* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:03] A QUORUM OF THE CITY COUNCIL BEING PRESENT. I CALL TONIGHT'S JULY 23RD SPECIAL MEETING IN CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL. TO ORDER THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS A ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS PRESENT. INTERIM CLERK CARD CRANE COUNCILOR ZUBE. PRESENT VICE MAYOR Z. PRESENT PRESENT, COUNCIL OF FLAHERTY. PRESENT. PRESENT, COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. PRESENT, PRESENT. COUNSELOR NOLAN, ABSENT COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. ABSENT, COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. PRESENT. PRESENT, COUNCILLOR ZUI. PRESENT. PRESENT, MAYOR SIDIKI. PRESENT. PRESENT. COUNSELOR NOLAN. PRESENT. PRESENT. AND YOU HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS RECORDED AS PRESENT AND ONE RECORDED IS ABSENT. PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND PAUSE FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA INTO THE REPUBLIC, WHICH IT STANDS. STANDS ONE NATION UNDERGO INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. PER CHAPTER TWO OF THE ACTS OF 2025, ADOPTED BY MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL COURT AND APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR, THE CITY IS AUTHORIZED TO USE REMOTE PARTICIPATION AT MEETINGS OF THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL. IN ADDITION TO HAVING MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL PARTICIPATE REMOTELY, WE'VE SET UP ZOOM TELECONFERENCE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. YOU CAN ALSO VIEW THE MEETING VIA THE CITY'S OPEN MEETING PORTAL OR ON THE CITY'S CABLE. CHANNEL 22 TO SPEAK DURING PUBLIC COMMENT. YOU MUST SIGN UP AT WWW.CAMBRIDGEMA.GOV/PUBLIC COMMENT. YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL WRITTEN COMMENTS FOR THE RECORD TO THE CITY CLERK AT CITY CLERK@CAMBRIDGEMA.GOV. WE WELCOME YOUR PARTICIPATION AND YOU CAN SIGN UP UNTIL PUBLIC COMMENT BEGINS. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDS THIS MEETING AND MAKES IT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR FUTURE VIEWING. IN ADDITION, THIRD PARTIES MAY ALSO BE AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDING. THIS MEETING PUBLIC COMMENT MAY BE MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL LAWS 30, CHAPTER 30 A SECTION 20 G, AND CITY COUNCIL RULES 20 3D AND 37. ONCE YOU FINISH SPEAKING, THE NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE CALLED INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO ALLOCATE THE REMAINDER OF THEIR TIME TO OTHER SPEAKERS. WE ASK THAT YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AND WHAT YOU'RE SPEAKING ON RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 46 48, EXCUSE ME, SPEAKERS WHO SIGNED UP. EACH SPEAKER PER OUR RULES WILL HAVE 20. WE'LL HAVE NOT 20 MINUTES EACH. WE'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES EACH. UM, AND SO WE WILL GO AHEAD, UH, AND START WITH PUBLIC COMMENT. OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS JALEN BERNARD, FOLLOWED BY VIRGINIA FISHER. I DON'T SEE JALEN IN THE ZOOM. WE'LL GO TO VIRGINIA FISHER. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. JUST PRESS THE BUTTON OVER THERE. THANKS. IS THAT ON NOW? YES. THANKS. MY NAME'S VIRGINIA FISHER. I LIVE ON CLINTON STREET WITH, UH, MY TWO CHILDREN WHO ARE IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I LOVE CAMBRIDGE. I FEEL LUCKY TO BE PART OF THIS COMMUNITY. AND THE RECENT GUN VIOLENCE HAS BEEN REALLY TERRIBLY UPSETTING. I DON'T WANT THIS TO BECOME A PLACE WHERE I'M AFRAID TO LET MY KIDS WALK HOME FROM SCHOOL OR GO TO MEET THEIR FRIENDS AT A PARK. SO I'M HERE TO ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO REALLY TACKLE THE HARD QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ROOT CAUSES OF GUN VIOLENCE AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE THIS NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN. I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT A GUNSHOT DETECTION SYSTEM ONLY COMES INTO PLAY ONCE THE SHOTS HAVE BEEN FIRED AND BY THEN IT'S ALREADY TOO LATE. BUT PEOPLE DON'T START SHOOTING WHEN THEY HAVE A GOOD LIFE AND ALL THEIR NEEDS ARE MET. SO HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT EVERYONE HAS WHAT THEY NEED TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE? HOW CAN WE HELP EVERYONE FIND MEANINGFUL WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE AND KNOW THAT THEY'RE VALUED? HOW CAN WE ALLOCATE RESOURCES SO EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY MENTAL HEALTH CARE? SO PEOPLE IN CRISIS HAVE SOMEWHERE TO TURN FOR HEALING AND CARE. HOW CAN WE GET THE GUNS OFF OUR STREETS AND MAKE IT HARDER FOR PEOPLE WITH A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE TO GET THEIR HANDS ON LETHAL WEAPONS? I KNOW THESE ARE COMPLEX PROBLEMS AND THERE WON'T BE AN EASY FIX AS WE'RE HOLDING THE GRIEF AND THE RIGHTFUL ANGER OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST LOVED ONES IN OUR HEARTS. WE OWE IT TO EACH OTHER TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS. NOW HOW CAN WE TAKE ACTION SO THAT NO ONE ELSE HAS TO GO THROUGH THIS? THANK YOU. I YIELD THE REST OF MY TIME. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRISTINA [00:05:01] WOZ MCLEAN, FOLLOWED BY MARILYN FRANKENSTEIN, COUNCILOR SIMMONS. PRESENT. PRESENT. AND I JUST WANNA REMIND FOLKS, THERE'S NO CLAPPING. YOU CAN DO SILENT THINGS EXACTLY, BUT PLEASE REFRAIN FROM UH, CLAPPING. CHRISTINA, YOU'RE UNMUTED. GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. UM, I'M KRISHA WANE MCLEAN AND I LIVE ON CHAUNCEY STREET IN CAMBRIDGE HERE TO TALK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY. I MOVED TO CAMBRIDGE IN APRIL, AND SO I'M STILL A NEW RESIDENT AND TODAY I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT SOME OF MY HOPES FOR THE CITY. AT A MOST BASIC LEVEL, I HOPE THAT THIS IS A PLACE WHERE VULNERABLE, MARGINALIZED PEOPLE ARE SAFE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT MY SAFETY CAN ONLY BE ASSURED IF EVERYONE IS CARED FOR TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL. I HOPE THAT MY CITY COUNSELORS LISTEN TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS NOT THROUGH LISTENING DEVICES, WHICH IN ANY ORDINARY CONTEXT PROMOTE FEAR, BUT THROUGH HONEST AND GENUINE COMMUNICATION. AND SO I HOPE THAT YOU WILL DISTANCE YOURSELVES FROM SYSTEMS THAT MAKE YOUR CONSTITUENTS AFRAID TO SPEAK SURVEILLANCE. I HOPE TOO THAT YOU'LL LISTEN TO WHAT PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY SAID IN THESE PUBLIC MEETINGS AND OTHER FORUMS WHERE THEY HAVE FELT COMFORTABLE RAISING THEIR CONCERNS. THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO HAVE LISTENED SO FAR AND HAVE REJECTED THE USE OF MORE SURVEILLANCE IN OUR CITY. I HOPE THAT WHEN FACED WITH PAIN AND SUFFERING, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HOLD STEADY AND LOOK TO A FUTURE WITHOUT VIOLENCE INSTEAD OF ONE WHERE IT PERSISTS. I UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGE OF SITTING WITH THE PAIN OF LOSS AND I DO NOT BLAME ANYONE WHO IS HURTING FOR WANTING A QUICK FIX. HOWEVER, YOU ALL MY CITY COUNSELORS HAVE SIGNED ON TO HELP US THROUGH TOUGH TIMES LIKE THESE IN SEEKING AND HOLDING OFFICE, YOU HAVE SAID THAT YOU ARE WILLING TO SHOULDER OUR COLLECTIVE CHALLENGES AND MAKE DECISIONS ON OUR BEHALF. AND RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE BIG CHOICES TO MAKE LIFE AND DEATH CHOICES. YOU CAN CHOOSE QUICK FIXES THAT CAN AND DO END IN DEATH, AS IN THE CASE OF 13-YEAR-OLD ADAM TOLEDO, SHOT AND KILLED BY POLICE FOLLOWING A SHOT SPOTTER ALERT IN CHICAGO. OR YOU CAN CHOOSE SOLUTIONS THAT BRING LIFE LIKE HOUSING, SCHOOLS, FOOD SECURITY, AND HEALTHCARE EVEN FOR THE MOST RISK AVERSE THAT THIS SHOULD BE AN OBVIOUS CHOICE. I HOPE THE LEADERS OF MY NEW CITY WILL NOT BE SHORTSIGHTED AND MAKE DECISIONS BASED IN FEAR. I HOPE YOU'LL SEEK TO CURB FEAR IN THIS CITY BY MAKING MORE SPACE FOR REAL CARE AND COMMUNICATION. I HOPE YOU'LL TURN AWAY FROM THE MYTH OF SAFETY TOWARD THE TRUTH. THAT SAFETY CAN ONLY BE BUILT IN HONEST RELATIONSHIPS WITH HEALTHY PEOPLE. IT CANNOT BE BOUGHT AND IT CANNOT BE POLICED INTO EXISTENCE. YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE SAFETY BY TWO. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. YOU CAN EMAIL THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENTS. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARILYN FRANKENSTEIN. UH, MARILYN FRANKENSTEIN, 40 YEAR RESIDENT OF CAMBRIDGE. VERY SADLY AND VERY SCARILY TWO HORRENDOUS TRAGEDIES HAVE RECENTLY STRUCK OUR COMMUNITY. AS OUR COUNSELORS, YOU HAVE THE VERY DIFFICULT ROLE OF NEEDING TO INCREASE OUR SAFETY WHILE NOT TAKING A QUICK FIX OF A TECHNOLOGY THAT DOES NOT WORK AND HAS NUMEROUS NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES, BUT SEEMS TO BE DOING SOMETHING TO HELP SEEMS TO RATHER THAN WEAPONIZE THESE TRAGIC MURDERS. TO TAKE A QUICK FIX, PLEASE FOCUS OUR DISCUSSION AND ACTIONS ON PROVEN WAYS TO GREATLY DIMINISH GUN VIOLENCE. OF COURSE, WE ALL WANT TO PREVENT ANY VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITIES. THE ARGUMENTS ARE ABOUT WHAT WILL ACCOMPLISH THAT GOAL. THERE'S RESEARCH ON FACTORS THAT PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE. FOR EXAMPLE, A NEW STUDY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO FOUND THAT EVERY 1% INCREASE IN EVICTION RATES IN A PARTICULAR, UM, CENSUS TRACTED WAS ASSOCIATED WITH OVER TWO AND A HALF MORE SHOOTINGS. SO LET'S FOCUS OUR DISCUSSION ABOUT COMMUNITY SAFETY ON ADEQUATELY FUNDING WHAT WORKS NOT ON TECHNOLOGICAL FIXES THAT GIVE THE ILLUSION OF SAFETY AND CARING, BUT DO NOT WORK. LET'S ALSO PUT RESOURCES INTO HEARING FROM MANY MORE CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS BEING CREATIVE AT GETTING THOSE WHO FEAR RETALIATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE DISCUSSIONS. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ISAAC BLO, FOLLOWED BY OLIVIA B THEN MALIK A ISAAC. PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. ISAAC HAS NOT JOINED US. WE WILL GO TO OLIVIA B OLIVIA HAS NOT JOINED. WE WILL GO TO MALIK. A HELLO EVERYONE. MY NAME IS MALIK. UH, I LIVE AND WORK IN CAMBRIDGE. UM, I HAVE PREPARED NOTES. I DIDN'T THINK THE NEWS WOULD BE HERE TODAY AND [00:10:01] I KNOW I'M BEING RECORDED RIGHT NOW ON VIDEO AND CAMERA TWO PLACES ACTUALLY BY CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL AND ALSO BY LOCAL NEWS. UM, AND THAT'S REALLY A BIG REASON WHY SO MANY PEOPLE MOST WORRIED ABOUT SHOT SPOTTER DON'T COME HERE AND, YOU KNOW, I'LL START WITH MY PREPARED REMARKS. I'LL GET TO THAT. I FEEL DISRESPECTED, UNHEARD AND AS THOUGH ASPECTS OF MY IDENTITY THAT I'M BLACK OR BROWN, THE COLOR OF MY SKIN HAVE BEEN WIELDED AGAINST ME. I FEEL COMPELLED TO SPEAK BECAUSE I FEEL COMPELLED TO SPEAK AS I HAVE FOR A NUMBER OF SHOT SPOTTER CENTERED MEETINGS BECAUSE SHOT SPOTTER IS GARBAGE. IT IS TRASH, IT DOES NOT WORK. AND MY ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES TURNED TO ME AFTER TRAGEDY WHEN SHOT SPOTTER WOULD BY ALL EXPERT AND COMMON SENSE ACCOUNTS NOT HAVE WORKED ON THE 4TH OF JULY. WHEN THERE ARE GUNSHOTS EVERYWHERE, EVERY FIREWORK, EVERY FIRECRACKER, IT'S ANOTHER GUNSHOT. WHEN THEY TURNED TO ME, ALL OF US KNOWING IT WOULD NOT HAVE WORKED TO TELL ME IT WORKS. I KNOW, I KNOW I'M BEING DISRESPECTED AND NOT LISTENED TO. IT'S NO LONGER A THOUGHT IN MY MIND, IT IS REALITY IN FRONT OF ME. SHOTS WATER WAS PURCHASED. I GUESS THE CONTRACT STARTED, UM, WITH CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN 2014 WITHOUT ANY INPUT FROM THE CITY. IT'S BEEN RUNNING FOR 12 YEARS. THERE HAS BEEN OVER TWO YEARS OF ORGANIZING AGAINST SHOT SPOTTER SHOWING OVERWHELMING EVIDENCE. IT DOES NOT WORK IN CAMBRIDGE AND THAT'S JUST CAMBRIDGE. FOLKS HAVE MENTIONED CHICAGO, BUT FOLKS WILL MENTION OTHER CITIES WHERE SHOT SPOTTER CONTRACTS ENDED BECAUSE SHOT SPOTTER DOESN'T WORK. IT DOES NOT WORK EVEN IN THE MOST REACTIONARY, REACTIONARY REACTIONS TO GUN VIOLENCE. TO ASK US TO ADOPT A A, A TECHNOLOGY THAT DOES NOT WORK MAKES ZERO SENSE. IT WON'T WORK, IT WON'T PREVENT THE FUTURE SHOOTING OF SOMEONE IN CAMBRIDGE 'CAUSE IT DOESN'T WORK. ARE WE GONNA KEEP SILENCING UNDOCUMENTED MEMBER MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY SPEAK THROUGH RECORDINGS OR ARE WE GONNA ACTUALLY LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE? THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BEN AMATO, FOLLOWED BY KA KATIE NAPLES, MITCHELL BEN. SO I THINK WE KINDA NEED TO CENTER THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT VIOLENCE PREVENTION, UH, AND ABOUT COMMUNITY SAFETY AROUND WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS, RIGHT? WHAT ACTUALLY SOLVES THESE PROBLEMS FOR REAL PEOPLE, WHAT WE KNOW DOES NOT WORK IS INCREASED POLICING, INCREASED SURVEILLANCE, UM, AND INCREASED INCARCERATION. WE KNOW THESE THINGS DON'T WORK. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS STUDIES ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT SHOW THESE THINGS DON'T WORK. WHAT THESE, WHAT WE DO KNOW ABOUT THESE THINGS IS THAT THEY ACTUALLY LEAD TO WORSE OUTCOMES FOR THE COMMUNITIES THAT SOME OF US HERE SAY THAT WE'RE TRYING TO HELP, RIGHT? WE KNOW THAT INCREASED POLICING, INCREASED SURVEILLANCE, MASS INCARCERATION HAS DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BLACK, INDIGENOUS AND UH, LATINO PEOPLE, RIGHT? LIKE WE KNOW THESE THINGS. SO WHY DON'T WE START TO TALK ABOUT MAYBE SOMETHING THAT DOES WORK, RIGHT? NOT SHOT SPOTTER, BUT INVEST ACTUALLY INVESTING IN COMMUNITIES, RIGHT? LIKE INVESTING IN ACT IN COMMUNITY PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS THE ROOT OF CRIME, RIGHT? THE ROOT OF VIOLENCE. THESE THINGS DON'T JUST HAPPEN BECAUSE LIKE, OH, SOME PERSON WAS BORN EVIL AND ONE DAY THEY DECIDED THEY WERE GONNA GO COMMIT A CRIME. NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENS, RIGHT? CRIME IS LARGELY A PRODUCT OF, OF LACK, OF REAL ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES THAT PEOPLE FEEL LIKE ALLOW THEM TO ADVANCE THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHT? SO LET'S, LET'S FOCUS ON SOME THINGS THAT IMPROVE THAT SITUATION, RIGHT? LET'S FOCUS ON THINGS LIKE TREATMENT FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND, UM, FOR DRUG ADDICTION, RIGHT? LET'S FOCUS ON THINGS LIKE HELPING PEOPLE GET, UM, SKILLS FOR, YOU KNOW, BETTER EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT ACTUALLY INCREASE, UM, THEIR ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES. LET'S LOOK INTO LIKE MENTORING AND COUNSELING PROGRAMS, RIGHT? THINGS THAT ACTUALLY HELP THE COMMUNITIES NOT MADE UP. THINGS LIKE SHOCK WATER. THANK WATER. THANK YOU, BEN. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. PLEASE EMAIL THE REMAINDER. WE ARE AT SPEAKER NUMBER NINE, KATIE NAPLES MITCHELL, FOLLOWED BY LOIS MARKUM, THEN GLORIA CORMAN. KATIE, TWO MINUTES PLEASE GO AHEAD. KATIE HAS NOT JOINED US. WE WILL MOVE TO LOIS MARKHAM. LOIS, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS LOIS MARKHAM. I LIVE AT THREE 16 RIDGE AVENUE IN CAMBRIDGE. I'M SPEAKING ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION. LIKE ALL OF CAMBRIDGE, I'M HEARTBROKEN ABOUT THE DEATH OF MR. BARISTA ON JULY 4TH. I AGREE THAT WE AS A COMMUNITY NEED TO COMMIT IT TO A STRONG ANTI-VIOLENCE MEASURES [00:15:01] IN CAMBRIDGE. BUT LET'S BE CLEAR. SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY DOES NOT PREVENT VIOLENCE AND ACCEPTING SO-CALLED FREE SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY FROM THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WITH A DOCUMENTED 65% FALSE POSITIVE RESPONSE RATE, MOST ASSUREDLY DOES MORE HARM THAN GOOD IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. TRUE COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY IS NOT A QUICK FIX. IT TAKES HUMAN AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES OVER A SUSTAINED PERIOD OF TIME FOR EFFECTIVE AND LONG-TERM PUBLIC SAFETY. WE AS A CITY NEED TO COMMIT RESOURCES TO STABLE HOUSING, FOOD SECURITY, MENTAL HEALTHCARE, AND ENRICHING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL YOUNG PEOPLE BOTH IN AND OUT OF SCHOOL. THIS WILL TAKE TIME AND MONEY, BUT IT IS THE ONLY PROVEN WAY TO VIOLENCE PREVENTION. THERE ARE ALREADY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS IN PLACE TO LEAD THIS WORK. THEY NEED TO BE FUNDED AND WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORTED. I HOPE THAT YOU ARE ELECTED PUBLIC OFFICIALS WILL HAVE THE VISION TO LEAD US TO LONG-TERM EFFECTIVE PROGRAM OF TRUE PUBLIC SAFETY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GLORIA CORMAN. GLORIA, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. MY NAME IS GLORIA CORMAN AND I LIVE AT 91 MONTGOMERY STREET AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY. THE KILLING OF XAVIER BATISTA AND THE SHOOTING ON MEMORIAL DRIVE HAVE SHAKEN US ALL AND WE DESERVE REAL SAFETY. SHOT SPOTTER IS NOT REAL SAFETY. IT'S REACTIVE AND UNRELIABLE BY THE TIME A SENSOR GOES OFF. IF IT DOES, THE HARM IS ALREADY DONE. AND FALSE ALERTS WASTE PRECIOUS RESOURCES AND UNDERMINE TRUST. WE ALSO HAVE TO FACE ANOTHER TRUTH. THE ALLEGED PERPETRATORS IN THESE TRAGEDIES WERE RELEASED FROM PRISON, AND THAT SHOWS A PRISON SYSTEM THAT FAILS AT REHABILITATION. MORE SURVEILLANCE WON'T FIX THAT. IT JUST REACTS AFTER PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY BEEN FAILED. REAL SAFETY MEANS STABLE HOUSING, FOOD SECURITY, MENTAL HEALTH CARE, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG AND FORMERLY INCARCERATED PEOPLE. AND YET FUNDING FOR VIOLENCE INTERRUPTERS IN THE CITY HAS BEEN CUT FROM $150 TO 60 $150,000 TO $60,000. I URGE YOU TO REJECT SHOTS SPOTTER AND INVEST INSTEAD IN PROVEN COMMUNITY-BASED RESTORATIVE PROGRAMS THAT WILL ACTUALLY KEEP US SAFE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CAROLYN MAGID. CAROLYN, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN. PLEASE GO AHEAD. CAROLYN MA CAROLYN MAGID, 71 REED STREET. I'M SPEAKING FOR OUR REVOLUTION CAMBRIDGE. I LIVE IN NORTH CAMBRIDGE, JUST BLOCKS FROM A FATAL SHOOTING ON CLIFTON STREET AND GUNFIRE ON SHERMAN STREET. BOTH LAST YEAR, I AND OUR REVOLUTION, CAMBRIDGE STRONGLY SUPPORT EFFORTS TO ADDRESS GUN AND OTHER VIOLENCE IN CAMBRIDGE AND STRONGLY OPPOSE ANY RETURN TO SHOT SPOTTER OR ANY OTHER SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGIES IN CAMBRIDGE. AFTER EXTENSIVE DISCUSSIONS THAT COUNCIL VOTED TO ELIMINATE SHOT SPOTTER IN CAMBRIDGE FOR GOOD REASONS, EVIDENCE SHOWS IT DOES NOT PREVENT VIOLENCE. IT DOESN'T EVEN SHORTEN RESPONSE TIMES. IT DOES RECORD CONVERSATIONS AS WELL AS GUNSHOTS, AND IT DOES THREATEN CIVIL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES. WHAT SHOULD CAMBRIDGE DO INSTEAD? WELL, AS OTHERS HAVE BEEN SUGGESTING WE NEED VIOLENCE INTERRUPTERS, CITY SHELTERS AND STABLE HOUSING JOBS AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, FOOD AND MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS AND MUCH MORE. WE URGE YOU TO PROVIDE INCREASED AND CONSISTENT FUNDING TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND TO CITY PROGRAMS THAT ARE ALREADY DOING THIS WORK. THANKS. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KAVIA CROSTA, FOLLOWED BY DANNY PALIN, THEN LEE FERRIS KAVIA. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. PLEASE GO AHEAD. HELLO, MY NAME IS KAVIA CROSTA AND I LIVE ON PUTNAM AVENUE IN CAMBRIDGE. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND PUBLIC SAFETY. ALTHOUGH THE RECENT INSTANCES OF GUN VIOLENCE AND DEATH ARE DEVASTATING FOR THE COMMUNITY, I'D LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT MORE SURVEILLANCE AND POLICING HAVE HISTORICALLY NEVER BEEN AND NEVER WILL BE THE ANSWER TO STOP VIOLENCE. THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES ARE STEMMED FROM TRAUMA CAUSED BY PERSISTENT SYSTEMIC VIOLENCE AND LACK OF HOUSING, HEALTHCARE, FOOD ACCESS, AND OTHER HUMAN NECESSITIES. INCREASED SURVEILLANCE AND POLICING ARE ONLY REACTIVE SOLUTIONS THAT WORSEN THESE PROBLEMS, NOT SOLVE THEM. IF WE TRULY WANT GUN VIOLENCE TO END PERMANENTLY IN CAMBRIDGE, OUR [00:20:01] COMMUNITY MEMBERS NEED TO HAVE THEIR NEEDS MET BY THE CITY. WE HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR YEARS FOR FUNDING AROUND STABLE HOUSING, FOOD SECURITY, MENTAL HEALTH CARE, YOUTH JOBS, CRISIS RESPONSES THAT DO NOT RELY ON THE POLICE AND INSTEAD HAVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT LOOK LIKE US HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCES AS US. HELP US IN MOMENTS OF NEED. ARIF SA FASO WOULD'VE STILL BEEN WITH US IF WE HAD INVESTED IN MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSES INSTEAD OF THE POLICE. