and Gender-Based Violence Prevention Initiative has expanded cross-sector training and collaboration, reaching hundreds of participants across education, community, and service-provider sectors. In partnership with the Mayor's Office for Women's Advancement, Innopsych, and BeautyLink, they also launched a training for hairstylists and barbershops to recognize signs of domestic violence and human trafficking. In collaboration with the City of Cambridge, the City of Boston co-hosted a convening for Title IX providers — in partnership with programs including We are Better Together and Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence — to address the intersection of community gun violence and domestic violence.

The Office of Violence Prevention's Capacity Building and Training Initiative has trained hundreds of service providers, including youth workers, housing providers, family advocates, and nurses in trauma-informed and equitable approaches, contributing to the City's efforts to better support service providers across neighborhoods. Additionally, the Office partnered with the City and community organizations to ensure services are more responsive to the community's needs and expanded the Life Course Health Unit, which solely focuses on preventing community violence amongst proven-risk individuals.

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"The future of the Boston Fire Department and its mission to protect the residents of Boston is bright," said Boston Fire Department Commissioner Paul Burke. "Our training division continues to focus heavily on adopting new technology and practices that remain at the forefront of modern fire service operations – ensuring that our firefighters are equipped, prepared and empowered to meet the evolving challenges of a growing and dynamic city."

The Boston Fire Department continues to provide the highest level of public safety to all Boston residents and visitors. This year, the Department answered upwards of 100,000 emergency calls including water rescues, medical emergencies, hazardous materials incidents, construction accidents, motor-vehicle accidents, MBTA emergencies and other reported situations, in addition to extinguishing building fires. To date this year, BFD has handled more than 3,700 fires, including approximately 300 building fires and nearly 200 vehicle fires. In addition, BFD firefighters played a critical role in the City's emergency medical response system, responding to 35,000 medical calls.

Through continual prevention efforts, the number of fire-related fatalities declined to one this year, compared to five in 2024. The Fire Prevention Division and Fire Education Unit worked with schools, senior citizens, and community groups to teach cooking safety, fire safety, and emergency preparedness. In partnership with the American Red Cross, BFD firefighters regularly provide fire-extinguisher demonstrations. This year, more than 200 free smoke and carbon monoxide detectors were distributed to contribute to this effort. BFD offers free fire detectors for seniors and low-income homeowners, along with bed-shaker alarms for residents who are hearing-impaired. Families and businesses received assistance to develop evacuation plans, ensuring they are prepared in case of an emergency.

This year, BFD celebrated historic milestones, including the first recruit class with graduates of the Fire Cadet Program and the largest group of women firefighters in history. BFD also introduced two new fireboats into service, with a third new fireboat scheduled to arrive next year.

"Boston Emergency Medical Services is serving more residents than ever before, responding to nearly 400 incidents a day. Despite this growing demand, our EMTs and Paramedics continue to meet every challenge with professionalism, expertise, and compassion," said Boston EMS Chief James Hooley. "With new investments in personnel, training, and equipment, the department is entering 2026 stronger, more prepared, and unwavering in our commitment to Boston's safety."

In 2025, Boston EMS is projected to respond to more than 140,000 incidents, providing critical care to over 86,000 residents and visitors. This year, the department welcomed 102 new uniformed personnel, including EMT Recruits and Cadets. Since the start of the Wu administration, EMS has added 41 new EMT positions. As part of its ongoing efforts to grow and diversify its workforce, Boston EMS has awarded more than 120 EMT course scholarships to individuals interested in employment and 14 paramedic scholarships to current EMTs, along with expanding programs designed to eliminate financial barriers for future EMS professionals.

In response to increasing service demands, Boston EMS has enhanced citywide coverage by introducing a new 24/7 ambulance in Dorchester, expanding service in Jamaica Plain, and deploying 14 new ambulances throughout the city. Additionally, the department has broken ground on a new two-bay station in South Boston.

Boston EMS continues to be a leader in innovative care, including its Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) program, which expanded in 2025 to operate seven days a week, 16 hours a day. So far, it has served over 3,000 patients. Through extensive community outreach, the department has provided nearly 170 child car seat installations and safety checks, and hosted 68 CPR/AED training sessions in 2025.

Additionally, the Special Operations Team has supported nearly 1,000 public events throughout the year, with teams already preparing to ensure a safe and secure environment for Boston's First Night celebration as the city rings in the new year. As demand for EMS services continues to rise, Boston EMS remains dedicated to ensuring the highest standards of care, while adapting to the evolving needs of the community.

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