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AS THE CITY COUNCIL OF THIS CITY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF YOUR CITIZENS, ESPECIALLY THOSE HISTORICALLY AND CURRENTLY IMPACTED BY, BY SYSTEMIC VIOLENCE AT THE HANDS OF POLICE. SO I DEEPLY URGE THE COMMU THE CITY COUNCIL TO NOT INVEST IN POLICING, BUT IN THE PEOPLE FUND HOUSING, FUND HEALTHCARE FUND, FOOD ACCESS, BUT DO NOT FUND SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS THAT CONTINUE THE CYCLES OF VIOLENCE IN THIS CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DANNY PALEN. DANNY HAS NOT JOINED US. WE WILL GO TO LEE FERRIS, FOLLOWED BY MEG STONE, THEN ALEXANDRA THORN LEE, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. PLEASE GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. I'M LEE FERRIS. I LIVE IN THE PORT ON NORFOLK STREET, JUST ONE BLOCK FROM WHERE XAVIER BALTISTA WAS MURDERED. I FELT TERRIBLE FOR HIS FAMILY AS I WITNESSED THEIR PAIN AND GRIEF AT THE COMMUNITY MEETING. I HAVE ATTENDED FAR TOO MANY OF THOSE COMMUNITY MEETINGS. I WANT CAMBRIDGE TO USE THE BEST APPROACHES TO PREVENT VIOLENCE AND SAVE LIVES. THAT'S WHY I OPPOSE THE USE OF SHOT SPOTTER. THE EVIDENCE SHOWS SHOT SPOTTER DOES NOT PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE OR IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY. THAT'S WHY THE COUNCIL VOTED TO END IT. THEY WERE RESPONDING TO REQUEST FROM AFFECTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS. IN CAMBRIDGE. SHOTSPOTTER HAS A 65 TO 82% FALSE POSITIVE RATE. EVERY TIME SHOTSPOTTER GIVES A FALSE POSITIVE POLICE ARE DEPLOYED, WHICH WASTES POLICE TIME AND CAN POSE A RISK OF HARMFUL INTERACTION WITH RESIDENTS. THE RATE AT WHICH POLICE CLEAR CASES INVOLVING GUNSHOTS DID NOT IMPROVE IN AREAS WITH SHOT SPOTTER. INSTEAD OF SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY, I'D LIKE CAMBRIDGE TO FOCUS ON PROVEN SOLUTIONS SUCH AS COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERRUPTION PROGRAMS, INCLUDING HEART FUNDED, WELL-FUNDED MENTAL HEALTH CARE AND TRAUMA SUPPORT, PREVENTING EVICTIONS AND ENSURING STABLE HOUSING AND FOOD AND FUNDING FOR YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AND SUPPORT FOR REENTRY AFTER INCARCERATION OR AFTER CONVICTION. I HOPE THE COUNCIL WILL WORK ON PROVIDING SOLUTIONS THAT ACTUALLY WORK FOR NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE MINE THAT ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY EXPERIENCING GUN VIOLENCE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MEG STONE, FOLLOWED BY ALEXANDRA THORN, THEN JESSE BEARER. MEG, TWO MINUTES. HI, MY NAME IS MEG STONE. I LIVE IN AREA FOUR. I'M SPEAKING AS AN INDIVIDUAL NOT REPRESENTING ANY ORGANIZATION. EVERYONE WHO IS DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE MURDER OF XAVIER BATISTA DESERVES CARE, SUPPORT AND PROACTIVE SOLUTIONS FROM CAMBRIDGE CITY OFFICIALS. THE URGENT CALL TO ACTION SHOULD BE MET WITH EVERY RESOURCE THAT CAMBRIDGE HAS TO OFFER, BUT I ALSO WANNA NAME AN IMPORTANT REALITY OF THIS HORRIBLE CRIME THAT DESERVES MORE INTENTION. ACCORDING TO STATEMENTS MADE BY DA MARION RYAN, THE MAN WHO IS CHARGED WITH MURDERING BATISTA IS ALSO CHARGED WITH ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF A FIREARM. RECENT A TF DATA AS WELL AS DATA FROM FOCUSED STUDIES ON SEVERAL MAJOR CITIES SHOW THAT THE MAJORITY OF FIREARMS USED IN VIOLENT CRIMES ARE STOLEN OR OTHERWISE ILLEGALLY OBTAINED. MASSACHUSETTS IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LEADER IN COMMON SENSE GUN SAFETY LAWS AND THOSE LAWS SAVE LIVES. BUT EFFECTIVE POLICY ONLY WORKS WHEN LAW ENFORCEMENT DOES ITS PART. I HOPE TO SEE THE COUNCIL, THE CITY MANAGER, AND ALL CITY LEADERS START ASKING HARD QUESTIONS OF THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE. WHY HAVE THEY NOT DONE MORE TO DETECT STOLEN AND ILLEGALLY OBTAINED GUNS? WHAT CAN WE AS A COMMUNITY DO TO MAKE THIS A PRIORITY IN THE FUTURE? RATHER THAN AMPLIFY THE TALKING POINTS OF POLICE UNIONS LESS ASK HARD QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW WE CAN MAKE OUR POLICE MORE EFFECTIVE AT REMOVING ILLEGAL FIREARMS FROM OUR COMMUNITIES. THOSE MOST AFFECTED BY THIS TRAGEDY DESERVE REAL SOLUTIONS. THANK YOU. WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO AN EARLIER SKIP SPEAKER. JALEN BERNARD, FOLLOWED BY ALEXANDRA THORN. JALEN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. PLEASE GO AHEAD. JALEN, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. [00:25:04] HEY, UM, HEY MADAM MAYOR, UM, AS CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU GUYS FOR HAVING THIS MEETING TODAY. UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SPEAK ON TWO POINTS. ONE POINT BEING, UM, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE VIOLENCE PREVENTION TEAM AND GROW THE VIOLENCE PREVENTION TEAMS, UM, GIVE THEM A BIGGER BUDGET SO THEY'RE ABLE TO DO MORE EVENTS AND MORE PROGRAMMING WITHIN THE CITY. I ALSO THINK THAT THEY'RE GONNA NEED SOME MORE STAFF TO HELP SUPPORT SUCH A STRONG AND IMPORTANT MOVEMENT IN THE CITY. UM, AND THEN THE NEXT PIECE ABOUT THIS IS JUST USING CAMERAS FOR SURVEILLANCE. I'M SAYING I THINK IT'S A, UH, DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH AMOUNT OF HOMICIDES THAT ARE IN CAMBRIDGE THAT HAVE VICTIMS OF BLACK PEOPLE. UM, AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT WAYS OF, UM, USING TECHNOLOGY, WHETHER IT'S SHOT SPOTTER, WHETHER IT'S FLOCK CAMERAS, WHETHER IT IS, UM, ANY TYPE OF CAMERAS TO REALLY GET DOWN TO THE SOLUTION HERE. I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE SOLUTION WOULD BE. UM, AND THEN I ALSO THINK THAT JUST IN GENERAL, THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO TELL. SO, AND I THINK THAT WE'VE SEEN THAT, THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO TELL. SO THAT IS THE REASON WHY I BELIEVE WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT CAMERAS. UM, AND IT WOULD ALSO BE NICE TO SEE A SPECIFIC PRIVACY POLICY GO IN THAT IS CLEAR THAT WE ARE ONLY USING THESE CAMERAS FOR VIOLENT CRIME, UM, SUCH AS MURDER, RAPE, STILL SOME ARE BEING ABDUCTED AND JUST FIGURING OUT LOCATIONS IN THE CITY TO PUT THESE CAMERAS. UH, THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR TIME AND HOPE YOU HAVE A GOOD DAY. AND AGAIN, OH, I'M SORRY. AND THEN, UH, JUST THANK YOU TO, YOU KNOW, KWAME DANCE, THE CITY MANAGER, THE COUNCIL. I'M SAYING FOR GETTING THIS VIOLENCE PREVENTION TEAM, UH, MARIE MAY TELL YOU AS WELL. SO JUST THANK YOU TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE LEADING THESE EFFORTS IN THE CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ALEXANDRA THORN. ALEXANDER, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS ALEXANDRA THORN AND I LIVE IN SOMERVILLE AND SPEND SIGNIFICANT TIME IN CAMBRIDGE. THANK YOU MAYOR SIDIKI FOR HOLDING THIS IMPORTANT MEETING ON PUBLIC SAFETY IN CAMBRIDGE AND FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. I'M APPALLED BY THE MURDER OF XAVIER BATISTA AND WAS ALSO PROFOUNDLY DISTURBED BY THE MASS SHOOTING ON MEMORIAL DRIVE. THIS MAY IT'S INCREDIBLY TROUBLING AND AS I'VE LEARNED MORE ABOUT THE TWO CASES, I FIND MYSELF ASKING THE QUESTION, HOW COULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED? BOTH CASES INVOLVE PERPETRATORS WHO HAD BEEN RECENTLY RELEASED FROM PRISON, AND IN THE CASE OF THE MEMORIAL DRIVE SHOOTER, WE KNOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN CLEAR SIGNS OF EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE. I KEEP COMING BACK TO THE QUESTION OF WHAT IT SAYS ABOUT OUR PUNITIVE CARCERAL SYSTEM. IF PEOPLE BEING RELEASED FROM PRISON QUICKLY ENGAGE IN VIOLENCE. LEAVING ASIDE THE QUESTION OF WHETHER THE CARRAL SYSTEM IN FACT REHABILITATES PEOPLE AT ALL, IT'S CLEAR THAT OUR EFFORTS TO HELP FORMER INMATES REINTEGRATE INTO SOCIETY ARE FALLING SHORT. WHAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO, TO PREVENT WHAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO, TO PREVENT VIOLENCE, NOT TO SOLVE CRIMES AFTER SOMEONE HAS BEEN KILLED, BUT TO ACTUALLY KEEP PEOPLE ALIVE, IS TO INVEST IN NON-POLICE SYSTEMS FOR VIOLENCE, INTERRUPTION AND PREVENTION SYSTEMS BASED IN, IN THE, IN THE MOST AFFECTED COMMUNITIES AND LED BY PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE. TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY, CAMBRIDGE MUST INCREASED FUNDING TO THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT MUST EXPAND THE ABILITY OF CARE TO RESPOND TO 9 1 1 CALLS, AND ESPECIALLY MUST INCREASE GRANTS TO HELP SUPPORT COMMUNITY RUN ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE HOLISTIC EMERGENCY ALERT RESPONSE TEAM OR HEART SURVEILLANCE DOESN'T PREVENT VIOLENCE. COMMUNITY INVESTMENT. DOES I YIELD MY TIME? THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JESSE BAYER, FOLLOWED BY LAWRENCE ATKINS. JESSE, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI, I'M JESSE BEAR 10 POPLAR ROAD. A LITTLE OVER A DECADE AGO, MY LATE GRANDMOTHER STARTED CALLING 9 1 1. POLICE WOULD COME AND FIND NOTHING WAS WRONG. THAT WAS WHEN MY FAMILY REALIZED THAT SHE COULDN'T LIVE ON HER OWN ANY LONGER. WE UNDERSTAND THAT FALSE ALARMS MAKE US LESS SAFE, NOT MORE SAFE. THAT'S WHY WE ACTUALLY MAKE IT A CRIME TO INTENTIONALLY MAKE FALSE CALLS TO THE POLICE. THERE'S A REASON WE TEACH THE BOY WHO CRIED WOLF TO KIDS IN SCHOOL RESPONSE TIMES WENT DOWN IN CHICAGO WHEN THEY GOT RID OF SHOT SPOTTER CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE. BUT GIVEN THE LOW ACCURACY OF THE SYSTEM, IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO ME IN OVER A DECADE, THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THIS TECHNOLOGY SAVED A SINGLE LIFE OR HELP SOLVE A SINGLE CRIME IN CAMBRIDGE. YOU KNOW WHAT I CALL THAT A BROKEN SYSTEM. YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK? I THINK POLICE DEPARTMENTS LIKE TO SPEND MONEY AND CITY GOVERNMENTS LIKE TO GIVE THEM MONEY TO SPEND EVEN IF IT'S ON USELESS PRODUCTS. ANY COMPANY SELLING A PRODUCT AS BROKEN AS SHOT SPOTTED ANYONE, BUT THE POLICE WOULD BE BANKRUPT. [00:30:01] EVERYONE IN CAMBRIDGE SHOULD FEEL SAFE. WE DESERVE TO BE SAFE. OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES REAL SOLUTIONS AND ACTUAL SAFETY, NOT BROKEN SYSTEMS CYNICALLY SOLD AS ANSWERS TO A GRIEVING COMMUNITY. IF THIS BROKEN SYSTEM HAD BEEN IN PLACE, IT WOULD NOT HAVE SAVED XAVIER XAVIER BATISTA'S LIFE. BUT IF WE BRING IT BACK, IT MAY WELL COST LIVES. IF YOU BRING BACK THIS FRAUD AND SOMEONE BLEEDS OUT WHILE EMS IS DISTRACTED ANSWERING FALSE ALARMS, THAT'S ON YOU. IF YOU BRING BACK THIS FAKE SOLUTION AND SOMEONE DIES BECAUSE A CAR BACKFIRED AND COPS COME AND GUNS DRAWN, THAT'S ON YOU. I HOPE YOU SIT WITH THAT BEFORE TAKING RASH ACTION TONIGHT. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LAWRENCE ATKINS. MR. ATKINS, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. PLEASE GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS LAWRENCE ATKINS. I AM A LEGACY CAN BRIDGET, I MUST BE, UH, SLIPPING IN WHAT I'VE BEEN READING IN THE PAPER, PARTICULARLY WITH THE SHORT STOPPER. UM, I THOUGHT IT WAS A RESPONSE TIME OF SAVING SOMEONE'S LIFE NOT TO STOP A SHOOTING. I THINK THAT'S OUR FIRST RESPONSIBILITY THAT IN THE EVENT THEREOF, OUR BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE ALL OVER IT. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT DEVICE DIDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ACTIVE BECAUSE OF THE ACTIONS OF THIS COUNCIL. I KNOW THAT NIGHT WHEN THIS COUNCIL DECIDED TO DO THAT, I HEARD ONE COUNSELOR STATE PERHAPS WE SHOULD DO SOMETHING THAT WILL REPLACE THE SHORT STOPPER BEFORE WE CANCELED IT. HENCE THIS COUNCIL FOLLOW ITS OWN LEAD WHEN IT IS NOT THE EXPERT IN WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT. AGAIN, I WANNA MAKE ANOTHER OBSERVATION. AS OF TODAY, I DO NOT SEE THE INTERIM POLICE COMMISSIONER WHO SHOULD BE HERE. THAT IS HER DEPARTMENT. MADAM MAYOR, MR. CITY MANAGER. IT IS A SEPARATE ENTITY AND NEITHER ONE OF YOU TWO INDIVIDUALS RUN OR HAVE COMMAND OVER THAT DEPARTMENT. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THINGS ARE DONE UNIFIED WITH EVERYBODY. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CAMP BRIDGES ARE INVOLVED. YOU'VE EACH HAVE HAD MEETINGS SEGREGATED, AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT YOU'RE DOING A ALL OUT EFFORT. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSTANTANEOUS ACROSS THE CITY FOR EVERY KID TO TO HEAR EVERYTHING AT ONE TIME SO IT WOULDN'T BE SECONDHAND. WE NEED TO STOP THAT INSTANTLY. YOU WANT RESULTS? GET EVERY COMMUNITY INVOLVED AND HAVE NOTHING IN ONE SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD. HAVE IT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ROCHELLE, A WE AT SPEAKER NUMBER 20 OF 48. ROCHELLE, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI, UM, I'M ROCHELLE. I'M A RESIDENT OF CAMBRIDGE, UM, AND MOTHER TO CHILDREN WHO GO TO THE CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS. UM, THE THE RECENT VIOLENCE AND DEATHS OF XAVIER TIESTO'S TRAGIC. UM, HOWEVER, I'M GOING TO ASK TO JOIN, UM, MY FELLOW SPEAKERS TODAY IN, UM, REQUESTING THAT THE CITY NOT DOUBLE DOWN, NOT ADOPT OR DOUBLE DOWN OR INCREASE SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS SHOT SPOTTER, WHICH, UM, DO NOT MAKE PEOPLE SAFER. IT IS REACTIVE, UM, TECHNOLOGY. IT IS RIFE WITH A LOT OF PROBLEMS. UM, IT IS NOT ADDRESSING THE ISSUES THAT ARE AT THE ROOT, THE ROOT CAUSE ISSUES THAT ARE, THAT IS BEHIND VIOLENCE AND OTHER SOCIAL, UM, ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO DEAL WITH. SO PLEASE, UM, DO NOT, DO NOT EMBRACE THESE TECHNOLOGIES. DO NOT READOPT SHOT SPOTTER. THIS HAS BEEN A VERY CONTENTIOUS ISSUE IN THE TOWN FOR, UM, PROBABLY MORE THAN A DECADE NOW. SO PLEASE HEED THE CALL OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS HERE. UM, AND INSTEAD, UM, AS MY, YOU KNOW, FELLOW COUNTER BURS AND COMMUNITIES HAVE MENTIONED EARLIER, PLEASE LOOK AT, UM, OTHER METHODS TO REDUCE, TO, TO CONTROL GUN VIOLENCE, UM, TO REDUCE, UM, TO, TO CREATE SAFER COMMUNITIES TO ADDRESS ACTUAL NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY SUCH AS MENTAL HEALTH, SECURITY, HOUSING, ET CETERA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MASON SHEPHERD, FOLLOWED BY SOPHIE GILLARD, THEN B FEINBERG MASON, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. HI EVERYONE, MY NAME IS MASON SHEPHERD. UH, I AM AN ORGANIZ ORGANIZER WITH THE, UH, MIT GRADUATE STUDENTS UNION. UM, BUT I AM HERE PERSONALLY IN MY CAPACITY TODAY AS A RESIDENT OF CAMBRIDGE. AND, UH, [00:35:01] I'M SURE LIKE MANY RESIDENTS OF CAMBRIDGE, UM, INCLUDING MANY STUDENTS, AGREE, UH, THERE IS NO VISION OF PUBLIC SAFETY IN CAMBRIDGE OR ANYWHERE THAT, UH, INCLUDES MASS SURVEILLANCE OF OUR COMMUNITIES. UM, MASS SURVEILLANCE THAT WE KNOW IS DATA THAT IS COLLECTED AND THEN STORED IN, UH, DATA CENTERS BEING PROPOSED IN COMMUNITIES, UH, MILES AROUND IN ALL DIRECTIONS, UH, MUCH POORER AND MORE RURAL THAN OUR OWN, UH, WHO ARE OPPOSED TO THOSE. UH, BUT WHILE THAT MAY BE NEW, WE DO KNOW THAT ATTEMPTED MASS SURVEILLANCE OF, UH, OUR OWN POOR AND DISENFRANCHISED COMMUNITIES, UH, IS NOTHING NEW. AND, UH, IT IS IN DIAMETRIC OPPOSITION TO A VISION OF PUBLIC SAFETY THAT INVESTS THOSE RESOURCES RATHER IN PREVENTATIVE MEASURES THAT UPLIFT COMMUNITIES AND ENFRANCHISE THEM IN EVERY SENSE. UM, AND THAT IS WHY WE MUST NOT REINTRODUCE SHOTSPOTTER OR ANY FORM OF MASS SURVEILLANCE IN THE STREETS OF CAMBRIDGE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SOPHIE GILLARD, FOLLOWED BY B FEINBERG, THEN TONY CLARK. SOPHIE. HI, UM, MY NAME IS SOPHIE GILLARD. I AM A RESIDENT OF ROSALYN STREET IN PORTER SQUARE. THE DEATH OF XAVIER BATISTA IS A HORRIBLE TRAGEDY. AS OUR CITY GRIEVES HIM, CAMBRIDGE NEEDS TO INVEST IN SOLUTIONS THAT ACTUALLY PREVENT VIOLENCE. KEEPING SHOT SPOTTER IS NOT ONE OF THOSE SOLUTIONS. FOR MONTHS WE'VE HEARD FROM ADVOCATES FROM THE BLACK RESPONSE, THE A CLU AND OTHERS WHO'VE SHARED THE STATS ON HOW INACCURATE SHOT SPOTTER IS AND ALSO HOW LITTLE TRANSPARENCY SHOT SPOTTER OFFERS INTO HOW THEY USE THE DATA THAT THEY COLLECT. IT'S CLEAR THAT SHOT SPOTTER IS NOT GOOD AT DETERRING CRIME. SHOT SPOTTER IS GOOD AT SURVEILLING US, AND IN PARTICULAR, SPYING ON OUR LOW INCOME AND BLACK AND BROWN NEIGHBORS. DO NOT BRING SHOT SPOTTER BACK. DO NOT EN ENGAGE THESE REACTIONARY POLITICS. INVEST IN SOME OF THE DATA-BACKED VIOLENCE PREVENTION MEASURES THAT OTHERS HAVE MENTIONED HERE TODAY. I WANNA THANK COUNCILOR ZUBE, COUNCILLOR, SABRINA WHEELER, COUNCILLOR NOLAN MAYOR CITYKEY, AND AND COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN, UM, FOR THEIR COURAGE ON THIS ISSUE. AND TO THE REMAINING COUNSELORS, I WANNA SAY THAT WE WANT SOLUTIONS THAT STOP VIOLENCE FROM HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE. NOT FAULTY TECH THAT DOESN'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GUNSHOT AND A FIRECRACKER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS B FEINBERG, FOLLOWED BY TONY CLARK. THEN LUKE ACTON B. TWO MINUTES. HEY FOLKS. B FEINBERG COLUMBIA STREET. LOOK, THIS FEELS LIKE AN EASY WAY OUT TO SHOW THE PUBLIC THE CITY IS DOING SOMETHING ABOUT VIOLENCE. IT FEELS LIKE THEATER EITHER KOWING TO A VERY FEW LOUD UNREASONABLE VOICES OR WORSE APPEARS LIKE USING XAVIER'S TRAGIC DEATH IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SKIRT THE OVERWHELMING CONSENSUS AMONG CANTA BRIDGES THAT THEY WANT SHOT SPOTTER OUT. BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW FROM LISTENING TO THE SCORES AND SCORES OF ANALYSIS, THAT SHOT SPOTTER IS INEFFECTIVE AND HAS NEVER SAVED A LIFE. WE KNOW FROM SCORES AND SCORES OF TESTIMONY FROM FOLKS, PLEASE NOTE SEVERAL WERE TRUNCATED BY OUR COUNSELOR SILENCING THEM LAST MEETING WHO FEEL LESS SAFE? KNOWING A SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM COULD WREAK LIFE-CHANGING VIOLENCE BY INVITING A RESPONSE THAT COULD ESCALATE VIOLENCE OR IF SURVEILLANCE DATA GOT IN THE HANDS OF ICE. IF IT TRULY CARES ABOUT PREVENTING VIOLENCE, IT WOULD STOP ITS ATTENTION ON THIS THOROUGHLY CONFIRMED AS INACCURATE, NOT PREVENTATIVE, AND POTENTIALLY REALLY DANGEROUS TECHNOLOGY. IF IT TRULY CARES ABOUT RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES, IT NEEDS TO INVEST IN COMMUNITY CARE TO LISTEN TO KENTE BRIDGE'S AND FINALLY REMOVE SHOTS. SPOTTER WAS A STEP TOWARD BEING A BODY OF AND FOR THE PEOPLE. COUNCIL VOTED TO END THE USE OF FAULTY AND DANGEROUS SHOT SPOTTER AFTER HEARING SCORES OF TESTIMONY FROM PEOPLE IN THE VERY NEIGHBORHOODS. MOST HEAVILY SURVEILLED. AS SOMEONE IN ONE WHO LISTENED TO BLACK AND BROWN NEIGHBORS FROM THOSE AREAS PUT THEMSELVES IN VULNERABLE POSITIONS TO SPEAK OUT. I FIND THE RESOLUTIONS WEAR AS CLAUSE UNFAIR, IF NOT MANIPULATIVE, THAT EXPRESSES THAT THOSE AND NEIGHBORHOODS MOST AFFECTED BY GUN VIOLENCE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY HEARD AND CONSIDERED BEFORE THE TECHNOLOGY WAS REMOVED TO PLACATE. A VOCAL FEW IS REACTIONARY. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAS CHANGED ABOUT THE NET HARM OF SHOT SPOTTER AND IT BEING IN PLACE WOULD NOT HAVE BROUGHT XAVIER BACK TO LIFE OR PREVENTED THIS STRATEGY. PLEASE INVEST IN ACTUAL WAYS TO KEEP US SAFE DOING SO WHILE SHOT SPOTTER IN PLACE IS AN [00:40:01] IT. AND PUT A STOP TO 20 26, 1 36 AND KEEP SHOT SPOTTER OUT OF OUR CITY. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TONY CLARK. TONY, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI, MY NAME IS TONY CLARK. I WANTED TO SAY I KNEW XAVIER AND HOPE XAVIER'S FOR THAT MATTER. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, AN HONORABLE COMMITTEE. UM, MY FATHER WAS KILLED WHEN I WAS FOUR YEARS OLD. MY SISTER HADN'T YET CELEBRATED HER FIRST BIRTHDAY. MY MOTHER BECAME A WIDOW SHY OF THE AGE OF 30. THAT MURDER HAPPENED ACROSS THE BRIDGE, A SHORT DRIVE FROM WHERE THIS MOST RECENT ACT OF CONESS TOOK PLACE. IN THAT MOMENT. OUR THREE LIVES WERE FOREVER CHANGED AND DECADES LATER, I STILL CARRY THE VOID THAT WAS VIOLENTLY TAKEN FROM ME. UNFORTUNATELY, THESE ACTS ARE NOT JUST PERSONAL FOR ME. MANY OF US CARRY THIS. IN AUGUST OF 94, I HAD A GUN PLACED TO THE BACK OF MY HEAD ON COLUMBIA STREET AT A BASKETBALL COURT WEEKS BEFORE I WAS SET TO GO TO COLLEGE. I WAS ONLY SPARED BECAUSE ONE OF THE MEN WITH THE GUN MAY HAVE KNOWN ME. HE TOLD THE SHOOTER TO STAND DOWN THE STORY, MADE THE NEWS. I WAS INTERVIEWED AND I WAS THANKFULLY TO GRANTED THE CHANCE TO SEE ANOTHER DAY TO MEET AND RAISE MY SON, WHO TODAY I HAVE TO NEGOTIATE A LIFE WITH ABOUT HOW HE COULD, HOW HE TOO COULD BE SUBJECTED TO THE SAME CENSUS VIOLENCE. THIS COMMUNITY OFTEN PRAISES. ITS PRIDES ITSELF ON ITS INNOVATION. THERE IS A SOCIAL JUSTICE UNIT. HOW CAN THAT APPARATUS WORK WITH SCHOOLS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF VIOLENCE? 'CAUSE IF YOU THINK YOUR CITY BEING OF A DESIRABLE PLACE TO LIVE MEANS YOU, YOU SOLVED THIS, YOU'VE MISSED THE MARK. DATA IS GREAT, BUT THE DATA MEANS NOTHING TO THOSE WHO LIVE IN FEAR. I CAN'T STAND HERE TODAY AND TELL YOU I SAW A GUN ON THE GREEN TURTLE BUS WHEN I CAUGHT IT IN SEVENTH GRADE IN FRONT OF IZZY'S AT 12. I KNOW WHERE GUNS WERE BEING STASHED AT HIGH SCHOOL PARTIES AS A CITY THAT PRIDES ITSELF ON RESEARCH. EXAMINED THE WORK BEING DONE IN BERKELEY, SHAKER HEIGHTS IN ST. PAUL AROUND GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION AS XAVIER'S SON AND FAMILY, ALONG WITH OTHER FAMILIES OF UNSOLVED MURDERS IN THIS CITY, KNOW EVEN A SAFE ZIP CODE, EVEN WITH A SAFE ZIP CODE. WE REMAIN UNSAFE MENTALLY, EMOTIONALLY, AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY. I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND COMMITMENT TO THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LUKE ACTON, FOLLOWED BY PAUL PIERCE S THEN CHEVON MCDONOUGH. WE'RE AT SPEAKER NUMBER 25. LUKE, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. HELLO, MY NAME'S LUKE. I'M A CAMBRIDGE RE RESIDENT AND I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON SOMETHING THAT WAS WRITTEN IN A BOSTON GLOBE OP-ED BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS AND FLAHERTY. UM, YOU SAID THAT CITY COUNCIL'S ELEVATED IDEOLOGY OR FACTS, AND WITH THAT IN MIND, I'VE GATHERED SOME DATA FOUND BY INDEPENDENT RESEARCHERS FROM STUDYING THE TECHNOLOGY. SO SOME OTHER PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED, UH, CHICAGO, AND THE DATA IS REALLY STARK IN THAT REGARD. A STUDY PUBLISHED LAST MONTH FOUND THAT CALL TO DISPATCH TIME AND CALL TO ON SCENE TIME INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY FOLLOWING SHOT SPOTTER'S IMPLE IMPLEMENTATION AND THE PROBABILITY OF ARRESTS DECREASED BY 9%. ADDITIONALLY, AN ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC RECORDS IN CHICAGO WHERE SHOT SPOTTER HAS NOW BEEN DEACTIVATED SINCE 2024, FOUND THAT NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAD SHOT SPOTTER NOW HAD AN AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME IMPROVEMENT OF 4.22 MINUTES AFTER ITS REMOVAL, ALONG WITH AN 11.3 DECREASE IN VIOLENT CRIME AND 32.1% DECREASE IN HOMICIDE. SIMILARLY, AN ANALYSIS OF DETROIT FOUND THAT WHILE VIOLENT CRIME REDUCED BY 6.5% WAS SHOT SPOTTER'S INTI INSTALLATION NONVIOLENT CRIME ROSE BY 8.5% WITH NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN CASE CLEARANCE RATE. ANOTHER STUDY IN 2013 FOUND THE SAME THING IN BROCKTON. THERE WAS NO INCREASE IN CASE CLOSURES AFTER SHOT SPOTTER WAS IMPLEMENTED. ANOTHER 2021 ANALYSIS PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL OF URBAN HEALTH FOUND ZERO RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SHOT SPOTTER IMPLEMENTATION AND THE RATES OF FIREARM HOMICIDES, MURDER ARRESTS, OR WEAPON ARRESTS FOR LARGE METRO COUNTIES ACROSS AMERICA. FINALLY, AN INVESTIGATION BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FOUND THAT SHOT SPOTTER HAD NUMEROUS FLAWS LIKE MISSING LIVE GUNFIRE RIGHT UNDER THE MICROPHONE. AND WHILE EVERYTHING FROM FIREWORKS TO DUMPSTERS TRIGGER FALSE POSITIVES, SHOT SPOTTERS PROPRIETARY TECHNOLOGY THAT IS SECRETIVE ABOUT THE ACTUAL INNER WORKINGS OF THE SOFTWARE MAKING OVERSIGHT INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT AS A RESULT OF THIS OVERWHELMING INEFFICIENCY, CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY FROM SAN ANTONIO AND TO CHARLOTTE TO FALL RIVER RIGHT HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS HAVE CANCELED THEIR CONTRACT WITH SHOT SPOT SPOTTER. THANK YOU LUKE. YOUR TIME IS EXPIRED. PLEASE EMAIL US THE REMAINDER FOR ANYONE WHOSE TIME RUNS OUT. PLEASE EMAIL US AT CITY COUNCIL@CAMBRIDGEMA.GOV. OUR NEXT SPEAKER, PAUL PIERCE, HAS NOT JOINED. WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO EARLIER SKIPPED SPEAKER KATIE NAPLES. MITCHELL. KATIE, TWO MINUTES PLEASE GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KATIE NAPLES MITCHELL. I'M JUSTICE POLICY COUNSEL WITH THE A CLU OF MASSACHUSETTS. AND I'VE BEEN A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT FOR THE BETTER PART OF A DECADE AFTER A TRAGIC KILLING. IT IS NATURAL AND CRITICAL TO SEARCH FOR SOLUTIONS TO PREVENT VIOLENCE AND SAVE LIVES. I HOPE THE COUNCIL WILL FOCUS ON WHAT IS PROVEN TO REDUCE AND PREVENT VIOLENCE. TO THAT END, I'M HERE TO ENCOURAGE [00:45:01] THE COUNCIL TO REJECT THE POLICY ORDER, ASKING THE CITY TO IMMEDIATELY REINSTATE SHOT SPOTTER AND SUPPORT THE REQUESTS IN EVERY POLICY ORDER FILED TODAY FOR A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION EFFORTS. GUN VIOLENCE IS AN EQUITY ISSUE. IT DISPROPORTIONATELY HARMS PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN CAMBRIDGE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND BLACK RESIDENTS IN PARTICULAR. AND WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THE PERSONAL TRAUMA THAT CREATES GENERATIONAL HARM FOR OUR NEIGHBORS. SAFETY IS NOT NEGOTIABLE. THE COUNCIL SHOULD TARGET RESOURCES TOWARD THE PEOPLE AND NEIGHBORHOODS THAT NEED THE MOST INVESTMENT, BUT IN THE MANNER THAT WILL BE MOST EFFECTIVE AT ACHIEVING THE GOAL OF SAFE AND THRIVING COMMUNITIES FOR ALL. SHOT SPOTTER DOES NOT DELIVER ON PUBLIC SAFETY GOALS AND HAS NOT BEEN SHOWN TO SAVE LIVES. YOU'VE HEARD ALREADY THAT SHOT SPOTTER DOES NOT REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE, PREVENT GUN CRIME OR HEALTH POLICE SOLVE MORE SHOOTINGS OR MURDERS. EVEN IN THE ISOLATED STUDIES THAT FIND SHOT SPOTTER MAY GET VICTIMS TO A HOSPITAL FASTER, THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT SHOT SPOTTER REDUCES MORTALITY. IN OTHER WORDS, THAT IT SAVES LIVES. SO WHERE SHOULD THE COUNCIL SPEND ITS RESOURCES IN PROVEN PROGRAMS THAT PREVENT AND DETER VIOLENCE, COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION, STABLE FUNDED MENTAL HEALTHCARE AND TRAUMA SUPPORT, ROBUST FUNDING FOR YOUTH EMPLOYMENT. CAMBRIDGE ALREADY FUNDS SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS, BUT IN SMALL DOLLAR AMOUNTS AND IN SINGLE YEAR GRANT CYCLES, THESE PROGRAMS DESERVE MORE FUNDING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO DEFINE METRICS FOR SUCCESS AND LONGER TIMETABLES, PARTICULARLY IN URGENT MOMENTS OF GRIEF. I HOPE THE COUNCIL WILL RESIST THE IMPULSE TO REACH FOR SOMETHING THAT SEEMS SUPPORTIVE OF COMMUNITY NEEDS, BUT ULTIMATELY DOESN'T DELIVER RESULTS. THANK YOU. AND I'VE SUBMITTED MORE DETAILED WRITTEN COMMENTS WITH THE RESEARCH I MENTIONED. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SHAHAN MCDONOUGH, FOLLOWED BY GLENNA WYMAN. THEN MARK EISENBERG SHAVONNE. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. THANK YOU. I'M SHAHAN MCDONOUGH. I LIVE ON ELLERY STREET. I'M A MEMBER OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA AND THE UNITED AUTO WORKERS. UM, I THINK ALL OF THE COMMENTERS HERE TONIGHT, EVERYONE YOU'VE HEARD FROM, EVERYONE YOU HEARD FROM AT THE COMMUNITY MEETING AROUND THIS FROM EVERY PERSPECTIVE ON THE ISSUE IS UNITED IN A REAL COMMUNITY GRIEF AND A REAL DESIRE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. UM, AND I THINK THAT'S GENUINE FROM REALLY ACROSS THE SPECTRUM HERE. AND I DON'T WANNA, I THINK WE NEED TO BE REALLY CAREFUL NOT TO INVALIDATE ANYONE'S REALLY GENUINE CONCERNS AROUND THAT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO OWE IT TO THOSE PEOPLE TO OFFER REAL SOLUTIONS. WE OWE IT TO EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS ROOT CAUSES HERE AND NOT JUST TO ADD SECURITY THEATER. WE KNOW SHOUT SPOTTER ACTUALLY MAKES POLICE LESS RESPONSIVE TO SERIOUS EMERGENCIES. NOT MORE WE KNOW IT INCREASES POLICING AND SURVEILLANCE OF THE MOST VULNER VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES. ON THE OTHER HAND, WE ALSO KNOW WHAT ACTUALLY MAKES OUR COMMUNITY SAFER. AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM FOLKS TONIGHT, OVER AND OVER HOUSING, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTHCARE, TRANSPORTATION, JOBS, AND A REAL VOICE IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS, PLEASE DON'T TAKE THE LOW HANGING ROTTEN FRUIT OFFERED TO YOU ALL BY SURVEILLANCE CONTRACTORS INVEST IN REAL SOLUTIONS THAT ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF VIOLENCE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GLENNA WYMAN, FOLLOWED BY MARK EISENBERG GLENNA. HI, I AM GLENNA WYMAN, UH, 25 EIGHTH STREET, EAST CAMBRIDGE. UM, I WANNA SAY AT THE OUTSET SO I DON'T, UM, RUN OUT OF TIME. UH, I URGE, UH, THE MAJORITY ON THE COUNCIL TO OPPOSE POLICY ORDER REQUEST NUMBER 1 36 TO, UH, IT SAYS SHOTS WATER REMAIN IN OPERATION. UH, I THOUGHT IT HAD BEEN DISABLED, BUT IF IT WASN'T, IT SORT OF UNDERMINES THE ARGUMENT THAT'S BEEN MADE THAT IF IT WERE IN OPERATION THERE WOULD'VE, UM, YOU KNOW, BEEN A DIFFERENT RESULT. UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS, WHETHER IT WAS OFF OR ON, UH, WHETHER IT'S TRUE THAT THE OWNERS OF SHOT SPOTTER, UH, THE OPERATOR, UM, ACTUALLY DISABLE IT FROM WORKING DURING, UM, FIREWORKS SEASON JULY 4TH, UM, AND, UH, WHEN THE SHOOTING ACTUALLY EVEN OCCURRED. UM, I WOULD ALSO JUST, UH, UH, UH, REITERATE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAID. WE NEED YOUTH WORKERS, WE NEED, UH, OPPORTUNITY PROGRAMS, AND I SUPPORT THE OTHER TWO, UH, POLICY ORDERS, UH, THAT WOULD, UH, PROVIDE SUPPORT, UH, TO, UH, SOLUTIONS THAT DON'T INVOLVE SURVEILLANCE. UM, THAT'S A LATE ORDER. UH, I ALSO [00:50:01] WOULD, UH, URGE FOLKS TO OPPOSE THAT MORE SURVEILLANCE BY CAMERA IS NOT WELCOME IN OUR PARKS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARK EISENBERG. MARK, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. PLEASE GO AHEAD. I THANK THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT. I LIVE ON CONCORD AVENUE AND I'M A PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN. I'VE LOST MANY PATIENTS TO GUNS AND INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE. I HAVE MOURNED ALONGSIDE FAMILY MEMBERS AND I GRIEVE FOR MR. BELT'S FAMILY. I'M NOT GOING TO REPEAT WHAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS BEEN SAYING TONIGHT, BUT AS A PUBLIC HEALTH, UM, EXPERT, IT'S BEEN SH I AGREE THAT IT'S BEEN SHOWN THAT CHAD SPATTER IS NOT AN EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION. I THINK THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD NOT READOPT IT. AND AS MENTIONED EARLIER, WE SHOULD USE OUR RESOURCES TO SPEND THINGS MONEY ON THINGS THAT HAVE KNOWN TO BE EFFECTIVE, LIKE VIOLENCE, INTERRUPTION JOBS, TRAINING, REENTRY PROGRAMS, EDUCATION, ET CETERA. SO I'M NOT GOING TO REPEAT EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT, UM, WE SHOULDN'T USE THE, THE GRIEF OF THE DEATH OF MR. BIST TO, TO REINSTATE THE SHOTS SPOTTER PROGRAM. THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS VI OR V SIN. PARDON ME FOR IF I'M MISPRONOUNCING YOUR NAME. VI OR V YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN. OKAY. IT'S . UM, I'D LIKE TO START OFF BY THINKING MANY OF THE SPEAKERS BEFORE ME WHO SPOKE OF COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY INTERVENTION AND BASIC NEEDS NEEDING TO BE MET. I THINK MANY OF US ARE ON THE SAME PAGE, BUT PERHAPS DIFFERENT PARAGRAPHS. I'M A LONGTIME RESIDENT AND COMMUNITY MEMBER. SHOT SPOTTER ISN'T THE SOLUTION TO SAFETY. AS MANY PEOPLE STATED, SHOTS, SPOTTER WORKS FOR SURVEILLANCE AND POLICE INTEREST, BUT NOT TO PREVENT, ASSIST OR END GUN VIOLENCE. SO WHY ARE WE TRYING TO SOLVE A PROBLEM WITH A FAILED SOLUTION? BUT WHAT WE DO NEED IS MORE COMMUNITY FUNDING OF LOCAL COMMUNITY-BASED GRASSROOTS NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS CAMBRIDGE HEART, THE BLACK RESPONSE AND PATRIOT TRUTH, A MENTAL HEALTH WELLNESS CARE SERVICE. EXPAND AND FUND THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE ACTUALLY, UM, IN SERVICE AS OF NOW AND IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF THE FOLKS MOST LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE GUN VIOLENCE. PEOPLE NEED TRAUMA RESPONSE TEAMS, BASIC NEEDS MET AND PROGRAMMING THAT PREVENT ASSIST AND POSSIBLY END GUN VIOLENCE, NOT CREATING AN ORWELLIAN STATE. CAMBRIDGE HAS ALREADY USED POLICING AS A TOOL FOR COMMUNITY INTERVENTION AND IT ENDED WITH COM GUN VIOLENCE SHOOTING AND THE MURDER OF 20-YEAR-OLD SED FAZI, I HOPE I'M SAYING IT RIGHT, ON JANUARY 4TH, 2026 OR 2023. JANUARY 4TH, 2023. SO, UH, LET'S TRY TO DO SOMETHING BETTER AND UM, USE THE COMMENTS OF THE FOLKS WHO COMMENTED EARLIER AND FOLKS WHO ARE GOING TO COMMENT AFTER ME AS A, UH, DIRECTION FOR WHAT WE NEED NEXT AS SAFETY WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. AND OH V SORRY WE LOST YOU FOR A MOMENT THERE. WE'VE STOPPED THE TIME. HOLD ON ONE SECOND. LEMME TRY TO GET YOU BACK IN V PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU STILL HAVE 10 SECONDS REMAINING. UM, AFTER I THINK I'M DONE, I THINK I STATED EVERYTHING I STATED. UM, I'M NOT SURE WHERE THERE WAS A DISCONNECT. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JEREMY FLEISCH HACKER. JEREMY, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI, YES, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN. ALRIGHT. HI, UH, I'M JEREMY. I'M A RESIDENT, UH, IN CENTRAL SQUARE. UH, I WANTED TO SPEAK TODAY TO URGE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND GOVERNMENT TO CONTINUE THEIR COMMITMENT TO REDUCING THE UNDUE AND UNNECESSARY SURVEILLANCE OF RESIDENTS AND PARTICULAR TO DECIDE AGAINST ANY RESTORATION OF SHOT SPOTTER WITHIN CAMBRIDGE. UM, I THINK THERE WERE IMPORTANT REASONS THAT LED TO THE ORIGINAL DECISION TO SHUT DOWN SHOT SPOTTER AND THE TRAGIC MURDER OF XAVIER BATISTA DOES NOT CHANGE THE REAL CONCERNS RESIDENTS HAVE WITH POLICE USE OF THIS TECHNOLOGY. THE COUNSEL HAS ALREADY SEEN THE TESTIMONY AND REVIEWED THE EVIDENCE THAT LED TO THE SUSPENSION IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT WHERE TECHNOLOGIES LIKE SHOT SPOTTER HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED, PUBLIC SAFETY HAS NOT IMPROVED AND SHOOTINGS HAVE NOT BEEN REDUCED. SHOT SPOTTER IS NOT ACCURATE. UM, OTHERS HAVE MENTIONED THE ACCURACY IN CAMBRIDGE IN NEW YORK. YOU KNOW, NYPD CAN'T EVEN CORROBORATE 20% OF DETECTIONS [00:55:02] AND DEPLOYMENT IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY EXPERIENCE VIOLENCE LEADS TO TARGETING AND OVER-POLICING OF THE VERY VICTIMS OF THAT VIOLENCE. NOR DOES IT LEAD TO FASTER POLICE RESPONSE TIMES AND IT'S NOT FOOLPROOF IN BEING ABLE TO DETECT EVERY GUNSHOT SHOT. SPOTTER IS UNRELIABLE AT BEST, UH, AND COUNTERPRODUCTIVE AT WORST, UH, FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND MORE FUNDING FOR SURVEILLANCE. AND POLICE WILL NOT PROVIDE THE SAFETY IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, THAT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS DESERVED. SAFETY COMES FROM SECURE ACCESS TO HOUSING, FOOD, HEALTHCARE AND JOBS. BUT CAMBRIDGE HAS A, HAS OVER RECENT YEARS SYSTEMATICALLY DEFUNDED NON-POLICE PROGRAMS AND OTHER ESSENTIAL SUPPORTS LIKE SHELTERS. THIS TIME WE REINVEST IN OUR NEIGHBORS, NOT OUR POLICE AND SURVEILLANCE CORPORATIONS LIKE SOUND THINKING. IN THE WAKE OF THIS TRAGEDY, WE ARE ASKING THE WRONG QUESTIONS ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY AS OTHERS HAVE MADE CLEAR. WE NEED TO FOCUS THE CONVERSATION ON PROVEN COMMUNITY-BASED METHODS. I URGE COUNSELORS TO DECIDE AGAINST THE MOTION TO REACTIVATE SHOT SPOTTER AND TO FUND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS FOR HOUSING, JOBS, FOOD, HEALTHCARE AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION THAT DESPERATELY NEED THE FUNDING AGAINST DAD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS AMANDA R FOLLOWED BY JACOB BROWN, THEN A KUNA. ANNA, AMANDA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME'S AMANDA. I CURRENTLY WORK IN CAMBRIDGE AND I'M HERE HERE TO TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY SAFETY AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION. IF WE TRULY WANT SAFER COMMUNITIES, WE HAVE TO INVEST IN THINGS THAT STOP VIOLENCE BEFORE IT STARTS. YOUTH PROGRAMS, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, HOUSING STABILITY, TRAUMA RECOVERY, SUBSTANCE USE, TREATMENT, VIOLENCE, INTERRUPTERS, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE EARNED PEOPLE'S TRUST. IF YOU DEFUND GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS, YOU'RE DEFUNDING VIOLENCE PREVENTION. AS A FORMER CAMBRIDGE HEART RESPONDER, I SAW FIRSTHAND THAT MANY CRISES WERE NOT ROOTED IN LACK OF POLICING. THEY WERE ROOTED IN THE LACK OF SUPPORT PEOPLE NEEDED. SOMEONE WHO WOULD LISTEN WITHOUT JUDGMENT, HELP THEM THROUGH THEIR HARDEST MOMENTS, CONNECT THEM TO RESOURCES AND RUN REMIND THEM THAT THEY WERE NOT ALONE. I SAW HOW A CONVERSATION, TRUST, AND THE RIGHT SUPPORT COULD DEESCALATE A CRISIS BEFORE IT BECAME SOMETHING WORSE. VIOLENCE PREVENTION BEGINS WITH RELATIONSHIPS, NOT JUST RESPONSES. I KNOW THE POWER OF THAT PERSONALLY. IN 2017, I HAD TO TALK A MAN DOWN FROM ATTEMPTING TO SHOOT ME IN THE HEAD WHILE OUR DAUGHTER SLEPT IN THE NEXT ROOM. IT WASN'T TECHNOLOGY THAT DEESCALATED THAT MOMENT. IT WAS CONVERSATION, FEAR OF RETALIATION, FEAR OF BEING CRIMINALIZED, AND A LACK OF TRUST KEEPS MANY PEOPLE FROM CALLING POLICE. ANY PUBLIC SAFETY STRATEGY MUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT REALITY. TECHNO TECHNOLOGY MAY HELP US RESPOND AFTER VIOLENCE OCCURS, BUT IT CANNOT MENTOR A YOUNG PERSON, HEAL TRAUMA, STRENGTHEN A FAMILY OR UNTRUST OF A COMMUNITY. IF OUR GOAL IS TO SAVE LIVES, THEN WE MUST INVEST IN WHAT PREVENTS VIOLENCE IN THE FIRST PLACE. THAT'S THE PEOPLE, RELATIONSHIPS, COMMUNITY-BASED SOLUTIONS THAT STOP VIOLENCE BEFORE IT STARTS, NOT JUST THE TOOLS THAT TELL US WHERE IT HAS HAPPENED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JACOB BROWN, FOLLOWED BY A KUNA ANNA, THEN QUENTIN ZONDERVAN. JACOB HAS NOT JOINED US. WE WILL GO TO A KUNA. ANA AONA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. TWO MINUTES. HELLO? HI. UM, IT STILL SAYS 12. OH, SORRY. OKAY, THANK YOU. UM, SO MY NAME IS UNA ENE. UM, I'M A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT. UM, I'M ALSO A LIBRARIAN THOUGH I I'M A LIBRARIAN IN, UM, IN THE BOSTON AREA. I'VE BEEN A LIBRARIAN FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS, AND I FEEL, AND AS IN BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES, UM, AND HAVE GROWN UP IN BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES. UM, AND I FEEL WHAT, FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN IS THAT SURVEILLANCE, OUR COMMUNITIES ARE SURVEYED WAY MORE, UM, FROM EVERYTHING TO LIKE APPLYING FOR, UH, AN APARTMENT, TO GETTING A BANK ACCOUNT, TO, UM, GETTING A COUPON , YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR INFORMATION HAS TO BE UP FOR OFFER. UM, AND IT HASN'T AND DOESN'T MAKE PEOPLE FEEL SAFE, AND IT HASN'T ENGENDERED TRUST IN GENERAL, UH, AMONG FOLKS IN MY COMMUNITY. AND SHOTSPOTTER SEEMS LIKE THAT IS IS PART OF THE SAME THING. UM, WHY DO WE HAVE TO GIVE UP PRIVACY AND GIVE UP AUTONOMY IN ORDER TO BE SAFE? WHY IS THAT NOT THE ANSWER TO QUESTIONS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE? YOU KNOW, WHY IS THERE NO SHOT SPOTTER? UH, OR WHY ARE WE NOT SUGGESTING SHOT SPOTTER TO BE IN THE HOMES WHERE THERE'S DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN THE SUBURBS? OR LIKE, UM, WHERE THERE ARE GUNS WHERE PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO MAYBE KILL THEMSELVES VIA HOMICIDE OR HOMICIDE [01:00:01] OR SUICIDE. WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR THAT PRIVACY TO BE BREACHED, BUT FOR SOME REASON IT MAKES SENSE TO DO THAT IN OUR BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES. I JUST WANNA, UH, PUT THAT OUT THERE BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE, AS PEOPLE HAVE SAID, IT DOESN'T REALLY ADDRESS THE QUESTION IN TERMS OF VIOLENCE PEOPLE, WHAT PEOPLE ARE UPSET ABOUT IS THE NOT BEING CARED FOR AND NOT BEING TREATED AS HUMAN AND LISTENED TO. UM, SURVEILLANCE DOESN'T REALLY ADDRESS THAT NEED THAT OUR BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES HAVE. THANK YOU. A AONA, PLEASE EMAIL US THE REMAINDER, OUR NEXT SPEAKER. WE ARE AT SPEAKER NUMBER 35, FORMER CITY COUNSELOR QUENTIN ZONDERVAN. QUENTIN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. PLEASE GO AHEAD. THANK YOU, NAOMI. MADAM MAYOR, CITY COUNSELORS IS ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU. DESPITE THE SAD CIRCUMSTANCES AND MY HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES, GO OUT TO THE FAMILY AND SAY ABOUT THIS. UH, I WAS VERY SAD TO HEAR ABOUT THIS MOST RECENT TRAGEDY INVOLVING GUN VIOLENCE IN CAMBRIDGE. AND I'M ALSO SADDENED BY THE FACT THAT THE CONVERSATION IS ONCE AGAIN ABOUT SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY INSTEAD OF HOW WE CAN PREVENT THESE TRAGEDIES FROM OCCURRING IN THE FIRST PLACE. DURING MUCH OF MY TIME ON THE CITY COUNCIL, I WAS THE CHAIR OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AND WE WOULD HAVE MANY HEARINGS ON SHOTS SPOTTER, WHY I DIDN'T WANT, WHY WE SHOULD GET RID OF IT. AND I WAS SO HARDENED TO HEAR THAT THE COUNCIL FINALLY THIS YEAR DECIDED TO END SHOTS SCHOLARS USE IN CAMBRIDGE. AND I HOPE THAT YOU STICK WITH THAT DECISION. I ALSO HOPE, AND I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO CONTINUE AND INCREASE FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE ACTUALLY WORKING ON PREVENTING VIOLENCE. DURING MY TIME ON THE CITY COUNCIL, I WAS ALSO ABLE TO WITNESS AND SUPPORT THE BIRTH OF CAMBRIDGE HEART. AND I NOW HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF CAMBRIDGE HEART. AND I REALLY STRONGLY URGE YOU TO SUPPORT ART AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE WORKING IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE REAL WORK IS BEING DONE. THAT'S WHERE YOU WILL SEE THE REAL RESULTS, NOT IN TECHNOLOGY. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND WE'RE SEEING YOU ALL THE BEST. ALWAYS. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRIS MURPHY, FOLLOWED BY JACQUELINE ADAMS, THEN ANDREW FELDMAN. CHRIS, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. PLEASE GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. UH, MY NAME'S CHRIS MURPHY. I LIVE ON ROYAL AVE. UM, AND FIRSTLY I'D LIKE TO EXTEND MY CONDOLENCES TO THE FAM FAMILY OF XAVIER BATISTA. UM, I SAID IT'S, IT'S DISAPPOINTING THAT SHOT SPOTTER IS BACK ON THE TABLE. UM, UH, NONE OF NONE OF THE ARGUMENTS HAVE CHANGED SINCE THE, THE LAST TIME WE WERE DISCUSSING THIS. UM, THE SHOOTING TOOK PLACE ON JULY 4TH, WHICH IS A DIFFICULT TIME FOR GUNSHOT DETECTION DUE TO THE FIREWORKS. UM, I'M NOT REALLY GONNA SAY ANYTHING DIFFERENT THAN PEOPLE HAVEN'T ALREADY SAID, BUT JUST TO REITERATE, UM, IT'S NOT CLEAR THAT SHOT SPOTTER WOULD'VE HELPED IN THIS INSTANCE. UM, EVEN IF IT WASN'T JULY 4TH, IT'S INACCURATE AT THE BEST OF TIMES. UH, ROUTINELY MISSES GUNSHOTS AND ALSO GENERATES FALSE ALERTS REGULARLY. SHOT SPOTTER VIOLATES CIVIL RIGHTS. UM, AS FAR AS I'M AWARE, CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT HASN'T MADE ANY PROPOSALS TO ADDRESS THESE, THESE WELL-KNOWN AND, UH, WELL DISCUSSED CONCERNS. UM, AND AS OTHER PEOPLE AGAIN HAVE ALREADY SAID, YOU KNOW, SHOT SPOTTER CAN ONLY TELL YOU THAT A SHOT TOOK PLACE. IT'S NOT ACTUALLY PREVENTING, UH, SHOOTINGS FROM HAPPENING. AND ADDITIONALLY, UM, A STUDY IN CHICAGO FOUND THE RESPONSE TIMES WERE ACTUALLY FASTER AFTER SHOT SPOTTER WAS REMOVED. AND THEN AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE SAID ALREADY BEFORE, THE SOLUTION TO GUN VIOLENCE IS NOT, UH, PERMANENT SURVEILLANCE IN WHAT ARE OVER ALREADY OVERLY POLICED COMMUNITIES. UM, WE NEED SOCIAL RESPONSES TO SOCIAL PROBLEMS. UM, WE NEED REAL ALTERNATIVES FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE AT RISK OF BOTH PERPETUATING VIOLENCE AND AT RISK OF BEING HARMED BY VIOLENCE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JACQUELYN ADAMS. JACQUELYN, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. PLEASE GO AHEAD. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. THANKFUL. LET ME TAKE THIS TIME. MY NAME IS JACQUELINE ADAMS. I LIVE AT, UH, 28 NEWTOWN COURT. UH, I WANNA ADDRESS THE GUN VIOLENCE ISSUE AND I WROTE SOMETHING IN, UH, ALONG WITH SOME OF MY FELLOW RESIDENTS. EXCUSE [01:05:01] MY VOICE. NEWTOWN COURT IN WASHINGTON, EL POPULATION CONSISTS OF 400 PLUS HOUSEHOLDS WITH 100 PLUS ADDITIONAL RESIDENCES THAT ARE IN THIS AREA AS WELL. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED GUN VIOLENCE AS WELL AS DIFFERENT CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES. WE ARE A VULNERABLE POPULATION, AND IT SEEMS OUR GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION MAKES US AN EASY TARGET TO BRING CRIMINAL ACTIVITY INTO OUR DEVELOPMENT AND SURROUNDING AREAS. WE HAVE BECOME NUMB AS WELL AS FEARFUL AS WE WATCH THE ELIMINATION OF TECHNOLOGICAL METHODS IN POLICE ABILITY TO RESPOND TO SERIOUS OCCURRENCES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. DESPITE STATISTICS STATING SHOTS, BORDERS ARE INEFFECTIVE, WE EXPERIENCE FIRSTHAND HOW THE USE OF THIS SYSTEM SAVED A LIFE. HOLD ON ONE SECOND. ALTHOUGH THE SUGGESTIONS OF HOW TO PREVENT VIOLENCE SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AND AT SOME POINT IN TIME BE IMPLEMENTED, THE PRESENT TIME AND SITUATIONS WARRANT A POSSIBLE SOLUTION. UNTIL SUCH TIME, THESE NECESSARY PROGRAMS ARE PUT INTO PLACE, DESPITE STATISTICS STATING THAT THEY'RE INE EFFECTIVE, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED, I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT. DESPITE THE STATING, SHORT, ONLY EFFECTIVE, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS BY SAVE A LIFE BEING SAVED. IT IS BEYOND MY COMPREHENSION AS TO WHY A SYSTEM WAS REMOVED BEFORE AN ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION WAS SET INTO PLACE. AS I STATED EARLIER AND MUST REITERATE, WE ARE A VULNERABLE POPULATION AND ARE GRATEFUL TO CPD CAMBRIDGE HOUSING AUTHORITY FOR LISTENING. HEARING OUR CONCERNS, THE CITY HAS AN OBLIGATION TO NOT JUST TALK THE TALK, BUT WALK THE WALK WITH US AND FIND A WAY TO REINSTALL TECHNOLOGY UNTIL SUCH TIME IS MADE AVAILABLE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANDREW FELDMAN, FOLLOWED BY DAVID HINKY, THEN RICHARD SOLOMON. ANDREW, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD. ANDREW, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. YES. UH, GOOD EVENING CITY COUNCIL. UH, MY NAME IS ANDREW FELDMAN. I'M COMMENTING ON GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION IN CAMBRIDGE, WHERE I'M A RESIDENT. THE MURDER OF EX XAVIER BATISTA ON JULY 4TH AND THE SHOOTING ON MEMORIAL DRIVE IN MAY ARE DEVASTATING TO OUR COMMUNITY. UH, AND IN RESPONSE TO THESE AND OTHER INCIDENTS, OF COURSE, COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE AN UNDERSTANDABLE AND LEGITIMATE DESIRE TO FEEL SAFE IN THEIR HOMES AND COMMUNITIES. UH, BUT IN WHAT I BELIEVE IS AN UNFORTUNATE TURN, THIS HAS REVIVED CALLS FOR CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL TO BRING BACK THE SHOT SPOTTER ACOUSTIC SENSOR SYSTEM. AND I STRONGLY OPPOSE BRINGING BACK SHOT SPOTTER. THE QUESTION I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IS, CAN WE ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF GUN VIOLENCE AT ITS ROOT? WHEN I FILE MY TAX RETURN, I WOULD LIKE THAT MONEY TO GO TO PROVEN COMMUNITY-BASED NON-POLICE SOLUTIONS FOR PREVENTING VIOLENCE AND NOT TOWARDS USING POLICE AND SURVEILLANCE AS A REACTIVE RESPONSE. A GREAT STAR WOULD BE TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR CAMBRIDGE HEART, WHICH HAS BEEN MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, AND WHICH IS AN ALREADY ACTIVE NETWORK OF CRISIS RESPONDERS WHO OPERATE OUTSIDE OF THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE SYSTEM AND ARE ABLE TO RESPOND TO A RANGE OF ISSUES IN THE COMMUNITY. AND ANOTHER GREAT OPTION WOULD BE FOR THE CAMBRIDGE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT TO RESTORE GRANT FUNDING FOR VIOLENCE INTERRUPTERS. VIOLENCE INTERRUPTERS ARE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE CONNECTIONS AND LIFE EXPERIENCE TO INTERVENE AND HELP STOP CYCLES OF VIOLENCE AS THEY ARE OCCURRING. FUNDING FOR THE PROMISING VIOLENCE INTERRUPTER PROGRAM IN CAMBRIDGE WAS RECENTLY CUT BY 60%. SO WHY DOES SHOT SPOTTER CONTINUE TO BE DISCUSSED WHEN PROMISING SOLUTIONS SUCH AS CAMBRIDGE HEART AND VIOLENCE INTERRUPTERS ARE UNDERFUNDED? HELPING PEOPLE MEET THEIR NEEDS WOULD ALSO BE A GREAT PLACE TO START. STABLE HOUSING, SAFE SCHOOLS, JOB OPPORTUNITIES, MENTAL HEALTHCARE, FOOD SECURITY, AND OTHER ESSENTIAL NEEDS, WHICH WHEN NOT MET, EXACERBATE VIOLENCE IN CAMBRIDGE. WHILE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL IS UNDER PRESSURE TO KEEP SHOT SPOTTER IN THE CONVERSATION, WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT SHOT SPOTTER IS UNRELIABLE AND THAT IT DOES NOT PREVENT VIOLENCE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVID KINSKI, FOLLOWED BY RICHARD SOLOMON. DAVID, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD. HELLO, UH, MY NAME'S DAVID. UH, I WORK HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. I'M ALSO A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER, UH, SIMILAR TO EVERYONE ELSE COMMENTING TODAY. I WANNA SEE SOLUTIONS THAT MAKE CAMBRIDGE SAFER. UH, THAT SAID, INCREASED POLICING IS NOT THE SOLUTION. INCREASED SURVEILLANCE IS NOT THE SOLUTION IN REINSTATING. SHOT SPOTTER IS NOT THE SOLUTION. THESE ARE BAND-AIDS THAT DO NOT ACTUALLY ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF CRIME AND VIOLENCE. IN FACT, THEY OFTEN EXACERBATE THE PROBLEM AND AT THE SAME TIME TAKE AWAY NECESSARY RESOURCES AWAY FROM PROGRAMS LIKE CAMBRIDGE HEART AND, UH, VIOLENCE INTERRUPTERS. THIS IS A CHALLENGE THAT THE CITY COUNSELORS MUST TAKE ON. IT'S TIME TO START THINKING MORE CREATIVELY ABOUT HOW WE CAN ADDRESS VIOLENCE BEFORE IT HAPPENS. WE NEEDED TO SUPPORT PEOPLE SO THEIR NEEDS ARE MET. IT WOULD BE AMAZING TO SEE IF [01:10:01] FUNDING, UH, TO SEE FUNDING BE SHIFTED AWAY FROM, UH, THE POLICE AND TOWARDS MORE, UH, MORE FUNDING FOR AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS, JOB OPPORTUNITIES, HEALTH, HEALTHCARE, INCLUDING MENTAL, HEALTHCARE, SUBSTANCE USE, UH, TREATMENT, AND, UH, AND MANY OTHER PLACES. IT'S, IT'S VERY WELL KNOWN THAT WHEN PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE FINANCIAL STABILITY, FOOD SECURITY, HOUSING STABILITY, OR ANY OTHER BASIC NEEDS, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO RESORT TO CRIME AND VIOLENCE. THE SOLUTIONS THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD CONSIDER HAVE TO ADDRESS THESE BASIC NEEDS OF PEOPLE HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. MORE POLICING AND SURVEILLANCE WILL NEVER ADDRESS THESE ISSUES AGAIN, THEY'RE OVERSIMPLIFIED SOLUTIONS. I URGE THE CITY COUNCILORS TO NOT, UH, TO, UH, NOT REINSTITUTE SHOT SPOTTER LISTENING DEVICES AND MORE GENERALLY TO MOVE TOWARDS SOLUTIONS THAT INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SPEAKER NUMBER 40, RICHARD SOLOMON. RICHARD, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI THERE. UM, I LIVE A BLOCK AWAY FROM, UH, THE MEMORIAL DRIVE SHOOTING IN MAY. I'M ON CANNA STREET. UM, I'M A FIVE MINUTE BIKE FROM THE PLACE WHERE MR. TIESA WAS SHOT. I ALSO LIVE STONES THROW FROM A SHOT SPOTTER ITSELF. AND OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, IT'S GIVEN ME A LOT OF ANXIETY. UM, IT'S DISAPPOINTING THAT THIS IS BACK ON THE TABLE AS AN OPTION THAT THE COUNCIL IS DISCUSSING. UM, IT HAS A HORRIBLE FALSE POSITIVE RATE INVITES POLICE INTO MY AREA. UM, I THINK THEY BEHAVE WITH IMPUNITY. I SEE THEM AS ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL THREATS TO OUR SAFETY AND CIVIL LIBERTIES IN THE CITY. I SEE THEM ASSAULT PEOPLE WITH IMPUNITY. I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE INVITING THEM INTO MY NEIGHBORHOOD OF CAMBRIDGE, FORD AND RIVERSIDE. I THINK THE FALSE ALARMS, UM, MAKE PEOPLE LESS SAFE. I WANT TO THANK, UH, MARK MCGOVERN, ESPECIALLY IN SYMBOL SIDIKI FOR VOTING AGAINST SHOPS. SPOTTER. I ASKED YOU TO STAND FIRM ON THIS. UM, I ASKED COUNSELORS, DENISE SIMMONS AND TIM FLOWER TO, TO RECONSIDER YOUR POSITIONS. UM, I DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR CAMBRIDGE TO BE TAKING DHS FUNDING AND ESSENTIALLY AIDING ICE. WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING CITY RESOURCES AND ATTENTION ON SOCIAL HOUSING ON CAMBRIDGE HAR HEART. AS, AS MY COLLEAGUES MENTIONED ON VIOLENCE INTERRUPTERS. UM, WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING OUR ATTENTION ON GETTING ALL THE DELAYED INFRASTRUCTURE UPDATES BACK ON TRACK. I MEAN, THEY, THEY, THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE ROAD NEXT TO MY HOUSE FOR THREE YEARS. I THINK THEY'RE LIKE REALLY FAR BEHIND. UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO MENTION THAT, YOU KNOW, FOCUSING ON RECENT INCIDENTS, UM, LIKE, UM, THE TRAGEDY WITH MR. BALTISTA CAN LEAD US TO FORGET THE BROADER FACT THAT WE LIVE IN HISTORICALLY SAFE TIME. MASSACHUSETTS HAS A RECORD LOW CRIME RATE. CAMBRIDGE'S CRIME RATE HAS TRENDED DOWN FOR DECADES. UM, GIVING MONEY OR ACCEPTING MONEY, UM, FOR SHOT SPOTTER IS NOT A GOOD USE OF OUR RESOURCES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANDREW KIM, FOLLOWED BY ELLIS WASHINGTON. ANDREW, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. THANK YOU. HELLO, MY NAME IS ANDREW KIM. I LIVE NEAR RUSSELL FIELD BY ILL WIFE STATION, AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT POLICY NUMBER ONE. I'M A MEMBER OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA AND A DEACON AT OLD CAMBRIDGE BAPTIST CHURCH. IT'S THAT SECOND RULE I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK AS THOUGH THESE ARE MY, THESE, THESE OPINIONS ARE MY OWN. AND I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR THE CHURCH. OCBC IS A DIVERSE CONGREGATION WITH SEVERAL IMMIGRANT MEMBERS, INCLUDING ONE OF OUR PASTORS. WE ARE A CHURCH THAT EMBRACES A GLOBAL COMMUNITY, A CHURCH THAT PRAYS FOR GREEN CARD STATUSES AND A, AND A CHURCH THAT HAS PROTOCOLS FOR WHEN ICE SHOWS UP TO OUR BUILDING. THE SHOT SPOTTER SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM THROUGH ITS PARENT COMPANY'S COOPERATION WITH DHS IS A DIRECT THREAT TO MEMBERS OF MY CHURCH. THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SPOKEN FOR THE PORT ARE WRONG. THEY ARE IN FACT, RIGHT. THEY ARE RIGHT THAT EVERY DEATH FROM GUN VIOLENCE IN THIS CITY IS A GRAVE TRAGEDY. THEY ARE RIGHT THAT ANY AMOUNT OF GUN VIOLENCE IS A MAJOR CONCERN, AND THEY'RE RIGHT THAT THEY AREN'T BEING HEARD BY THIS SYSTEM. THIS PUBLIC COMMENT SYSTEM IS DIFFICULT TO PARTICIPATE IN. AND SINCE IT REQUIRES A RESIDENT'S FULL NAME AND ADDRESS CAN BE THREATENING TO MANY OF THEM, IT HAS CAUSED MANY TO GIVE UP ON THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENTIRELY. AND FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE PORT WHO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK SHOT SPOTTER WITH ITS SHOCKINGLY HIGH FALSE ALARM RATE IN CAMBRIDGE WOULD NOT AID IN DECREASING GUN VIOLENCE AND WOULD IN FACT DEGRADE THE QUALITY OF OUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE SYSTEM. THE PEOPLE OF THE PORT DESERVE A SYSTEM THAT IS TRULY EFFECTIVE, THAT WON'T DEGRADE EMERGENCY RESPONSE QUALITY, AND THAT WON'T THREATEN THE LIVES OF THEIR NEIGHBORS. TO SIMPLY FALL BACK ON THE FLAWED AND DANGEROUS SYSTEM OF SHOT SPOTTER WOULD BE A DERELICTION OF CARE AND DUE DILIGENCE ON THE PART OF THIS COUNCIL, THE RESIDENTS OF THE PORT DESERVE A REAL SOLUTION TO GUN VIOLENCE, [01:15:01] NOT SIMPLY THE SYSTEM THAT WAS THERE BEFORE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ELLIS WASHINGTON, FOLLOWED BY ALITA CASTILLO ELLIS. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. UH, GOOD EVENING COUNSELORS. UH, MY NAME IS REVEREND ELLIS WASHINGTON, SENIOR PASTOR OF THE ST. PAUL A ME CHURCH, 37 BISHOP ALLEN DRIVE HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. AND I DO COME BEFORE YOU TO ASK THAT YOU RECONSIDER THE DECISION TO REMOVE SHOT SPOTTER, UH, FROM OUR CITY. I DO WANT TO BE HONEST ABOUT WHERE I START BECAUSE I DO CARRY REAL CONCERNS ABOUT CIVIL LIBERTIES, AND I CARRY CONCERNS ABOUT OVER-POLICING, PARTICULARLY IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, WHO HAVE TOO OFTEN BORN THE WEIGHT OF BEING SURVEILLED WITHOUT BEING SAFE. AND I DON'T JUST RAISE THOSE CONCERNS AS A FORMALITY. THEY'RE REAL CONCERNS AND THEY DESERVE TO BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION, BUT HAVE ALSO COME TO CONSIDER THAT POSSIBLY REINSTATING THIS TECHNOLOGY WHEN DONE CAREFULLY CAN HELP RESOLVE CRIMES THAT WOULD OTHERWISE GO UNSOLVED. THEY MAY HELP PREVENT OTHERS WHEN SHOTS ARE FIRED EVERY SECOND. IT'S CRITICAL. IT MATTERS. AND SO THAT IF THERE'S TECHNOLOGY THAT MAY HELP FIRST RESPONDERS LOCATE A VICTIM, SECURE A SCENE, RECOVER EVIDENCE, OR IDENTIFY THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE, I BELIEVE IT DESERVES CAREFUL AND TRANSPARENT EVALUATION AND NOT A DECISION THAT'S MADE AND THEN SET ASIDE WITHOUT A FULL PUBLIC ACCOUNTING. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I WANNA BE EQUALLY CLEAR. SHOT SPOTTER DOES NOT ADDRESS THE UNDERLYING CAUSES OF GUN VIOLENCE, AND THERE'S NO DETECTION SYSTEM THAT'S EVER GONNA DO THAT. SO CAMBRIDGE MUST CONTINUE AND INVEST AND INVEST DEEPLY IN OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN COMMUNITY-BASED INTERVENTION, IN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, IN HOUSING AND EDUCATION, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. SO TECHNOLOGY CAN HELP RESPOND TO VIOLENCE, BUT ONLY THAT TYPE OF INVESTMENT WILL HELP US TO PREVENT IT AT ITS ROOT. AND SO I'M SAYING DON'T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT. I'M ASKING THAT CAMBRIDGE BASED THE DECISION ON OUR OWN LOCAL EVIDENCE, NOT CHICAGO EVIDENCE, AND THE NUMBER OF ALERTS GENERATED, THE CONFIRMED INCIDENTS, THE VICTIMS LOCATED, THE EVIDENCE RECOVERED, THE ARREST MADE, AND JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, THE INCIDENTS IN WHICH NO ONE CALLED 9 1 1 AT ALL. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. PLEASE EMAIL THE REMAINDER. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ALITA CASTILLO. IT LOOKS LIKE ALITA HAS NOT JOINED US. WE'RE GONNA GO ON TO LYNDON JENKINS, FOLLOWED BY ED HENLEY. LINDEN HAS NOT JOINED. WE WILL GO TO ED HENLEY. MR. HENLEY, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS, MY NAME IS ED HENLEY. I LIVE AT 2 37 FRANKLIN STREET SENIOR HOUSING. I SPEAK FOR THE PERSONAL VIEWS THAT I HAVE AT THIS POINT IN TIME WITH REGARDS TO SAFE POLICING. CAMBRIDGE WORKS HARD AT APPRO AT APPROPRIATE AND SAFE POLICING. IT IS ALWAYS A WORK IN PROGRESS, AND I BELIEVE THAT OUR POLICE SHOULD HAVE EVERY TOOL IN THE TOOLBOX THAT HELPS IN THAT EFFORT. A POLICE DEPARTMENT IS FANTASTIC AND ALWAYS ABLE TO BE COUNTED ON AT OUR SENIOR HOUSING AT MANNING APARTMENTS. UH, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. GRIEF IS DIFFICULT THOUGH, AND NEVER ENDING AS EVERY SENIOR KNOWS. AND I PERSONALLY KNOW AT LEAST ONE PERSON ASSOCIATED WITH XAVIER, AND MY HEART GOES OUT TO HER AND HER AND HIS FAMILY. I ALSO KNOW XAVIER LOUIS JACQUE, HIS MOM AND FAMILY AS WELL, AND SEVERAL LIFE LOVING FELLOW STUDENTS OF MY OWN CHILDREN WHO NEVER MADE IT TO ADULTHOOD. THESE ARE, TO THIS DAY, UNFATHOMABLE AND INCOMPREHENSIBLE IN THE WEIGHT OF GRIEF IS UNENDING. AT THE SAME TIME. SUBSEQUENT TO XAVIER BATISTA'S KILLING AT LEAST THREE KILLINGS HAVE OCCURRED IN THE WEEKS FOLLOWING THE LOSS OF XAVIER. AND THESE BY NATIONAL POLICING ORGANIZATIONS THAT SEEM TO BE INCAPABLE OF ENGAGING IN SAFE POLICING PRACTICES, THOSE THAT WE KNOW IN CAMBRIDGE. AND THAT, UH, I BELIEVE THAT WHEN LOOKING INTO HOW SHORT SPOTTER ACTUALLY WORKS, IT CAN BE INEFFECTIVE AND ALSO PRONE TO BE USED IN A WAY UNCONTROLLED BY LAW UNTIL MANAGEMENT OF THAT NATIONAL ORGANIZATION CHANGES. WE SHOULD FOREGO THE USE OF SHORT WATER UNTIL SUCH TIME AS SAFE POLICING PRACTICES CAN BE COUNTED IN THAT ORGANIZATION, AT WHICH TIME WE CAN REVIEW THINGS HERE. ITS USE, INCLUDING ITS EFFECTIVENESS AND WHETHER IT CAN BE MAINTAINED UNDER LOCAL CONTROL. AND I, I THANK YOUR CITY COUNCIL FOR THINKING AND ADDRESSING THESE [01:20:01] ISSUES AND MY HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO THE BATISTA FAMILY. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KATHY WATKINS, FOLLOWED BY NEIL MILLER. THEN SUZANNE. KATHY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. HI, MY NAME IS KATHY WATKINS. I LIVE AT FAUCET STREET IN CAMBRIDGE. I'M URGING, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL TO CONTINUE TO NOT USE SPOT SHOTTER AND TO END ALL SURVEILLANCE. UM, SHOT SPOTTER SEEMS LIKE AN EASY FIX, BUT AS WE'VE HEARD OVER AND OVER AND OVER, UM, AND HAS BEEN PROVED, IT DOES NOT WORK. UM, I UNDERSTAND WHY SOME PEOPLE WANT THIS TECHNOLOGY. THEY FEEL AS IF IT WE'RE DOING SOMETHING. AND THE TRUTH IS IT'S REALLY HARD TO FEEL POWERLESS, UM, IN THE FACE OF THIS HORRIBLE GUN VIOLENCE. AND WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CONTROL. UH, WE HAVE A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND ACTUALLY A STATE GOVERNMENT THAT IS TYING OUR HANDS. BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE CAN DO, AND I WON'T ENUMERATE THEM BECAUSE WE'VE HEARD OVER AND OVER SOME FROM SOME NEIGHBORS THINGS THAT WE CAN DO. UM, AND I ALSO JUST WANNA SAY, I HOPE THAT WE CAN, UM, REALLY DEMAND MORE STRONGLY THAN EVER OF OUR STATE AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS THAT OUR PRISON SYSTEM ACTUALLY HELPS PEOPLE. PUTTING SOMEONE IN PRISON IS PUNISHMENT ENOUGH. THEY SHOULD NOT BE PUNISHED BY HAVING THEIR RIGHTS TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM. LET'S HELP PEOPLE, LET'S REHABILITATE THEM. THERE ARE MODELS ALL OVER THE WORLD WHERE THEY ACTUALLY HELP PEOPLE, AND I THINK THAT WOULD, UM, GO A LONG WAY AS WELL AS MANY OF THE OTHER, UM, SOLUTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN OFFERED TONIGHT. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND I JUST WANNA EXTEND MY DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO THE VICTIMS OF GUN VIOLENCE IN OUR CITY. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NEIL MILLER, FOLLOWED BY SUZANNE B NEIL, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI, UH, THANK YOU NEIL MILLER, 4 2 5 MASS AVE. UM, WE LOST A NEIGHBOR JUST BLOCKS FROM, UH, WHERE I LIVE IN CENTRAL SQUARE. AND OUR, YOU KNOW, AS A COMMUNITY, WE GRIEVE FOR SOMEONE WHO SERVED THIS COMMUNITY, UM, AND WAS RAISING HIS FAMILY HERE. AND IT'S INCUMBENT ON US TO TRY TO RECOMMIT TO DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SAVE LIVES AND MAKE THIS COMMUNITY SAFE. UM, WE KNOW NO ONE HERE WOULD SAY, AND NONE OF THE COMMENTERS WOULD SAY THAT SHOT SPOTTER IS PERFECT, UM, BECAUSE NO TOOL IS, AND TECHNOLOGY CANNOT PREVENT SHOOTINGS TO DO THAT, WE NEED TO INVEST IN HOUSING, EDUCATION, AND HEALTHCARE, WHICH ARE, UH, IN ORDER TO SOLVE FOR THE ROOT CAUSES OF GUN VIOLENCE. THAT BEING SAID, UM, SHOT SPOTTER IS ONE TOOL THAT ALLOWS FIRST RESPONDERS TO COME WHEN GUNS ARE FIRED. UM, IN XAVIER'S CASE AND MANY OTHERS, THERE WAS NO NINE ONE ONE CALL WHEN A GUN IS FIRED. UM, AND I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD HEED THE QUALS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE MOST IMPACTED BY GUN VIOLENCE. UM, NOT LEAVE THEM WITHOUT SOLUTIONS. DO THE HARD WORK TO FIND WAYS TO RESPOND WHEN SHOOTINGS OCCUR. UM, BECAUSE PEOPLE DESERVE TO KNOW THAT IF A TRAGEDY HAPPENS TO THEIR FAMILY MEMBER IN THEIR COMMUNITY, THEN THERE WILL BE A RESPONSE BY PEOPLE THAT CAN SAVE LIVES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SUZANNE B SUZANNE. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. PLEASE. GO AHEAD, SUZANNE, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR, SUZANNE. OKAY. SUZANNE IS UNABLE TO UNMUTE AT THIS TIME. UM, WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO AN EARLIER SKIPPED SPEAKER. JACOB BROWN. JACOB, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES, PLEASE GO AHEAD. UH, HI. MY NAME IS JACOB BROWN. I LIVE ON MAGAZINE HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. UM, I'M HERE BECAUSE I'M REALLY HEARTBROKEN AND HORRIFIED BY THE MURDER OF XAVIER BATISTA BECAUSE I THINK OUR CITY DESERVES SOLUTIONS TO KEEP US SAFE. UM, YEAH, I THINK FIRST OF ALL, WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE FORMS OF PUBLIC SAFETY THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON THE TABLE AND THAT WE'VE BEEN USING. I GUESS WHAT ARE WE DOING NOW AND IS IT WORKING? UM, FIRST OFF, WHEN I LOOK AT BOTH THIS MURDER AND THE SHOOTING ON MEMORIAL DRIVE, I SEE THAT THERE ARE TWO SHOOTERS THAT HAD RECENTLY OR SUSPECTED GUNMAN WHO HAD BEEN RECENTLY RELEASED FROM PRISON. AND THAT SHOWS TO ME THAT THERE'S A SERIOUS GAP IN OUR ABILITY TO HELP FORMERLY INCARCERATED PEOPLE REINTEGRATED INTO SOCIETY. ADDITIONALLY, [01:25:01] PROGRAMS LIKE SHOT SPOTTER, EVEN CASES WHERE GUNSHOTS HAVE BEEN FIRED ONLY DO THEIR WORK AFTER HARM HAS BEEN DONE. THEY WORK AFTER THE FACT AND THEIR INACCURACIES MEAN THAT THEY'RE CAPABLE OF CREATING FALSE ALARMS AND ESCALATING RATHER THAN PREVENTING SITUATIONS. I LIVE IN A PLACE THAT HAS A SHOT SPOTTER MICROPHONE, LITERALLY ONE BUILDING OVER. IT'S IN THE BACKYARD. IT'S LISTENING TO ME WHEN I TAKE OUT THE TRASH. I KNOW THAT IT HASN'T MADE ME FEEL MORE SAFE BECAUSE I SEE CHICAGO'S EXPERIENCE WITH THE TECHNOLOGY, NOT JUST WITH THE FACT THAT 9 1 1 RESPONSE TIMES HAVE GOTTEN FOUR MINUTES FASTER AFTER CANCELING THE CONTRACT. BUT ALSO I SEE THAT THE CASE WHERE POLICE SHOT AT A TEENAGE BOY WHEN THEY RESPONDED TO A SHOT SPOT OR ALERT THAT WAS LIKELY CAUSED BECAUSE OF FIREWORKS. UM, I KNOW THAT LIKE A MAN WAS FALSELY CHARGED WITH MURDER BECAUSE OF A SHOT SPOT OR ALERT WHEN IT DIDN'T COLLECT CORRECT EVIDENCE. AND I KNOW THAT SHOT SPOTTER ISN'T HELPING SAFETY BECAUSE IT DOES NOTHING TO PREVENT VIOLENCE IN THE FIRST PLACE. THERE'S AN EXTENSIVE TRACK RECORD OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND VIOLENCE INTERRUPTERS DOING VITAL WORK AND ACTUALLY BRING DOWN THE RATES OF VIOLENCE IN CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY. CAMBRIDGE HAS ORGS LIKE THAT. THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT AND ITS CARE TEAM HAS PROVEN SO STRONG IN RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES AND WAS CARE WAS ABLE TO RESOLVE 96% OF ITS CALLS WITHOUT A POLICE RESPONSE LAST YEAR. FURTHERMORE, WE HAVE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE HEART THAT ARE DOING CRITICAL WORK. HOWEVER, CURRENTLY WE'VE SEEN THAT CSDS GRANT FUNDING HAS BEEN CUT BY MORE THAN HALF. I THINK CAMBRIDGE NEEDS TO HAVE BUDGET PRIORITIES THAT INVEST IN THE SOLUTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO WORK. THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK. THANKS. WE'RE GONNA TRY SUZANNE BLEIER ONE MORE TIME. SUZANNE, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. SUZANNE IS STILL UNABLE TO UNMUTE. THERE WERE TWO MORE PEOPLE THAT WERE SKIPPED EARLIER. ISAAC BLO AND LYNDON JENKINS. MADAM MAYOR, THAT IS ALL THAT WERE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. THANK YOU, NAOMI. WE CAN GO AHEAD ON A MOTION BY VICE MAYOR ZE TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOW CLOSED. I WANNA THANK EVERYONE WHO, UH, SPOKE AT PUBLIC COMMENT TONIGHT. UH, I'LL GO INTO SOME OPENING REMARKS AND THEN SET THE KIND OF STAGE OF, UM, HOW WE'LL PROCEED TODAY. UH, WE'RE HERE TODAY TO RECEIVE UPDATES ON THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE'S CURRENT PLANNED AND RECOMMENDED PUBLIC SAFETY AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION WORK. AS WE KNOW, ON JULY 4TH, XAVIER BATISTA, A CITY EMPLOYEE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, WAS SHOT AND KILLED IN A SENSE, SENSELESS ACT OF GUN VIOLENCE THAT HAS DEEPLY AFFECTED OUR COMMUNITY. WE CONTINUE TO MOURN THIS LOSS. SINCE THEN, THE CITY HAS BEEN WORKING TO SUPPORT HIS LOVED ONES. WE'VE CONVENED A COMMUNITY MEETING AND HAVE CONTINUED TO MEET WITH AND HEAR FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS. UH, I'VE HAD MANY, UH, PEOPLE REACH OUT TO ME IN MY OFFICE TO ENGAGE. UH, I WANNA THANK, UH, EVERYONE WHO HAS, I WANNA ALSO JUST, ESPECIALLY THANK TY BETTI AND TONY CLARK FROM MY BROTHER'S KEEPER, UM, WHO, UH, HAVE HIGHLIGHTED, UH, MANY OF THE THEMES, UH, THAT HAVE EMERGED FOR MANY OF US. UH, THE FACT THAT GUN VIOLENCE DOES DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND THAT THE CITY MUST PLAY A ROLE IN ADDRESSING THIS VIOLENCE WITH THE SAME PRINCIPLES AND VALUES WE APPLY TO OTHER PRIORITIES. AND THAT MEANS BEING DATA DRIVEN, ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY, AND DEVELOPING AND ARTICULATING STRATEGIC AND COLLABORATIVE PLANS. AND WE KNOW ADDRESSING GUN VIOLENCE REQUIRES APPROACHING THE ROOT CAUSES, NOT JUST AFTER IT HAPPENS. AND WE MUST COORDINATE AND COLLABORATE ACROSS STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS THE CITY AND ACROSS THE REGION. WE MUST CENTER VICTIMS AND SUPPORT THEM, AND WE MUST ASK OURSELVES WHAT TOOLS ARE NEEDED AND WHERE MAKING OUR COMMUNITY SAFER REQUIRES SUSTAINED COMMITMENT, THOUGHTFUL POLICY MAKING, AND ONGOING COLLABORATION. I DON'T THINK TONIGHT WE'RE GONNA RESOLVE EVERY ISSUE, BUT I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO RECEIVE REALLY IMPORTANT UPDATES AND CONTINUE A CONVERSATION THAT'S CRITICAL TO OUR COMMUNITY. I WANNA WALK THROUGH THE PLAN FOR TONIGHT, SOME OF WHICH IS OUTLINED IN THE COMMUNICATIONS FROM OTHER CITY OFFICERS. AFTER WE PLACE THAT ON FILE, UH, WE CAN GO AHEAD INTO THE CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA ITEMS. WE'LL PULL ALL OF THEM, AND THE CITY MANAGER WILL SPEAK TO ALL OF THEM. WE'LL BE USING RULE 23 F, WHICH ALLOWS EACH CITY COUNSELOR TO TAKE THE FLOOR FOR UP TO TWO TIMES PER AGENDA ITEM AND ASK UP TO TWO QUESTIONS OF CITY STAFF EACH TIME. YOU MAY NOT HAVE QUESTIONS ON EACH OF THE COMMUNICATIONS, AND THAT'S FINE. I DO ASK WHEN YOU SPEAK TO BE SPECIFIC AS TO WHICH ITEM THAT YOU'RE ASKING QUESTIONS ON. WE WILL BE USING THE TIMER TONIGHT, AND YOU'LL [01:30:01] BE ALLOWED TO HOLD THE FLOOR FOR UP TO FIVE MINUTES. I ASK THAT YOU ASK YOUR SEC SECOND QUESTION BY THE FIVE MINUTE MARK, AFTER WHICH STAFF WILL BE PERMITTED. TIME NEEDED TO RESPOND WITHIN REASON. AFTER THE CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA ITEMS, WE CAN MOVE TO POLICY ORDERS IF THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY BEEN RAISED EARLIER THROUGH A SUSPENSION OF THE RULES. WE DO HAVE A LATE POLICY ORDER AS WELL, WHICH WILL REQUIRE SUSPENSION. AS WE GET INTO TONIGHT. I ASK MY COLLEAGUES, UH, AND EVERYONE WHO'S HERE TONIGHT, TO REALLY RESPECT EACH OTHER'S PERSPECTIVES. PEOPLE COME TO THESE ISSUES WITH DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES AND DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CREATE SPACE TO LISTEN TO ONE ANOTHER WITH RESPECT. I ALSO ASK THAT EVERYONE STAY FOCUSED ON THE ITEMS BEFORE US SO WE HAVE THE TIME NEEDED FOR A MEANINGFUL DISCUSSION. IF COMMENTS BEGIN TO MOVE BEYOND THE ISSUES ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA, I'LL REDIRECT CONVERSATION SO WE CAN REMAIN FOCUSED ON THE BUSINESS BEFORE THE COUNCIL. SO I WANNA JUST PREVIEW, UH, WHAT WE WILL, THE ORDER OF BUSINESS THAT WE'LL HAVE. UH, AND JUST TO RE REPEAT, WE WILL, AFTER, UM, I SPEAK, WE'LL GO AHEAD TO THE WELCOME THE CITY MANAGERS TEAM, UH, TO THE TABLE. UNLESS THERE ARE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THE ORDER OF BUSINESS, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO PLACE THIS COMMUNICATION FROM OTHER CITY OFFICERS ON FILE ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS TO PLACE THIS COMMUNICATION ON FILE AND MOVE TO THE CITY MANAGER AGENDA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO [ A communication has been received from Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui transmitting the Agenda for the Special City Council Meeting on July 23, 2026.] THE CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA. WE HAVE FOUR ITEMS THAT THE CITY MANAGER, UH, HAS GIVEN US IN HIS PACKET. WE HAVE A COMMUNICATION TRANSMITTED FROM IAN HUANG, CITY MANAGER RELATIVE TO THE CITY'S VIOLENCE PREVENTION EFFORTS. WE HAVE A COMMUNICATION TRANSMITTED FROM IAN WONG, CITY MANAGER RELATIVE TO A COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT UPDATE. WE HAVE A COMMUNICATION TRANSMITTED FROM IAN WONG, CITY MANAGER RELATIVE TO A REPORT ON 2026 SUMMER COMMUNITY PROGRAMS. AND WE HAVE A COMMUNICATION TRANSMITTED FROM IAN WONG, CITY MANAGER RELATIVE TO A VIOLENCE PREVENTION RECOMMENDATIONS REPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT. WITH THAT, WITH ALL THOSE, UH, IN FRONT OF US, I WILL GO AHEAD TO [ A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the City's violence prevention efforts.] [ A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to a Community Safety Department update.] [ A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to a report on 2026 Summer Community Programs.] [ A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to a Violence Prevention Recommendations Report from the Community Safety Department.] THE CITY MANAGER. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UH, MAYOR SIDIKI. UM, JUST TO DO MAYBE SOME INTRODUCTIONS, UM, UH, MAYBE WE'LL JUST GO THROUGH AND DO SOME QUICK INTRODUCTIONS AND THEN, UH, WE CAN WALK THROUGH, UM, THE MEMOS THAT WE SUBMITTED. HELLO EVERYONE. I'M DR. KWAME DANCE. I AM THE CITY'S NEW ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND COMMUNITY SAFETY. MARIE MATTHEW, DIRECTOR OF THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT. PAULINE WELLS, THE ACTING POLICE COMMISSIONER. UH, AND WE ALSO HAVE MICHELLE FARNAM, UM, WHO RUNS ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS ON YOUTH AND FAMILIES, UH, HERE WITH US AS WELL. SO, UM, THANK YOU ALL APPRECIATE, UH, SO MUCH, SO MANY PEOPLE WHO TURNED OUT, UM, AND TESTIFIED. AND ALSO FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS CONVERSATION. UM, WE ARE ALL DEVASTATED BY WHAT HAPPENED ON JULY 4TH. AND, UM, I THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR US TO, UH, COME TOGETHER AND, AND THESE ARE BOTH EVENTS THAT HELP US REFLECT AND LOOK AT THE WORK THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY DOING. UM, BUT I WOULD SAY WE, WE ARE IN THESE MOMENTS TOO MANY TIMES. AND, UH, WE HAVE CONTINUALLY BEEN LOOKING AT OUR PROGRAMS, BUILDING THEM OVER THE YEARS. UM, MANY OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE CURRENTLY RUN IN HUMAN SERVICES, UH, PROGRAMS THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE BUILT, UH, HAVE BEEN OVER THE YEARS RESPONSES TO HOW WE CAN DO BETTER. UM, AND I THINK THAT'S A LOT OF THE CONVERSATION TONIGHT. UM, WE'VE SUBMITTED A NUMBER OF MEMOS. UM, I THINK THE FIRST, UM, IS AN UPDATE FROM THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT. UH, WE HAD A CONVERSATION, UM, IN FEBRUARY THAT WAS A REPORT ON RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HOW THE CITY PROVIDES A MORE COMPREHENSIVE VIOLENCE PREVENTION EFFORT. UM, THAT HAS BEEN THE CONVERSATION THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND IT'S ONE THAT'S BEEN REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO, UM, DO BETTER ON. AND A LOT OF THE CONVERSATION WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE FEEDBACK FROM THE COUNCIL OVER THE YEARS IS HOW WE'RE DOING THIS WORK. UM, NOT JUST, UH, ACROSS CITY DEPARTMENTS, BUT ALSO HOUSING SOMETHING OUTSIDE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT CAN COORDINATE A LOT OF THESE EFFORTS. UM, IT HAS BEEN A BIG EFFORT TO BUILD THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT AS A CIVILIAN [01:35:01] RESPONSE TO SUPPORT EMERGENCY CALLS. UM, BUT WE'VE ALSO SEEN IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD UP A VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAM. UM, AND, AND THAT REPORT WAS THE BEGINNING OF A CONVERSATION TO SAY, HOW DO WE DO THIS? UM, THAT LED TO THE HIRING OF, UM, OF MR. KWAME, DR. KWAME DANCE. UM, AND HE'S REALLY BEEN LEADING A LOT OF OUR RESPONSE TO THE JULY 4TH EVENT. UM, AND, UH, THE UPDATE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING TODAY IS REALLY JUST THE INITIAL THINKING, UM, COMING OUT OF THAT FEBRUARY REPORT, UH, FOR US TO DISCUSS. UM, AND I THINK FOR US TO CONTINUE TO BE GOING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND HAVING ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW WE STRENGTHEN THESE EFFORTS, UM, AND HOW WE BUILD THEM ACROSS ALL OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS AND HOW WE PARTNER WITH SO MANY OF THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DOING THIS WORK. UM, WE'VE ALSO PROVIDED A SUMMARY OF THE ACTIVE PROGRAMS THAT RUN EVERY SUMMER. UM, WE, WE DO THIS EVERY YEAR. THERE WAS ONE THAT WE PUT UP IN 2025. UM, AND THIS IS JUST A SUMMARY OF ALL OF THE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT OVER TIME, UH, ACROSS A NUMBER OF DEPARTMENTS. UH, AND THEN FINALLY, JUST, UM, PUT UP THE, UH, REPORT FROM FEBRUARY, JUST, UM, JUST TO HAVE IT ATTACHED TO THIS AGENDA. UH, BUT LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION, TO QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION. UM, AND MAYBE I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DR. DAN FOR ANY, ANY QUICK REMARKS OR TO, UM, TO DIRECT YOUR MATTHEW. OKAY. UM, AGAIN, THANK YOU EVERYBODY. UM, AND, UM, YEP, THANK YOU COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. UM, FIRST OFF, JUST CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF XAVIER BATISTA AND ALL OF THE FAMILIES WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED, UM, BY, BY VIOLENCE AND GUN VIOLENCE IN OUR CITY. AND, UH, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A TALL TASK TO, UM, BOTH RESPOND IN THE IMMEDIATE AS WELL AS CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SO THAT WE CAN FOCUS ON THE MACRO LEVEL ISSUES, UH, WITHOUT LOSING SIGHT OF THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. AND THAT'S WHAT I'M COMMITTED TO DO. THAT'S WHAT, UH, MARIE AND SAFE AND SAFETY ARE COMMITTED TO DO. THAT'S WHAT OUR, OUR CITY MANAGER HAS, UH, INVESTED IN. UM, IN TERMS OF ELEVATING COMMUNITY VOICES, UM, THROUGH MY, MY NEW ROLE, UM, I JUST WANTED TO REALLY QUICKLY INTRODUCE MYSELF BEFORE WE GET INTO LIKE THE RESPONSE. UM, I AM A CAMBRIDGE KID. I, UH, GREW UP IN THE CAMBRIDGE PORT NEIGHBORHOOD, THE COAST. I, UM, HAVE WORKED IN NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING CAMBRIDGE COMMUNITY CENTER AND LEADERSHIP. UM, I'VE WORKED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICE PROGRAMS AS A YOUTH YOUTH WORKER. I'VE COACHED FOOTBALL. I'VE BEEN A BOARD MEMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS. SO I JUST SAY THAT NOT TO, I WENT TO CAMBRIDGE LATIN SCHOOL, I SAY, AND I'M A CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST. UM, I SAY ALL OF THOSE THINGS JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF, UH, WELL, MY POSITIONING IN THE COMMUNITY AND, UM, THE COMMUNITY, THE COMMUNITY BROADLY. 'CAUSE UM, WE SEE THAT THERE AREN'T ALWAYS, EVERYBODY ISN'T ALWAYS REPRESENTED IN THESE SPACES. AND MY JOB IS TO GET OUT THERE AND CONNECT, UM, CONNECT ALL OF THE COMMUNITIES WITH ALL OF THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US. UH, BIG PART OF MY ROLE IS TO, UM, CONNECT WITH OUR NEIGHBORS IN BOSTON AND SOMERVILLE AND OTHER CITIES, UH, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY BEGUN DOING. UM, AND TO FOLLOW NATIONAL DATA AND NATIONAL MODELS SO THAT WE CAN, UM, BE AHEAD OF THE GAME. CAMBRIDGE IS A TREND CENTER IN THIS NATION, AND WE SHOULD BE. UM, AND, UH, THAT IS MY GOAL, UM, AND OUR GOAL. SO, THANK YOU. UM, WE'LL GET TO THE IMMEDIATE RESPONSES THAT WE'VE DONE SHORTLY. PASSING OFF TO MARIE. ANYTHING ELSE FROM WHAT'S IN THE AGENDA ITEM THAT YOU'D LIKE TO TOUCH ON BEFORE WE ASK HER QUESTIONS? OKAY. I'LL GET INTO THE IMMEDIATE RESPONSES THAT WE'VE DONE. SO SINCE THE, SINCE THE FOURTH, I JUST WANNA GO THROUGH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED. ALRIGHT. SO ON JULY 5TH, UM, THERE WAS INITIAL, THERE WAS AN IN INITIAL MEETING, UM, WITH COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT, THE CARE TEAM, UM, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, RIVERSIDE TRAUMA CENTER, UH, THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER, UM, CITY MANAGER, UH, TO ESTABLISH AN INITIAL APPROACH FOR, UH, OH, IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, EXCUSE ME, UM, TO ESTABLISH AN INITIAL [01:40:01] APPROACH FOR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, UH, SUPPORT AND BROADER COMMUNITY RESPONSE COORDINATION. UM, THERE WERE MANY OTHER MEETINGS PRIOR TO THAT THAT I WAS NOT THERE FOR. AND THERE WERE MANY MEETINGS SINCE THEN. SO THAT NEXT DAY, THE SIXTH, UH, THE CARE TEAM, UH, AND RIVERSIDE TRAUMA CENTER MET WITH DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS TO BE THERE FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES. UM, CONTACT WAS ALREADY MADE AT THAT POINT BY THE CITY MANAGER AND MAYOR SIDIKI WITH THE FAMILY. UM, SO FROM 6:00 AM TO 11:00 AM THAT HAPPENED THAT AFTERNOON. UM, CARE AND OTHERS IN THIS ROOM WENT TO THE FAMILY'S HOME TO OFFER SUPPORT. UM, SPOKE WITH, UH, HIS MOTHER, PUT SOME SUPPORTS IN PLACE FOR HIS FAMILY AND WILL CONTINUE DOING THAT. I WON'T GET INTO THE EXACT, UM, SUPPORTS, BUT, UM, UH, JUST BECAUSE WE WANT TO, UM, PRESERVE THEIR PRIVACY. BUT THERE HAVE BEEN WRAPAROUND SUPPORTS THAT ALL DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THAT ARE HERE REPRESENTED TODAY. UM, MAYOR MAY, THERE WERE ON, UH, SORRY, BETWEEN THE SIXTH AND THE EIGHTH, UM, OF JULY, UH, WE IDENTIFIED THE LOCATION, THE FACILITATOR, AND PLANNED ALL ASPECTS, UM, ACROSS DEPARTMENTS FOR THE COMMUNITY MEETING THAT WAS HELD AT THE SENIOR CENTER. UM, WE MADE SEVERAL EFFORTS TO HAVE IT HAVE THAT MEETING IN OTHER, UM, LOCATIONS IN THE CITY THAT WERE CLOSER TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, WHERE THE EVENT HAPPENED. HOWEVER, THE SENIOR CENTER WAS THE BEST OPTION FOR THAT MEETING, UM, GIVEN VARIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES, UH, WITH FACILITIES. BUT WE HAVE THAT, UH, COMMUNITY MEETING ON JULY 9TH. WE PARTICIPATED IN A POST-MEETING DEBRIEF PLANNING ACTIVITIES THAT WAS, UH, WITH EVERYBODY INVOLVED. EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM WAS REPRESENTED IN OTHERS CAMBRIDGE HEALTH ALLIANCE. AND, UM, THERE WERE SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AS MAYOR SIDIKI NAMED, UM, SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH SOME OF THE CO CO COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION LEADERS THAT WERE MENTIONED TODAY CAME AND WHO WE'VE FUNDED, UM, AND, UH, CONTINUE TO SUPPORT. UM, SO MARGARET FULLER HOUSE, CAMBRIDGE HEART, UM, UH, MBK, MY BROTHER'S KEEPER, UM, UH, ON THE RISE, INNER CITY WEIGHT LIFTING, AND, UH, SISTER TO SISTER. UM, COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS WE'VE ALL MET AND OTHERS, UH, WE CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT WITH THE FAMILY. UM, AND THERE'S BEEN, AS I MENTIONED, ONGOING FAMILY SUPPORT FOR, UM, FOR, UH, THE, THE FAMILY AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WERE MOST DIRECTLY IMPACTED. MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR MOND, UH, UH, THROUGH YOU TO DR. DANCE. WHEN YOU'RE TALKING, YOU REALLY HAVE TO TALK RIGHT INTO THE MIC. I APOLOGIZE. AS YOU TURN YOUR HEAD, YOUR VOICE GOES WITH IT. AND SO I KNOW I CAN'T HEAR ANYTHING YOU'RE SAYING, SO JUST A REMINDER, YOU'LL GET USED TO IT OVER TIME. THANK YOU. I HOPE, HOPEFULLY I WON'T BE HERE TOO MUCH. TALKING ABOUT, UH, WELL, OH, I WANT YOU TO BE HERE FOR VERY LONG TIME. I'M VERY HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE. BUT I'M JUST SAYING IN TERMS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE LISTENING ONLINE, I'M GETTING TEXT MESSAGES SAYING, WHAT DID HE SAY? SO JUST KIND OF, IT'S, WE HAVE TO GET SIGNS ON THE MIC SAYING SPEAK IN THE MIC ALL TIMES. SO JUST WANNA REMIND YOU. WILL DO, WILL DO. THANK YOU. COUNCIL SIMMONS, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT, UM, IT'S WORTH REPEATING FROM THE, UM, FROM THE TEXT MESSAGES YOU GOT? OKAY. THANK YOU, . OKAY. THANK YOU. UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR DANCE. YEAH. ANYTHING ELSE FROM FOLKS BEFORE WE GET INTO QUESTIONS? OKAY. SO WE WILL, AS I SAID IN THE, WE'LL START WITH TWO QUESTIONS. UM, AGAIN, IF YOU HAVE, YOU CAN, I, I WOULD SAY IT'D BE EASIER TO JUST SAY, OKAY, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE COMMUNITY SAFETY UPDATE, OR I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE 2026 SUMMARY COMMUNITY PROGRAMS, UM, AND BE AS SPECIFIC AS POSSIBLE. SO, PLEASURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL. YES. COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN. UH, THANK YOU, UH, THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO PUT THIS TOGETHER. IT'S, IT'S, IT IS A, A GREAT SUMMARY OF ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT, THAT WE DO DO IN THE CITY. UM, SO I GUESS MY, MY FIRST QUESTION, AND, AND, AND MAYBE, UM, THIS IS FOR YOU, DR. DAN, ALTHOUGH I KNOW YOU, YOU'RE RELATIVELY NEW TO THE POSITION, BUT YOU'RE, YOU'RE A CAMBRIDGE KID. THERE WE GO. UM, SO WE HAVE ALL THESE PROGRAMS, ALL THESE INTERVENTIONS. WE'VE HAD 'EM D SOME OF THE SAME ONES FOR A LONG TIME, SOME DIFFERENT ONES. AND YET WE CONTINUE TO HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS. AND SO [01:45:01] WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS? LIKE, WHAT ARE WE NOT DOING RIGHT? HOW ARE WE NOT, WHY ARE WE NOT REACHING MORE YOUNG PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED IN THESE PROGRAMS? ARE THERE, YOU KNOW, OR IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE JUST, THAT WE'RE JUST NOT DOING RIGHT BECAUSE IT'S NOT A SHORTAGE OF PROGRAMS. RIGHT. BUT, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY EFFECTIVE AND, AND, AND WHY ARE WE STILL HAVING SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE TO STRUGGLE? YEAH. UH, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN. UM, I THINK THAT THE SHORT WAY OF ANSWERING THAT QUESTION IS, UM, THAT'S OUR JOB TO FIND OUT, UM, AND DO, UH, A VERY COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT WHAT THOSE FACTORS ARE. WE DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT, UH, THAT, THAT SOME OF THESE INDIVIDUALS AREN'T ALREADY TAKING, UM, ADVANTAGE OF THE CITY. SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT I KNOW WHO HAVE PASSED OVER THE YEARS OR BEEN INVOLVED OVER THE YEARS, WERE VERY INVOLVED IN CITY PROGRAMS. SO THAT'S PART OF THE, THAT'S PART OF THE WORK AND PART OF THE RESEARCH THAT I'LL BE DOING OVER THE COURSE OF THE, UM, SUMMER, SO THAT IN THE FALL WE CAN PRODUCE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE REPORT AND GET THE STORIES OF THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. UM, I THINK MY ROLE IS TO CONNECT THE DOTS, BE A CONNECTOR, SO, UM, SO THAT WE'RE OFFERING THE MOST, UM, COHESIVE, WRAPAROUND, UM, SUPPORT SO THAT WE CAN, UM, ENGAGE ALL OF THE CITY ENTITIES AS WELL AS THE PARTNERS TO, TO ADDRESS THAT. GREAT. UH, THANK YOU. AND NEXT QUESTION, ADAMIR. UM, AND THEN I, I REALLY, IF YOU COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, UM, AND MAYBE IT'S TOO EARLY, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE LOOK AT A LOT OF THE, THE CRIME THAT HAPPENS IN THE CITY, THE GUN ACTIVITY THAT HAPPENS IN THE CITY. AND CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE ARE YOUNG PEOPLE FROM CAMBRIDGE THAT ARE WRAPPED UP IN THAT. UM, BUT A LOT OF IT IS AT TIME FROM FOLKS FROM OUTSIDE OF CAMBRIDGE, RIGHT? THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN A TENSION BETWEEN SOMERVILLE AND CAMBRIDGE. AND IN MY DAY, YOU WOULD FIGHT, YOU WOULDN'T, IT WASN'T GUNS. RIGHT? UM, SO I'M INTERESTED IN THAT, IN THAT WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING TO REACH OUT SPECIFICALLY TO SOMERVILLE AND BOSTON MM-HMM . UM, AND HOW DO YOU ENVISION THAT? AND, AND WHERE DO YOU SEE THAT GOING? THANK YOU. SO WE'VE ALREADY CONNECTED, UH, WITH, UH, BOSTON'S, UM, UH, UH, VIOLENCE PREVENTION DIRECTOR, UM, WHO IS A CAMBRIDGE KID ALSO. UM, HE WAS, BE ABLE TO SPEAK, I WAS HIS LITTLE LEAGUE COACH. YEAH. YEP. THERE WE GO. EXACTLY. UM, I, I, I WAS ONE OF HIS YOUTH WORKERS AT ONE POINT, SO . SO, UM, BUT, BUT YEAH, HE, UH, UH, HE AND I HAVE SPOKEN, HE AND I, UH, I'LL BE ATTENDING, UM, SOME OF HIS STANDING MEETINGS TO KIND OF GET A SENSE OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING OVER THE BRIDGE. HE'S ALREADY, UH, EXPRESSED, UM, UH, A WILLINGNESS TO SHARE INFORMATION WHICH, UM, UH, THAT, THAT CAN HELP KEEP OUR CITY SAFE, THE POLICE. UM, AND I HAVE ALSO CONNECTED WITH, UM, FOLKS WHO ARE DOING THIS WORK IN SOMERVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO, UM, WE HAVE SOME MEETINGS AND, UH, ACTUALLY AN UPCOMING, UH, CONFERENCE THAT I'LL BE ATTENDING WITH, UH, SOME OF THOSE FOLKS. COUNCILOR, GOVERNOR. GREAT. UH, THANK YOU AND GREAT HAVING YOU HERE. AND, AND I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO HAVE SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THE COMMUNITY AND HAS, UM, THE RESPECT OF THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE WE CAN HAVE ALL KINDS OF PROGRAMS AND PUT IN ALL KINDS OF ORDINANCES AND WHATEVER, BUT IF WE'RE NOT CONNECTING WITH THE COMMUNITY AND GAINING THE COMMUNITY'S TRUST, WE'RE JUST PUSHING UPHILL ON, ON, ON EVERYTHING. SO I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT YOU'RE HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I HAVE COUNSELOR NOLAN, WHO'S NEXT. THANK YOU. WE ARE ASKING QUESTIONS ON ANY ONE OF THE CITY MANAGER. YES. UM, REVIEW. THANK YOU. THIS IS A HEAVY TIME FOR THE CITY. MM-HMM . UM, WE'RE HERE BECAUSE OF A TRAGEDY, AND WE SHOULD HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION ANYWAY, BECAUSE VIOLENCE PREVENTION IS SOMETHING WE ARE ALL DEEPLY INVESTED IN, AND WE KNOW THAT THIS TRAGEDY AFFECTED ALL OF US AND RAISED IT UP. AND YET THESE REPORTS ARE QUITE IMPORTANT FOR US TO, TO REVIEW AND UNDERSTAND FROM THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT AND ALSO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. UM, I WANTED TO NOTE THAT THERE WAS A VERY POSITIVE, UH, MOVE. IT LOOKS LIKE THAT OF SHIFTING THE CONTRACT FROM ROCA TO THE, UH, COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT IS SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR A WHILE, SINCE THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT WAS CREATED BY COUNCIL INITIATIVE DUE TO THE WORK, UH, COMING OUT OF, UH, COUNCILOR MCGOVERN AND COUNCILLOR SIMMONS WORK TO, TO TRY TO DO MORE IN THE CITY OUTSIDE OF, AND TO OFFLOAD FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE DON'T WANT DUPLICATIVE PROCESSES AND SILOING OF DEPARTMENTS. SO I WAS REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THAT. I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S ANY UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THAT WILL BE, UH, TRANSFERRED IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT TO [01:50:01] GROW AND THRIVE. IT ALSO ALLOWS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO FOCUS ON THEIR CRITICAL WORK. UM, SOME WORK AND SERVICES ARE BETTER ACCOMPLISHED, WE KNOW, WITH CIVILIAN CITY EMPLOYEES, AND FOR SOME, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS BETTER TOOLS. SO I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND, HOW IS IT THAT FOR OVERALL, FROM THIS REPORT, THERE'S THIS LENGTHY LIST OF EVERYTHING THAT THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT IS DOING. AND OBVIOUSLY THE WHOLE IDEA IS A DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH. SO WHAT, WE'LL, WE BE USING FOR BENCHMARKING? WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC EXPECTED OUTCOMES FROM THIS MASSIVE INVESTMENT IN COMMUNITY SAFETY? AND, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, PEER CITIES, ARE WE USING THEM? HOW IS IT, IS IT THAT WE EXPECT TO SEE A REDUCTION IN DIVERSIONS TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM? IS IT THAT WE EXPECT TO SEE A VERY SPECIFIC REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF, UH, VIOLENT CRIMES AND OTHER CRIMES? SO I'M JUST INTERESTED IN HOW IS IT THAT THAT ISN'T BEING INCORPORATED INTO THE WORK? 'CAUSE I DIDN'T SEE THOSE SPECIFICS IN THIS VERY LENGTHY REPORT ABOUT THE INITIATIVES THAT ARE BEING TAKEN ON COUNCILLOR NOLAN. CAN YOU ACTUALLY ASK JUST SECOND QUESTION TOO, BECAUSE OF THE TIME. OKAY. UM, YEAH, THE SECOND QUESTION ON VIOLENCE PRODUCTION PREVENTION IS VERY SIMILAR IN THAT TONY CLARK AND HIS TESTIMONY, AND IN HIS LETTER TO US, CALLED OUT VERY SPECIFIC CITIES WITH GOOD VIOLENCE PREVENTION WORK, BERKELEY, ST. PAUL, AND ANN ARBOR. SO HOW IS IT THAT WE'RE INCORPORATING THOSE IN, INTO OUR, OUR WORK? THANK YOU. SO, UM, TY AND TONY FROM, UH, MBK ARE, UH, TWO OF OUR PARTNERS, AN ORGANIZATION THAT WE FUNDED IN THE PAST. AND I'VE ALREADY MET WITH TY, UM, TWICE, TONY ONCE THUS FAR. UM, ALSO SOME OTHER INDIVIDUALS, I THINK IN THE FOOTNOTES OF THE DOCUMENT, I, I SHARED SOME OF THE RESOURCES THAT SOME OF THE, UH, FOLKS WE'VE TALKED WITH, SOME OF THE, THE LOCAL AND NATIONAL LEADERS HAVE IN, IN THIS WORK HAVE SHARED WITH US. AND THERE ARE MANY MORE. I, UM, SO, UH, WE ARE COMMITTED AND HAVE A COMMITMENT FROM OTHER FOLKS TO HELP US, UH, UM, COMPILE AND, UM, DISSECT WHAT'S WORKING IN OTHER SPACES, PARTICULARLY, UM, COMMUNITIES THAT ARE SIMILAR TO CAMBRIDGE AND DEMOGRAPHIC AND, AND, AND, UH, UM, SIZE AND, AND TYPES OF RESOURCES. UM, SO IN TERMS OF, UH, THE BENCHMARKS, UM, SO THAT IS, UM, SO I THINK YOU'VE HEARD IN PUBLIC COMMENT WE'RE LOOKING AT ROOT CAUSES. UM, WE IS ONE THING, AND THERE WILL BE SOME QUANTITATIVE, UH, UH, DATA COLLECTED FOR SURE. UM, I'M A BIG QUANTI MIXED METHOD GUY, BUT, UH, WE WILL BE LOOKING AT, UH, SOME OF THE DECREASES OVER TIME, BUT WE KNOW THAT IT'S DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY CAUSATION, UM, FROM THOSE THINGS. SO WE WILL BE LOOKING AT SOME OF THAT CORRELATIVE, UH, DATA, UM, AS PART OF MY REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WILL COME IN THE FALL, UM, UH, FOR THAT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THAT DRAFT OF A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. UM, BUT ONE THING THAT WE REALLY ARE ADDRESSING, AND THIS IS ALSO HIGHLIGHTED A FEW TIMES, IS THE FEELING AND ADDRESSING A FEELING OF SAFETY IN THE COMMUNITY IS, UM, UH, MEASURABLE IN DIFFERENT WAYS. IT'S MEASURABLE BY, UM, HOW MANY FOLKS ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE WONDERFUL PROGRAMS THAT, UH, DHSP HAS, AND TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE IN SHOWING THAT THEY'RE THRIVING IN THOSE PLACES. PEOPLE THAT, UM, HOW MANY FOLKS FEEL REPORT THAT THEY FEEL, FEEL SAFE WALKING THROUGH THE SCHOOLS AT THE HIGH, WALKING THROUGH THE HALLS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, OR WALKING OUTSIDE AT NIGHT. AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE GONNA TAKE STORIES. UM, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING FOCUS GROUPS, COMMUNITY MEETINGS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT DATA AS WELL. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT. COUNCILOR NOLAN, WE CAN COME BACK TO YOU FOR YOUR, I WOULD JUST SAY SPECIFIC, MORE SPECIFIC DATA FOCUS GROUPS. DON'T CUT IT. I, I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND. AND, AND THAT'S THE WORK FROM THIS SUMMER. THANK YOU. I HAVE COUNCILOR ZUI NEXT, AND THEN COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. UH, THANK YOU. CHAIR SIDIKI, UM, ACROSS THE CITY, UM, WITH HUMAN SERVICES, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, CARE HEART. IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE DOING A LOT OF REALLY GREAT WORK. AND IN THE REPORT, THE CPD REPORTS THAT YOU'RE INCREASING PATROLS INCREASING VISIBILITY, INCREASING BIKE PATROLS, YOU'RE INCREASING COLLABORATION WITH ROCA. UM, SO MY, MY TWO QUESTIONS ARE, WHAT DOES THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT FEEL WOULD MOST BE MOST IMPORTANT TO DO IN ADDITION, AND THEN ARE THERE ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES TO SHOP SPOTTER? LIKE I WAS GOOGLING ON THE WEB, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A TECHNOLOGY CALLED INTEL THAT USES CAMERAS. UM, OR JUST BY ADDING MORE CAMERAS, AS IN COUNSELOR EM'S POLICY ORDER, ARE, ARE THERE OTHER THINGS THAT WE COULD BE DOING [01:55:01] THAT YOU THINK WOULD MAKE OUR RESIDENTS FEEL MORE SAFE? SO I THINK JUST PROCEDURALLY THAT WE COULD PAUSE THE TIME, BUT THE LATE POLICY ORDERS NOT BEFORE US. SO, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD SUSPEND THE RULES. SO JUST BRING IT FORWARD, IF THAT'S WHAT THE QUESTION IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT. SO, AN A MOTION BY VICE MAYOR, UH, AND WE DON'T HAVE TO DISPOSE OF IT, BUT WE JUST HAVE TO, TO TALK ABOUT IT, UM, ON A MOTION BY VICE MAYOR SMEAR AZIM TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO BRING FORWARD THAT LATE POLICY ORDER. WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL COUNT. COUNCIL ZUBI? NO. VICE AZI? YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. EIGHT MEMBERS VOTING IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, ONE. VOTING IN THE NEGATIVE. SO THOSE ARE THE TWO QUESTIONS THAT COUNCILLOR EY ASKED THROUGH UNION MADAM MAYOR. UM, IF I, IF I CAN RECALL THE FIRST QUESTION CORRECTLY, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT ELSE CAN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DO? I THINK THAT THAT IS THE QUESTION. UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING STRUCK ME DURING THE COMMUNITY MEETING, UM, ON JULY 9TH WHEN SOME OF THE FAMILY MEMBERS WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, SAFETY. AND A LOT OF THEM HAD MENTIONED POLICE OFFICE, AND ONE OF THE SPECIFIC KIDS HAD MENTIONED A FEW POLICE OFFICERS AND NAMES AND MENTION THEM BECAUSE HE KNOWS THEM AND HE FEELS SAFE AROUND THEM. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT REALLY DOES A LOT OF WORK, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE DOCUMENT, AROUND TRYING TO DO A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ALONG WITH OO OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS AS WELL. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SAY A KID FROM CAMBRIDGE, YOU KNOW, AND I'M, I'M ALSO A KID FROM CAMBRIDGE, AND I THINK TO GET THE OFFICERS OUT THERE, ESPECIALLY THESE NEW 19 OFFICERS, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THEM ARE VERY YOUNG, SOME OF THEM FROM, FROM CAMBRIDGE. AND TO GET THEM OUT THERE AND TO GET THEM TO BE ABLE TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE, UM, ON BIKES, ON FOOT, YOU KNOW, NOT, NOT SITTING IN THE CAR AND, AND KEEPING THE WINDOWS UP, YOU KNOW, UM, I THINK IT'S JUST UNDERSTANDING THAT THE POLICE OFFICERS ARE HUMAN TOO. AND I THINK THE INTERACTIONS THAT THEY HAVE WITH THEM, UH, PUTS THEM IN THAT LIGHT AND PUTS THEM MORE AT EASE. UM, AND WHAT WAS THE SECOND QUESTION? ABOUT AT, ARE THERE, ARE THERE ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES OUTSIDE OF SHOTSPOTTER THAT MIGHT MAKE THE COMMUNITY FEEL MORE SAFE, WHETHER IT'S INTELLI, GC, OR, UH, ADDITIONAL CAMERAS? UM, WELL, AS YOU KNOW, UM, WE DID THE PILOT FOR THE CENTRAL SQUARE PUBLIC SAFETY CAMERAS, AND THAT WAS, UM, THAT HAS WORKED OUT VERY WELL, UM, WITH THE INFORMATION AND THE DATA THAT WE HAVE FROM THEM SINCE THEY'VE BEEN UP. UM, SO PUBLIC SAFETY CAMERAS ARE ALWAYS A GOOD THING AS WELL, BECAUSE WE HAVE THE DATA, AND THE DATA IS NOT OUT THERE IN THE CLOUD SOMEWHERE. UM, WE DO, AND SINCE THEN, WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER SOME DATA AROUND, YOU KNOW, OTHER PLACES THAT THE CAMERAS COULD GO IF THE, IF WE SO CHOOSE TO PUT THEM UP. AND WE'VE ALSO JUST RECEIVED, UM, $120,000 FROM, UM, THE URBAN SECURITY INITIATIVE TO, FOR PUBLIC SAFETY CAMERAS. SO, AND WE HAVE SOME DATA TO SHOW THAT WHERE THE NEXT ONES COULD GO UP OR SHOULD GO UP, UM, YOU KNOW, IN CONJUNCTION WITH WHERE, WHERE THE COUNCIL WOULD WANT THEM TO GO AS WELL. UM, AS FAR AS, UM, ALTERNATIVES TO SHOT SPOTTER, I WOULD SAY THAT SHOTS SPOTTER IS, IS SOMETHING THAT IS, UM, IS DIFFERENT FROM ANYTHING ELSE, UM, THAT WE'VE SEEN SO FAR ANYWAY, UM, IN TELE SEA, UM, WHICH IS THE THING THAT YOU HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT. I HAVE DONE VERY A, A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH ON THAT, AND IT WOULD, IT, WHAT IT DOES IS WITH A LOTS OF CAMERAS AND, UH, AND USING AI, IT, IT, UH, IT SAYS THAT IT WILL DETECT WHEN A GUN HAS BEEN, IS IN VIEW OF THE CAMERAS. THAT'S WHAT I KNOW OF THAT AT THIS POINT. SO I, I DO BELIEVE THOUGH, THAT WOULD, YOU WOULD NEED AN AWFUL LOT OF CAMERAS, UM, TO DO THAT. I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE COULDN'T, BUT I THINK, UH, WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT MORE INTO THAT TECHNOLOGY. YEAH. I, FROM MY GOOGLE, IT SOUNDS LIKE, UH, IT, IT NOTICES LIKE IF SOMEONE MIGHT BE HOLDING A GUN OR IF THERE'S A SUDDEN GATHERING OF PEOPLE. SO IT'S ANOTHER WAY OF TRYING TO, UM, STOP VIOLENCE BEFORE IT HAPPENS TO BE ABLE TO [02:00:01] PREDICT IT'S HAPPENING. UM, THANK YOU. WE HAVE COUNCILOR FLAHERTY NEXT, AND THEN COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER, FOLLOWED BY COUNCILOR AL ZUBE. THANK YOU. MAD MID, UH, DR. DANCE. UH, THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR TELLING US ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND. I'M ALSO FROM CAMBRIDGE, AND, UM, JUST SO YOU UNDERSTAND MY PERSPECTIVE, MY BACKGROUND IS, WHEN I BEGAN MY LEGAL CAREER, I WAS A PROSECUTOR, AND PART OF MY JOB WAS RESPONDING TO BRUINE AND, UH, MANAGING STATE POLICE DETECTIVES, UH, CRIME SCENE ANALYSTS, COLLECTING, PRESERVING EVIDENCE AND WORKING TO BUILD A CASE THAT COULD, UH, RESULT IN A SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTION. UM, AFTER I LEFT THE DA'S OFFICE, I WENT INTO CRIMINAL DEFENSE, AND I'VE DONE A RANGE OF CASES. UM, BUT IN ADDITION TO BEING FROM CAMBRIDGE, I'VE HAD THE OCCASION TO REPRESENT KIDS FROM CAMBRIDGE, INCLUDING COREY DAVIS, WHO YOU MAY REMEMBER, WAS MURDERED IN 2006 ON HAMILTON STREET. MM-HMM . AND HE SET OFF A WAVE OF VIOLENCE BETWEEN THE PORT AND NORTH CAMBRIDGE. AND THIS IS AN ONGOING FEUD, IT'S A GUN BATTLE, AND IT'S EVOLVED FROM THE PORT, FROM PORT 44 TO THE MYSTIC PROJECTS, AND IT CONTINUES. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, SO I'VE GOT TWO KIND OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS. THE FIRST IS, I UNDERSTAND THAT MAYBE THE ROCA CONTRACTORS BEING SHIFTED TO THE, UH, CAMBRIDGE SAFETY DEPARTMENT. I'VE GOT SOME EXPERIENCE WITH ROCA, AND I'VE GOT A LOT OF, I GUESS, UM, EXPERIENCE WITH THE, UH, COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY, WHICH IS, AS YOU KNOW, HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL AND MASS GENERAL. AND IT'S BEEN EFFECTIVE, IN MY VIEW, WHAT I'VE SEEN PERSONALLY. AND I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IT'S EFFECTIVE IS BECAUSE THEIR WORKERS MEET THESE KIDS WHERE THEY ARE. THEY GET ON THE STREET, THEY GO INTO THE PROJECTS, THEY MEET 'EM, THEY MEET THEIR FAMILIES, AND THEY BUILD THAT RELATIONSHIP AND TRUST THAT THE COMMISSIONER WAS JUST MENTIONING THAT ONE OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE AT THE, UH, COMMUNITY MEETING MENTIONED POLICE OFFICERS BY THEIR NAME. IS THERE SOME THOUGHT, AND I'LL MOVE ON TO MY SECOND QUESTION, TO MODELING THAT SORT OF ROCHA PROGRAM, THAT INTERVENTION PROGRAM WITH THE CAMBRIDGE SAFETY DEPARTMENT RESPONSES, BECAUSE IT'S EFFECTIVE. I MEAN, THERE'S, IT'S VERY EFFECTIVE, AND I CAN TELL YOU PERSONALLY, IT'S VERY EFFECTIVE. THE SECOND THING THAT I'VE NOTICED PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY, UH, AND I'M TOLD THAT THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THIS, BUT I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THERE'S SHOOTINGS IN CAMBRIDGE, OFTENTIMES THEY'RE EITHER, UH, PRECEDED OR, UM, FOLLOWED BY RAP VIDEOS THAT ARE PO POSTED ONLINE. THEY'RE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, EITHER BY PARTICIPANTS, WITNESSES, VICTIMS. I'M GONNA COME AND SHOOT YOU SINCE YOU SHOT AT ME. AND I'M TOLD THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT, BECAUSE OF THE, UH, SURVEILLANCE ORDINANCE, ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SEARCH SOCIAL MEDIA AND SEE THOSE, UM, YOUTUBE VIDEOS, SOCIAL MEDIA POSTINGS. AND WOULDN'T THAT BE AN EFFECTIVE USE OF A TOOL TO IDENTIFY THOSE PEOPLE WHO NEED THE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION SERVICES THAT THE CAMBRIDGE SAFETY DEPARTMENT WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE? HOPEFULLY. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AS PART OF ALL THAT, I KNOW THIS IS A REPORT THAT WILL BE PREPARED AND SUBMITTED IN THE FALL. WE'VE GOT SOME HOT SUMMER MONTHS IN FRONT OF US, AND WE ALL KNOW THAT. I MEAN, WHO KNOWS WHAT THE FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES ARE OF POOR MR. BATISTA, AND I'VE PAID MY RESPECTS TO THE FAMILY. I'LL DO IT PUBLICLY. YEAH. BUT, UM, AND WHO KNOWS IF THERE'S ANY RETALIATORY VIOLENCE COMING FROM THAT, BUT I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT THERE'S A HIGH PROBABILITY THERE WILL BE ANOTHER SHOOTING IN CAMBRIDGE DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS, EITHER CONNECTED TO THIS OR TOTALLY UNCONNECTED TO IT. AND WOULD IT MAKE SENSE IN THE IMMEDIATE TO HAVE THE TECHNOLOGIES, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REINSTITUTING, UH, TO HELP SORT OF, UH, IDENTIFY PARTICIPANTS BY HAVING POLICE RESPOND IMMEDIATELY IN THE AFTERMATH OF A SHOOTING? SEE WHO WAS THERE, WHO WAS AROUND, AND WHO MIGHT BE IN NEED OF THE SERVICES THAT YOU AND YOUR, UH, TEAM WILL BE PROVIDING, HOPEFULLY IN THE IMMEDIATE, UH, FUTURE. SO PART OF THE, PART OF THE QUESTION, UM, I THINK IS PROBABLY BETTER ANSWERED FOR SOME OTHER FOLKS ON THIS, UH, PANEL RIGHT NOW, UM, UH, REGARDING THE TECHNOLOGY AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WHAT I CAN SAY IS THE, THE ROCHA PIECE, UM, I'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH ROCHA. I'M A BIG FAN. I'VE ALSO, YOU KNOW, I, I WORK, UH, I'VE, I'VE SPENT 10 YEARS WORKING OUTPATIENT, UH, UM, UH, AND AS A CLINICIAN, UH, IN ROXBURY. AND I'VE SENT, SENT A LOT OF FOLKS. I'VE WORKED WITH A LOT OF FOLK, UH, FOLKS AT ROCA WITH MY, UM, IN MY OUTSIDE WORK. SO I HAVE A GREAT RELATIONSHIP [02:05:01] WITH THE ORGANIZATION. UM, JOE IS, HAS BEEN AWESOME AND HAS BEEN, UH, WILLING TO SHARE, UM, SOME OF THEIR PRACTICES. UM, AND WE'RE ALSO COMMITTED, UH, WE HAD A MEETING LAST WEEK ABOUT, UH, JOE WAS JUST ASKING HOW, HOW, UM, COMFORTABLE WAS I WITH, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH THE POLICE, STILL THEM WORKING WITH THE POLICE STILL AND WORKING WITH ME. AND, YOU KNOW, I, WE'VE BEEN TALKING POLICE, WE'VE BEEN TALKING QUITE A BIT SINCE I STARTED, AND I HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS ON THE FOREST, AND I TOLD HIM THAT WE WILL ABSOLUTELY BE WORKING, UM, UH, TOGETHER COLLABORATIVELY, HOWEVER, HONORING THE DECISION TO MOVE THE GRANT TO, TO CAMBRIDGE SAFETY MM-HMM . SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT MORE COMMUNITY, UH, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, EMBEDDED, EMBEDDED APPROACH. SO WE'RE CONTI, THEY'RE GOING TO BE COMING, UM, I THINK TO A BIG EVENT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT EVERYBODY GOT TO EAT, UH, COOK OUT AT THE END OF THE SUMMER, AND I KNOW WELL. YEP, YEP. SO, UM, AND, UH, THEY'RE COMMITTED TO HELPING US WITH THOSE THINGS AS WELL AS THE CARE TEAM IS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S DONE ON THE, WELL, IT'S ALL TIED TO SAFETY, BUT CARE TEAM IS, UM, OUT IN THE COMMUNITY EVERY DAY, UM, AND, UH, AND MEETING FOLKS AND DOING THE WORK, AS AM I, SO IT'S ALL PART OF THE WORK. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. AND I THINK SOME OF YOUR QUESTION, COUNCILOR FERRY ALSO WAS THE SOCIAL MEDIA AH, YES. QUESTION. SORRY. MISSED THAT PART. YEAH. AND, UM, I HAVE, UM, FULL, I MEAN, I'M FROM THE COMMUNITY, FRIENDS IN THE COMMUNITY. I'M NOT GONNA SHARE MY PERSONAL INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT HERE, BUT , BUT I DO, UM, HAVE CONNECTIONS ON THAT. I'M NOT, MY ROLE, I DON'T THINK MY ROLE, I DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR A ROLE AS, UH, TO BE, UH, THE PRIMARY SOURCE FOR ANY KIND OF LITIGATION THAT WOULD COME, OR INFORMATION THAT I THINK I'D BE MOST, UH, EFFECTIVE UNDERSTANDING THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, INCLUDING SOCIAL, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND ANY KIND OF COMMUNICATION THAT EXISTS BY EMBEDDING MYSELF IN BUILDING TRUSTED, TRUSTED RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS. UH, RECENTLY A, A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE WHO I'VE WORKED WITH, UM, UH, JUST TOLD ME OF, UH, A YOUNG PERSON WHO HAD BEEN ON THE RADAR AND WAS, UM, WAS INCARCERATED FOR A BIT OF TIME. HE GOT OUT AND WE RAN A PROGRAM TOGETHER AND CALLED THE HIP HOP TRANSFORMATION PROGRAM. AND HE CAME TO THAT, UH, FRIEND OF MINE WHO'S THE DIRECTOR AND JUST TOLD HIM THAT HE WAS THE FATHER HE NEVER HAD AND HOW COMMITTED HE IS NOT TO, HE'S NOT LIVING IN CAMBRIDGE NOW, COMMITTED TO NOT COMING BACK TO CAMBRIDGE AND HAS TWO JOBS, UM, AND ALL THE THINGS, UM, AND HAS GOTTEN INTO HIS FAITH. AND, UM, AND HE JUST WANTED THAT PERSON TO KNOW HOW MUCH THEY APPRECIATED THEM AND HOW MUCH THEY DON'T WANT TO RE-OFFEND. SO THAT, UM, THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF RELATIONSHIPS THAT I WANT TO CONTINUE TO CAPITALIZE ON AND BUILT THOSE COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS. COMMISSIONER, UH, TO YOU, MADAM MAYOR, UH, REGARDING SOCIAL MEDIA AND, UH, THE SURVEILLANCE POLICY FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. UH, ANY OPEN SOURCE DATA WE CAN USE, BUT, UH, AS FAR AS AS AS MAKING AN ACCOUNT SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT OTHER ACCOUNTS, WE ARE UNABLE TO DO THAT. MM-HMM . SO WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU. SURE. UM, COUNCILOR FLAHERTY, UM, IF IN A SECOND ROUND I HAVE COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER, AND THEN COUNCILOR ZUBE. THANKS, MADAM CHAIR. UH, I WANTED TO, SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT, SUSPEND THE RULES TO PULL POLICY ORDER, UH, NUMBER TWO, ABOUT THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION COUNCILOR SERINA WHEELER IS MOVING TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO TAKE UP THE POLICY ORDER. NUMBER TWO, UH, I'LL READ IT AFTERWARDS. WE'LL GO INTO SUSPENSION, UH, AND WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILOR ZUBIE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZE? YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THAT POLICY ORDER IS ON THE FLOOR, UH, AND IT'S AROUND ASKING AROUND APPROPRIATE LEVELS OF SUPPORT AND STAFFING FOR THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT. THIS WAS FILED BY MYSELF, COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER, AND COUNCILOR NOLAN. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANKS, MADAM MAYOR, I WANTED TO INTRODUCE THIS SINCE WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING A LOT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DE DEPARTMENT, AND THANK YOU TO THE CO-SPONSORS. FIRST, JUST STEP BACK, AND I APPRECIATE THE CONTEXT THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS IN, UM, HAVING, YOU KNOW, MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS HERE, FIVE YEARS AGO, IN MY FIRST TERM, WE DID NOT EVEN HAVE A COMMUNITY [02:10:01] SAFETY DEPARTMENT. I APPRECIATE NOW THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, UH, TWO FOLKS FROM THAT DEPARTMENT SITTING AT THE TABLE ALONG WITH, UH, CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF SERVICES PROGRAM, THINKING ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY HOLISTICALLY IN THIS WAY. UM, THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT CAME OUT OF A POLICY ORDER FROM THE COUNCIL IN 2020. I THINK THE ENTIRE COUNCIL, UH, I WAS ON IT AT THAT TIME, ASKED TO BE CO-SPONSORS ON IT. IT INCLUDES CLINICAL SERVICES AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND THE CARE TEAM, WHICH I THINK TO FOLKS OUTSIDE CITY HALL IS MAYBE THE MOST VISIBLE PART. AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE LIKE GREEN SHIRTS, UH, AND VANS. I THINK THE GOALS OF THIS POLICY ORDER ARE TWOFOLD. IT'S ONE TO LIFT UP THE EXISTING VIOLENCE PREVENTION WORK THAT THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT IS DOING ON ITS OWN AND IN PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND SAY, WE NEED TO EXPAND THAT WORK. AND, UH, NUMBER TWO, IT'S TO RECOGNIZE THE CRITICAL WORK THAT THE CARE TEAM WITHIN THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT DOES TO PROMOTE PUBLIC SAFETY, BOTH IN THE IMMEDIATE RESPONSE WHEN SOMEONE IS IN CRISIS AND IN THE ONGOING CARE MANAGEMENT, CASE MANAGEMENT WORK THAT THEY DO. AND ENSURE THAT THE CARE TEAM HAS THE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT THEY NEED TO EVENTUALLY BECOME AN AROUND THE CLOCK CRISIS, UH, RESPONSE TEAM AND RESPOND, UH, TO THE, ALL THE CALLS THAT THEY'RE ELIGIBLE TO BE RESPONDING TO. YOU KNOW, ON THE VIOLENCE PREVENTION, UH, WORK, UH, THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT, UM, IS NOT THE ONLY DEPARTMENT THAT THAT DOES THAT. AND I HAVE ANOTHER POLICY ORDER TALKING MORE ABOUT THAT. UM, APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING, UH, CAMBRIDGE HEART, UH, SISTER TO SISTER, MY BROTHER'S KEEPER, ANY INNER CITY WEIGHTLIFTING AND ON THE RISE, UH, AS WELL AS THE NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MARKET FULL NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE. UH, AND WE NEED TO BUILD ON THAT WORK. AND THEN ON, ON THE CARE TEAM IN PARTICULAR, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN RUNNING FOR TWO YEARS NOW. IT'S NOW OPERATING, I BELIEVE MONDAY TO FRIDAY, 7:00 AM TO 7:00 PM RESPONDED TO MORE THAN 1200 CALLS IN THE, THE FIRST YEAR ALONE. UH, IT'S, I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, BUT IT'S ONE OF THE PIECES WHEN I'M OUT AT CONFERENCES AROUND THE COUNTRY, THE THINGS THAT I GET CITY OFFICIALS ASKING ME THE MOST ABOUT, WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE? HOW DO YOU DO IT? WHAT'S IT LIKE TO SET IT, SET IT UP, HOW ARE YOU? YOU KNOW, WHAT'S IT LIKE TWO YEARS IN? THERE'S SUCH A HUNGER FOR THIS FROM COMMUNITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND IT SPEAKS TO THE RESPONSIBILITY TO GET THIS RIGHT, NOT ONLY FOR OUR RESIDENTS, BUT BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY COMMUNITIES LOOKING TO US TO GET THIS RIGHT. UM, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE CRISIS RESPONSE AND THE ONGOING CASE MANAGEMENT, THAT IS HOW WE STOP VIOLENCE BEFORE IT OCCURS. IT'S REACHING SOMEONE WHEN THEY ARE HAVING THE WORST DAY OF THEIR LIFE BEFORE THINGS SPIRAL OUT OF CONTROL. UM, I THINK OTHER DEPARTMENTS, CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, DHSP, ARE DOING THIS WELL. THE CARE TEAM IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO DO IT. THE ONGOING CASE MANAGEMENT IS HOW YOU FIND OUT ABOUT THOSE OTHER ISSUES. FIND OUT IF THAT PERSON HAS ONGOING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND IF THEY'RE GETTING TO HELP WITH THEM, FIND OUT IF THERE IS A WEAPON IN THE HOME, PLUG THEM INTO SERVICES THAT CAN HELP THEM NAVIGATE THE ONGOING CHALLENGES, THE WORK, UH, WITH FAMILY AT THE MULTI-SERVICE CENTER, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, AND WE NEED FOLKS WHO CAN BUILD THE TRUST TO, TO DO THAT. AND THAT'S WHAT THE CARE TEAM AND THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO DO. AND WE NEED TO, TO KEEP EXPANDING IT. UM, YOU KNOW, WITH THINK THE RESEARCH HAS, UH, COME OUT OR THE, THE ARTICLES ELIGIBLE, THE CARE TEAM IS ELIGIBLE TO RESPOND TO CERTAIN CALL TO CALL CODES AT, AT THIS POINT, IT'S ONLY ABOUT, UM, LESS THAN HALF THAT THEY'RE ELIGIBLE TO ABOUT 45%. AND THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS FOR THAT. I THINK THE TEAM IS RELATIVELY NEW. IT'S OPERATING MONDAY TO FRIDAY, STILL JUST 7:00 AM TO 7:00 PM UM, WHICH MEANS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS IS NOT IN THE HABIT OF SENDING ALL THE CALLS THEY'RE ELIGIBLE TO GO TO. AND ALSO, UNDERSTANDABLY DISPATCHERS ARE, YOU KNOW, BEING CAUTIOUS AND FIGURING OUT WHEN TO SEND AN UNARMED RESPONSE. UM, BUT THIS POLICY ORDER, THE GOAL IS TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT IT'S ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITY TO SAFETY DEPARTMENT AND THE CARE TEAM ARE GETTING THE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES THEY NEED. IT. IT CAN'T CONTINUE TO BE THE CASE THAT THEY'RE ONLY GETTING 45% OF THE CALLS, UH, OR THAT IT'S ONLY MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FOR A LIMITED NUMBER OF HOURS. WE NEED TO KEEP BUILDING THIS OUT. UM, YOU KNOW, THE WORK OF THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT AND THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS DO VIOLENT PREVENTION WORK IS NOT A NICE TO HAVE OR A BONUS TO HAVE. IT IS ESSENTIAL PUBLIC SAFETY TO DISRUPTING VIOLENCE AND MAKING COMMUNITY, UH, CAMBRIDGE SAFE. AND SO, THANK YOU COUNSELOR, SABRINA. SO THIS IS ON THE FLOOR. UM, FOLKS GONNA ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. AND AGAIN, UM, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON THOSE FOUR COMMUNITY, UM, THE, THE CITY MANAGER AGENDA, YOU CAN ASK THERE IF THE, YOUR TEAM HERE WANTS TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THIS PO THEY'RE WELCOME TO. UM, I HAVE, I HAVE COUNCILOR ZUBIE AFTERWARDS. IS THIS A CLARIFYING QUESTION? COUNCILLOR SIMMONS TO, TO COUNCIL SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. GO AHEAD. COUNCIL SIMMONS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR THROUGH YOU. UM, I, I'M, SO WHAT YOU'RE ASKING, BECAUSE I WANNA SUPPORT IT IN THE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION, I'M JUST NOT CLEAR. SO YOU'RE ASKING FOR, IF I'M READING THE RIGHT ONE, THE ORDER IS THAT THE CITY MANAGER BEING HIT BY, REQUESTED TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION OF VIOLENCE RESPONSE PREVENTION STRATEGIES ALONG WITH SURVIVOR SUPPORT, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. NO, THIS IS NOT THAT. ONE, ONE THAT'S NOT BEFORE. THIS ONE IS NUMBER TWO. NUMBER, UH, TWO UNDER POLICY ORDERS IS THAT THE CITY MANAGERS HEREBY REQUESTED A REPORT ON PROGRESS OF THE FEBRUARY, 2026 REPORTS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND PLANS FOR ENSURING APPROPRIATE LEVELS OF SUPPORT AND STAFFING FOR THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING CONTINUED EXPANSION [02:15:01] OF CSDS VIOLENCE PREVENTION WORK, THE NUMBER AND TYPES OF CALLS HANDLED BY THE CARE TEAM, AND THE TIMELINE FOR A MORE CONS, COMPREHENSIVE STAFFING FOR THE CARE TO THE EMERGENCY. GOT IT. YEAH, I GOT IT. OKAY. UH, BLAME COUNCIL MCGOVERN. HE TOLD ME THE WRONG ONE. UM, THROUGH YOU, MADAM CHAIR. UH, I, I SUPPORT IT IN, IN, IN THEORY. THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE COUNSELOR IS, AND I WAS GONNA TALK ABOUT THIS EARLIER, HOW DO WE ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION? NOW, I KNOW WE HAVE THESE PROGRAMS AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DO FUND THEM SO THAT THEY CAN DO THEIR JOB. UH, YOU KNOW, WITH RIGHT ALONGSIDE CPD AND THE OTHER PROGRAM, MY ONLY, UM, HESITATION, YOU KNOW, AND MAYBE YOU CAN BE, IT CAN BE ADDED THAT IT'S ALSO ORDERED THAT THIS, WHAT YOU'RE ASKING UNDER THIS FIRST ORDER IS THAT IT'S DONE IN THE CONTEXT OF TALKING TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE MOST INJURED BY THE VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME. THAT'S IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE I TALK TO. SO HOW DO WE FOLD THAT IN? 'CAUSE I DON'T, I, I CERTAINLY SUPPORT THE IDEA, BUT JUST TO GO AND TO CONTINUE FUNDING, GREAT. BUT YOU, WE HAVE TO PAUSE AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE WE HEAR FROM THE PORT NEIGHBORHOOD RIVERSIDE NORTH CAMBRIDGE. SO I, I'LL, I'LL YIELD THE FLOOR, BUT THAT'S A CONCERN OF MINE. COUNCILOR ZAINA, WE THERE. YEAH. UM, I LOVE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT. I THINK THE PART THAT YOU'RE ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, I THINK IS, IS SORT OF DEEPLY BUILT INTO THE STRUCTURE OF THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT. IT'S NOT JUST CITY STAFF. WE'RE FUNDING. I THINK, YOU KNOW, MY BROTHER'S KEEPER, I THINK, UH, CAMBRIDGE HEART, I THINK SISTER TO SISTER, I THINK ON THEIR EYES, I THINK THESE ARE COMMUN NEW ORGANIZATIONS THAT, YOU KNOW FROM THEM. I, I THINK THE WORK THAT THESE FOLKS HAVE DONE IS, IS REALLY EMBEDDED. I THINK WE, WE CAN AND SHOULD HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT. BUT I THINK THESE, THESE GROUPS, I SEE THEM OUT EVERY DAY. I SEE THE CARE TEAM OUT TALKING TO, TO MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. I SEE THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT OUT THERE, AND I SEE THESE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. I RAN INTO 'EM, WHETHER I'M AT, YOU KNOW, NORTH CAMBRIDGE, UH, OUT BY THE TOWERS, I, I SEE, UH, SOME OF THE COMMUNITY ORGS, THEY'RE FUNDING DOING THIS WORK, AND, YOU KNOW, GETTING THIS FEEDBACK FROM RESIDENTS. I SEE THEM DISTRIBUTING CLOSE. I SEE THEM OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY ALL THE TIME. I'M, I'M VERY OPEN TO HAVING, UH, MORE CONVERSATIONS, WHETHER THAT'S IN, YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, UH, THE CIVIC UNION COMMUNITY. WE CAN DO THOSE CONVERSATIONS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. BUT I THINK IT'S TO, I, I GUESS I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE, WHERE THE QUESTION IS COMING FROM. 'CAUSE I, I SEE THE CARE TEAM OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY AS MUCH AS I SEE OTHER DEPARTMENTS, UH, CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, DHSP, I DON'T, I DON'T SEE THE, THE CARE TEAM IN THE COMMUNITY TO SAFETY DEPARTMENT, AS, YOU KNOW, UNIQUELY SORT OF WALL DONE IN, IN CITY HALL. SO I GUESS I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE WHERE THAT CONVERSATION, WHERE THAT QUESTION IS COMING FROM. SO FOLKS IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT MORE TO GET INTO, THE POLICY ORDERS GENERALLY COME KIND OF AFTER, RIGHT? AND THAT'S WHAT I EXPECTED. COMMUNITY, THE, UH, CITY MANAGERS UPDATES. I WOULD RECOMMEND, BEFORE WE GO BACK AND FORTH ON THIS, WE ASK THIS TEAM HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE REPORT ITSELF. AND SO I HAD COUNSELOR THE REPORTS THEMSELVES. I HAVE COUNSELOR ZUBIE, AND THEN I HAVE VICE MAYOR. THANK YOU THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR. UM, I HAVE A COMMENT HERE AND A QUESTION, AND HONESTLY, GONNA TRY TO DO MY BEST, BUT I PROBABLY KNOW I'LL GO OVER TIME. SO WE'LL TRY TO SPEAK ARTICULATELY AND QUICKLY. UM, SOMEONE FROM THE COMMUNITY MEETING SAID THAT SAID SOMETHING THAT HAD REALLY STUCK WITH ME. SHE SAID SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES THAT DEATH IS THE ONE THING WE'RE GUARANTEED IN THIS LIFE, BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE MERCY AND DIGNITY AND DEATH. AND FOR THAT, I HOLD SUCH A DEEP SPIRITUAL PAIN FOR XAVIER AND HIS FAMILY AND ALL FAMILIES THAT EXPERIENCE GUN VIOLENCE BECAUSE IT WAS AN ACT OF SENSELESS VIOLENCE. AND IN EVERYTHING I SAY TONIGHT, IT'S GONNA COME FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE. NOW, FOR THE MEMO FROM THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT, I, I MEAN, I, I APPRECIATE THE UPDATE. IT'S AWESOME TO SEE THE OPERATING MODEL. UM, I JUST ALSO WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE NEED TO GIVE CSDA PROPER CHANCE INDEPENDENT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THIS, THE WORK THAT CAME INTO CSD WAS EXPLICITLY MADE OUT OF THE FACT THAT IT WAS GONNA EXIST OUTSIDE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND WE NEED TO HOLD THAT THOUGHTFULLY. UM, IT COMES WITH THE QUESTIONS OF WORRYING ABOUT BLURRING THE LINES AND WHAT THAT MEANS. UM, WE ALSO DO THAT FINANCIALLY. UM, WE ROPE CSD, AND WE ROPE CPD UNDER THE SAME PUBLIC SAFETY UMBRELLA, EVEN THOUGH WE SPEND ROUGHLY $57 MILLION ON THE CPD BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR. AND THAT'S AN ESTIMATE WITH, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT INCLUDING OVERTIME. AND THEN WE ARE ROUGHLY SPENDING $2.7 MILLION ON CSD. AND THEN WITHIN CSD, WE'RE SPENDING ONLY 300 K ON COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO SOME OF THAT ON THE GROUND WORK. I DON'T THINK THAT'S DIGNIFIED SPENDING. UM, AND IF WE TRULY WANNA BELIEVE THAT VIOLENCE STEMS FROM TRAUMA INSTABILITY, WE HAVE TO ADDRESS WHAT CREATES THAT TRAUMA AND INSTABILITY. AND I HEAR THE PAIN. I, I DO. AND I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. AND I DO APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT [02:20:01] YOU'RE DOING EVERY DAY. I ALSO WITNESS THE MEMORIAL DRIVE SHOOTING, AND IT'S VERY TRAUMATIZING, ESPECIALLY AS SOMEONE WHO HAS NAVIGATED EVERY SINGLE DAY, MY PEOPLE BEING OBLITERATED BY BOMBS AND SNIPED IN THE HEAD. TRAUMA WORKS IN REALLY STRANGE WAYS, REACTIONARY MEASURES. THEY'RE EASY TO GRAPPLE WITH, ESPECIALLY WHEN PEOPLE ARE IN FEAR. I HOLD THAT, I GET THAT. AND IT CAN ALSO PERPETUATE MORE HARM. ROOT CAUSES, ON THE OTHER HAND, ARE WAY HARDER TO GRAPPLE WITH BECAUSE THEY'RE INTERSECTIONAL. WHEN PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE OR FOOD TO EAT, OR THEY'RE BORN, BORN INTO A SPECIFIC ZIP CODE, ARE WE GONNA BLAME THEM? PEOPLE ARE TIRED, YOU GUYS, WHEN ARE WE GONNA DECIDE THAT WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR DECADES DOESN'T WORK, DOESN'T CHANGE THE RATE OF CRIME? WHERE'S OUR HUMANITY IN THAT CONVERSATION? AND I DON'T WANNA LOSE SIGHT OF ADDRESSING GUN VIOLENCE REDUCTION AND INTERRUPTION AS WELL, BECAUSE THIS MEMO BRINGS UP A LOT OF THAT, AGAIN, IN THE OPERATING MODEL. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I DO BELIEVE THAT WE, IF WE CAN WORK ON IT, A WORKING GROUP FOCUSED ON EXAMINING HOW FORCES AFFECT GUN VIOLENCE RATE IN CAMBRIDGE. AND IT SHOULD BE LED BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE ESPECIALLY AT RISK AND WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT VIOLENCE. THEY SHOULD BE AT THE TABLE DOING THAT WORK AND DECIDING WHAT FACTORS TRULY NAVIGATE AND AFFECT RATES OF VIOLENCE. BECAUSE LEMME TELL YOU, THE ROCHA OUTREACHES WORK, ALL THOSE YOUNG MEN THAT ARE ESPECIALLY AT RISK, THEY'RE ALMOST ALL HOMELESS OR DISPLACED, EVEN THOUGH THEY COME FROM CAMBRIDGE. SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS A BIT OF A RHETORICAL ONE, BECAUSE I SAT WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT PIECES HERE, BUT WHAT EXPLICITLY ARE WE GONNA BE DOING, UH, FOR THE MATERIAL CONDITIONS OF PEOPLE IN OUR CITY? WE HAD RISE UP, AND THAT WAS A SMALL EXAMPLE OF THAT. ON THE ROOT CAUSE SIDE, WHAT I SAW WAS THE MAYOR SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM, IT PAYS $15 AN HOUR, 20 HOURS A WEEK, $300 A WEEK, WHICH IS MINIMUM WAGE. DO WE THINK THAT'S A SERIOUS ANTI-POVERTY INTERVENTION? BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT IS. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ARE WE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT ACTUAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING? WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SUPPORTING OUR RESIDENTS WITH EVICTIONS, ARE WE ACTUALLY GONNA DO SOMETHING ON THE GROUND OR JUST TURN TO THE STATE LEVEL TO DO THAT WORK? BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A CORRELATION BETWEEN EVICTION RATES AND VIOLENCE. I HAVE A, I HAVE A LOT MORE TO SAY. I, I THINK I SAT DOWN, I'VE BEEN DOING SO MUCH DIGGING IN CONVERSATIONS ON FOUR DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF HOW WE TACKLE THIS. AND PART OF THIS IS IN THE OPERATING MODEL, ONE, PREVENTING GUN VIOLENCE LONG BEFORE IT STARTS. I HAVE A, A LIST OF THINGS, BUT I, I KNOW I'M NOT GONNA GET TO IT. TWO, WHEN VIOLENCE IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN, THREE WHEN VIOLENCE JUST HAPPENED. AND I THINK THERE IS ROOM FOR US TO ENGAGE ON THAT. AND I, I DO WANNA DO THAT WORK THOUGHTFULLY WITH YOU. AND THEN FOUR, WHICH IS, I THINK ARGUABLY THE HARDEST ONE TO SOLVE IS HOW DO WE SOLVE CRIME WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN? UM, I'M SITTING WITH ALL THOSE, AND I ALSO JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THAT A LOT OF THE CAPACITY IN THE MEMO ON THE SUMMER PROGRAMS, A LOT OF THE CAPACITY FOR RELATIONSHIP BUILDING HAS GI BEEN GIVEN TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND I'M OKAY WITH THAT IF WE GIVE THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS A CHANCE TO ALSO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS. BUT THEY CAN'T, THEY CAN'T, THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO GET THEIR NEXT 10 K TO BE ABLE TO RUN THEIR ONE COORDINATOR. DO WE REALLY THINK 300 K FOR FIVE GROUPS IS GONNA ACTUALLY DO THE WORK TO REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE REDUCTION? ARE WE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO DECADES OF THE SAME CONVERSATION OF SAYING WE NEED MORE TECHNOLOGY WHEN ALL WE SEE FROM TECHNOLOGY IS THAT IT DOESN'T REDUCE THINGS. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR. IT'S NOT REDUCE THE RATE OF CRIME. THAT'S TIME. SO SOME OF THESE WERE RHETORICAL QUESTIONS, BUT IF FOLKS WANNA SPEAK TO ANYTHING, THEY, THEY'RE WELCOME TO. AND IF NOT, I'LL MOVE ON TO COUNCIL TO VICE MAYOR ZE, AND THEN COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. THANK YOU VICE MAYOR ZE, YOUR TWO QUESTIONS. UM, WHEN COUNCILLOR, SABRINA WHEELER WAS TALKING, I THOUGHT WE WERE SHIFTING TO, CAN YOU SPEAK INTO THE MIC WHEN COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER WAS TALKING, I THOUGHT WE WERE SHIFTING TO COUNCIL DISCUSSION. SO HAPPY TO COME BACK WHEN WE GET THERE. OKAY. QUESTIONS ON THE FOUR MEMOS? COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. UH, THANK YOU, UH, MADAM CHAIR THREE, YOU, UH, JUST A OPENING STATEMENT. UH, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU, DR. DAN. UH, GOOD BLESS. THIS IS NOT OUR, I'LL SPEAK PERSONALLY. THIS IS NOT MY FIRST MEETING LIKE THIS. I'VE BEEN HERE FOR ABOUT 40 YEARS AND WE'VE DONE IT A LOT. AND IT, THERE'S A RUSH TO GET EVERYTHING DONE. AND THEN WE FORGET ABOUT IT. WE WALK AWAY, WE FIND OTHER THINGS TO DO GOOD THINGS, YOU KNOW, TREE PLANTING, BIKE LANES. BUT WE WALK AWAY FROM THE ISSUE. AND FOR ME, THIS, THE ROOT ISSUE IS BASED NOT JUST IN CRIME AND VIOLENCE, IT'S RACE AND CLASS. AND IF WE'RE GOING TO CLEAN, IF WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT ISSUES OF RACE AND CLASS, WE HAVE TO START RIGHT IN HERE BECAUSE IT, THE BIAS EXISTS IN US. AND UNTIL WE MOVE THAT BIAS, WE'RE NOT GONNA MAKE MUCH CHANGES. YOU KNOW, THERE'S THIS, THIS, THIS STATEMENT BY FREDERICK AND IT SAYS IT'S EASIER TO BUILD STRONG CHILDREN THAN TO PREPARE ADULTS. I THINK WE'RE OKAY. NOT GREAT, BUT OKAY, WHEN IT [02:25:01] COMES TO BUILDING BETTER CHILDREN, WE, THIS PROGRAM THAT WHAT YOU HAVE IN HERE LIST A LOTS OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMMITTING THE CRIMES AND NOT KIDS, AND THEN THEY'RE NOT RESIDENTS OF CAMBRIDGE. AND WE WOULD KNOW THAT IF SOMEONE WALKED INTO THE HOOD AND TALKED TO THE GUYS THAT HANG OUT, THAT I TALK TO EVERY DAY, WHO TOLD ME OR COULD TELL ME WHERE TO GO AND WHO TO, TO DO IT. AND SO MY QUESTION, MY TWO MORE STATEMENTS, AND THEN THE QUESTION, I'M LOOKING FOR A LONG AND SHORT TERM PLAN. I WANT TO SEE A SUSTAINED EFFORT REGARDLESS OF WHO SITS IN THESE CHAIRS, THAT WE ARE GOING TO SAY, THE GOAL IS HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE BETTER? AND WE CAN ONLY DO THAT THROUGH BEING RESPECTFUL TO ONE ANOTHER. NOT, NOT KICKING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AROUND, OR WHATEVER DEPARTMENT WE'RE NOT LIKING THAT DAY. IT'S HOW DO WE WORK TOGETHER? 'CAUSE IF WE CAN'T BE RESPECTFUL WITH ONE ANOTHER, THEN WE CAN'T GET TO WHERE WE WANNA DO, WHICH IS A CITY THAT'S SAFE, RESPECTFUL, AND THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE. SO I WANNA KNOW WHAT'S THE LONG AND SHORT TERM PLAN. I ALSO WANNA SEE IT, WHATEVER SOLUTIONS THAT WE COME UP WITH, THEY'RE SUPPORTED BY OUR NEIGHBORS. AND WE DO THAT BY LISTENING, ENGAGING, IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM, EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY ON HOW TO BE INVOLVED AND HAVE THEM ENGAGED IN THE SOLUTION. AND SO, SO MY LIKE QUESTION IS TO, UH, MS. FAR, I'M THREE THROUGH YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I KNOW WE DO A LOT. IT'S IN YOUR, IN YOUR, YOUR WORK PRIOR, THANK YOU. YOUR WORK, PRIOR CARE. BUT I WANNA KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR ADULTS, YOU KNOW, TO KEEP THEM, UM, SAFE SO THAT ANY INITIATIVE THAT WE DO CAN BE EFFECTIVE. AND THE REASON WHY, AS MS. FARHAM TAKES THE CITY MANAGER'S CHAIR, UM, THE REASON WHY I ASKED THAT IS WHEN WE HAD THESE QUESTIONS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, SAME SITUATION. WE KEPT SAYING THE YOUTH, THE YOUTH, THE YOUTH. AND FINALLY I SAID, BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT KIDS. WE HOLD OUR KIDS TIGHT FROM KINDERGARTEN TO 18, SOMETIMES 21, AND THEN WE DROP 'EM OFF THE MAP. SO HERE'S ADULTS THAT ARE NOT RECEIVING SERVICE IN A SOCIETY AND IN A CITY THAT HAS RACIAL AND CLASSES AND FEMINIST BIAS. SO I KNOW YOU DO YOUR BEST. SO THIS IS NOT AIMED AT YOU. COULD YOU SPEAK TO US, WHAT WE ARE DOING AROUND WORKING WITH ADULTS, GROWN PEOPLE? I THINK, UM, COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, JUST IN THE INTEREST, INTEREST OF TIME, CAN YOU ASK YOUR SECOND QUESTION, WHICH IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING? UH, I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE AN A SECOND QUESTION. I MEAN, THE BIG THING WAS, NO, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE A, OKAY. IF I CAN THINK OF ONE BEFORE WE GO HOME TONIGHT AT 12 O'CLOCK, I I'LL ASK IT. UM, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FERNA TESTING. OH, THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR. THANKS FOR THAT QUESTION. UH, SOME OF THE ANSWER, UM, DEPENDS ON HOW WE DEFINE ADULT, RIGHT? SO YOU, YOU MENTIONED 2118 MM-HMM . UH, SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS WE TALK ABOUT, UH, 26. SO IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. ADULTS, I CAN TELL YOU SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON ADULTS FROM HUMAN SERVICES PERSPECTIVE. MM-HMM . MANY OF THEM LIVE IN THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. MM-HMM . SO WE'VE GOT A PROGRAM CALLED NEXT UP THAT IS FOR THE 18 TO 24 YEAR OLDS WHO HAVE, I THINK THE BEST DESCRIPTION HAS SORT OF FAILED TO FIND THEIR PATH YET. MM-HMM . MM. SO THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND THEY HAVEN'T QUITE FIGURED OUT WHAT THEIR NEXT STEP IS IN A PLAN. AND SO IT'S A, UH, WORK-BASED LEARNING PROGRAM. THE IDEA IS TO HELP THEM DEVELOP A CAREER PLAN BY TRYING THINGS OUT, BY HAVING THE SUPPORT OF A COUNSELOR AND REALLY TRYING TO HAVE A SUPPORTED PATH FOR THEM. I THINK, YOU KNOW, ALSO ABOUT OUR, UM, UH, SORRY, CSI COLLEGE SUCCESS SUCCESSION INITIATIVE. THANK YOU. . OUR CSI PROGRAM, WHICH IS ALSO FOCUSED ON FOLKS THAT HAVE JUST TRANSITIONED OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL. THIS IS TO SUPPORT THEM INTO BOTH GETTING INTO AND COMPLETING A POST-SECONDARY DEGREE. SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO CASE MANAGEMENT WITH. OKAY. DEEP PARTNERSHIP WITH, UM, YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE ADULTS IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THEM THROUGH THAT. WE'VE GOT, SO I'M GONNA, I COULD I HEAR THE BELL, SO I KNOW MY TIME IS UP, BUT I JUST WANNA SAY, YOU, YOU, YOU'RE GOING IN THE DIRECTION THAT I THINK WE NEED TO GO TO. WE CAN'T KEEP SAYING KIDS. PLEASE STOP SAYING KIDS. IT'S NOT JUST KIDS. WE HAVE GREAT PROGRAMS. WE CAN COME BACK TO YOU. THANK YOU. I STILL CALL KWAME AT KIDS, SO, BECAUSE HE LOOKS SO YOUNG, BUT WE'LL COME BACK IN A SECOND ROUND IF NECESSARY. APPRECIATE ANYONE WHO HASN'T ASKED THEIR TWO QUESTION, THEIR TWO QUESTIONS ON THE CO OFFICE. OH, THANK I, I DO [02:30:01] HAVE, I HAVE, UH, TWO QUICK QUESTIONS. UM, FIRST WOULD BE, I THINK IT WAS COUNCIL ZUBY WHO BROUGHT UP A POINT, UM, AROUND THE ORGANIZATIONS, UH, WHO WE LOOK AT, UH, IN PARTNERS AS IN THIS WORK. AND I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE EARLY THINKING AROUND NOT JUST THAT FUNDING PIECE, BUT, UM, THE PROCESS, UM, AS THE FEBRUARY REPORT RECOMMENDED THAT CAMBRIDGE SAFETY REVISE THE RFA PROCESS. SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? DO YOU WANT, UH, THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR? UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, WE DISCUSSED WHILE WE WERE COMPILING, UM, THE INFORMATION FOR THE REPORT THAT CAME DIRECTLY FROM A LOT OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE HAVE FUNDED IN THE PAST IS THAT ONE, THE RFP PROCESS CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT AND IT CAN SOMETIMES DISCOURAGE ORGANIZATIONS FROM, UM, EVEN APPLYING FOR, FOR FUNDING THROUGH THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT. THE OTHER THEME THAT CAME UP THROUGH SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS IS THAT THEY DON'T NECESSARILY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE A SUPPORT. UM, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE RECEIVING FINANCIAL FUNDING FROM THE DEPARTMENT, UH, THEY DIDN'T NECESSARILY FEEL LIKE THERE WAS A COORDINATED EFFORT BETWEEN THESE ORGANIZATIONS AND, UM, THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE. SO WHAT WE ARE HOPING TO DO, UH, THROUGH THE HIRING OF DR. DAN IS THAT THERE WILL BE A POINT PERSON IN THE CITY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT TO WORK, UM, IN A MORE COORDINATED WAY WITH THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE ARE PROVIDING FUNDING TO. SO CURRENTLY WE ARE, UM, WORKING WITH MARGARET FULLER HOUSE. THEY HAVE BEEN AWARDED $150,000 TO FUND A VIOLENCE INTERRUPTION POSITION. AND, AND OUR WORK WILL DIRECTLY, UM, CORRELATE WITH THE WORK THAT MARGARET FULLER IS DOING ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL, AND THEN ALSO WORKING WITH THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WE FUNDED IN THE PAST TO CONTINUE, UM, IN A MORE COORDINATED EFFORT WITH, UH, THE FOLKS THAT WE PROVIDE FUNDING TO. THANK YOU. IN THIS TIME, UH, REMAINING, AND I MEANT TO ASK MY SECOND QUESTION. SO EVERYONE DID THEIR HOMEWORK EXCEPT ME ON THIS, SO I APOLOGIZE. THE SECOND QUESTION WAS ON THE SUMMER PROGRAMS UPDATE, I WANNA JUST UNDERSTAND, COMMISSIONER, UM, A QUESTION ON THE PATROLS. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THE 19 NEW PATROL OFFICERS? UH, WERE THEY, WHERE WERE THEY PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED AND HOW WERE THE AREAS FOR PRIORITY DECIDED? I WAS, UM, LOOKING AT THE LIST AND, UH, I KNOW IN THE PAST WE'VE LOOKED AT HOYT FIELD AND RIVERSIDE, AND SO WAS JUST WONDERING ABOUT THAT AREA THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR. SO THE 19 NEW OFFICERS GRADUATED FROM THE POLICE ACADEMY IN, UH, IN JUNE. AND, UH, AT THIS POINT, THEY ARE SPENDING THEIR TIME WITH THEIR FTOS, WHICH IS THEIR FIELD TRAINING OFFICERS. I BELIEVE IT'S 26 WEEKS. 26 WEEKS, 26 WEEKS THAT THEY SPEND WITH, UM, WITH A FIELD TRAINING OFFICER. JUST, UM, TO MAKE THEM FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE DOING WHAT THEY DO AND TO HAVE SOMEONE TO BOUNCE IDEAS OFF OF AND LEARN FROM. UM, SO THEY COULD BE ON BIKES, THEY COULD BE WALKING, THEY COULD BE, UH, DEPENDING. WE REALLY USED DATA TO, TO, TO, TO MOVE THE DEPLOYMENT AROUND THE CITY, HONESTLY. AND, AND, UH, THEY DO SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN THE PORT, AND THEY SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN OTHER PLACES AS WELL. IT COULD BE HOYT FIELD, IT COULD BE PORT DES SQUARE, IT COULD BE CENTRAL OF HARVARD, UM, DEPENDING ON WHAT'S GOING ON AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME OR IF WE HAVE A, A TREND THAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING AS WELL. UM, IF THAT'S HELPFUL. THANK YOU. SURE. SO WE WENT THROUGH A FIRST ROUND OF QUESTIONS ON THESE ITEMS. DO FOLKS HAVE, IF FOLKS HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS THAT GIVE THEM A TIME AND THEN WE CAN MOVE, UM, TO PLACE THEM A FILE? I HAVE COUNCILOR GOVERN AND I HAVE COUNCILLOR NOLAN I'LL YIELD BECAUSE THE QUESTION JUST LEFT MY HEAD. NO WORRIES. COUNCILLOR NOLAN. THANKS. UM, I WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON, UH, WHAT YOU STARTED, UH, MAYOR SIDIKI ABOUT THE REPORT ON THE 2026 SUMMER COMMUNITY PROGRAMS. IT WAS, IT A, A AGAIN, IT WAS SO GOOD TO SEE THIS LISTED OUT. SOME OF PROGRAMS, SO MANY THAT I KNEW OF, SO MANY I DIDN'T KNOW OF. AND I WANNA, SO MY TWO QUESTIONS WILL BE ONE FOR THE, UM, ONE'S FROM, UH, EXTENSIVE ON I MOSTLY UNDER DHSP. AND AS WAS NOTED EARLIER, ANYWHERE FROM CAMP RAINBOW ALL THE WAY TO CAMBRIDGE WORKS, WHICH WE'RE AWARE OF, WHICH GOES FROM NOT JUST 18 TO 24 YEAR OLDS, WHICH CSI DOES, BUT ALSO 18 TO 35 YEAR OLDS. SO EXACTLY THE YOUNG, THE YOUNG ADULTS. UM, AND ON THE, UH, RANGE OF, OF, UM, PROGRAMS, THE DEPLOYMENT PLAN FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, I THINK IT, IT'S, IT'S THE, THE QUESTION WE'RE ALL GRAPPLING WITH, WHICH [02:35:01] IS, HOW IS IT THAT WE'RE MEASURING EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAMS? HOW IS IT THAT WE UNDERSTAND IF IT'S A PROGRAM THAT'S WORKING, HOW DO WE KNOW THAT? AND IF IT'S NOT WORKING, HOW DO WE ADJUST IT OR CHANGE IT AND BRINGING A NEW ONE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE, I KNOW WE ALL WANT. AND HOW DO WE, SO, SO THE QUESTION IS HOW DO WE COMPARE TO OTHER CITIES ON THE MEASURES THAT WE'RE USING AND LIFTING? AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION IS LIFTING UP THE REMARKS, UM, BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, UH, REFERENCING THAT MANY OF THE, UH, BEHAVIOR THAT WE SEE OF, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THINGS WE DON'T WANT IN THIS COMMUNITY, YES, WE CAN, UH, MANY OF THEM, IT MEANS THAT WE CAN HELP SUPPORT THEM OUT OF IT AND OTHERS, WE REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT FOR SOME, THERE'S, THERE'S OTHER CONSEQUENCES THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT THAT BEHAVIOR DOESN'T CONTINUE. BUT OUR QUESTIONS SEEM TO INDICATE THAT MANY OF THE YOUNG ADULTS THAT ARE IN TROUBLE ARE NOT ONES THAT WERE GROWN IN CAMBRIDGE THAT COME FROM OUTSIDE. SO I'M JUST CURIOUS OF HOW WE, UH, SEE THAT, UH, THAT FITTING INTO OUR ATTEMPTS TO, TO DO THE VIOLENCE PREVENTION. AND I KNOW THAT, FOR INSTANCE, WHEN I WAS ON SCHOOL COMMITTEE, ONE OF THE THINGS WE LOOKED AT IS, WELL, FOR THOSE KIDS WHO STARTED IN KINDERGARTEN, HOW ARE THEY DOING BY 12TH GRADE? AND SEPARATELY, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT CON CONFLATING THAT WITH PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE HAD VERY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES AND COME IN IN, YOU KNOW, EIGHTH OR NINTH GRADE. I THINK IT'S THAT KIND OF QUESTION THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO ADDRESS AS WELL, TO ENSURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND HOW IT IS THAT OUR PROGRAMS ARE UNFOLDING AND PROVIDING THE BASIS FOR HOPEFULLY HEALTHY, PRODUCTIVE ADULT LIVES OF PEOPLE WHO FEEL SAFE IN OUR COMMUNITY, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. SO IT'S REALLY ABOUT HOW DO WE'RE MEASURING EFFECTIVENESS, UM, ON THOSE TWO, BOTH THE DHSP PROGRAMS AND THEN IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, TO YOU, MAYOR, JUST A QUICK RESPONSE. YOU KNOW, I THINK IF WE LOOK AT, UM, THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE RUNNING, UM, I THINK BOSTON ALSO PRODUCES A SUMMER PLAN EVERY YEAR. UM, IT DOES LOOK VERY SIMILAR. AND SO I THINK THE, THE LEVEL OF PROGRAMMING THAT WE PROVIDE OVER THE SUMMER TO YOUTH, UM, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR YOUNG ADULTS, I THINK THAT IS, WE HAVE SOME OF THE RICHEST PROGRAM OFFERINGS, I THINK, OF ANY MUNICIPALITY. UM, I DO THINK A LOT OF WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT INTERNALLY, AND I KNOW THE COUNCIL HAS KIND OF SAID THIS TOO, UM, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS THERE ARE SO MANY TOUCH POINTS ACROSS FOLKS WHO, UH, MAY HAVE A NUMBER OF NEEDS, UM, BUT ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE'S A CRISIS POINT, WHO'S ON POINT. AND SO I THINK THE COORDINATION OF EFFORTS IS REALLY SOMETHING WE, WE NEED TO DO BETTER ON. UM, I THINK WE, YOU KNOW, FEEL THIS PARTICULARLY, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A CONVERSATION IN THE LAST MONTHS WITH THE LIBRARIES WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SOMETIMES EXPERIENCING SIGNIFICANT DISRUPTION, KIDS WHO SHOULD BE IN SCHOOL, WHO AREN'T IN SCHOOL. UM, THERE IS SOME ASPECT OF THAT THAT ALWAYS HAPPENS. YOU KNOW, THEY WERE LOOKING AT NOTES FROM 20 YEARS AGO, AND IT WAS THE SAME KIND OF DYNAMIC. BUT, UM, I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THEN BECOME, IT'S GREAT THAT THEY'RE IN THE LIBRARIES, THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US AND WHO HAS THE BEST RELATIONSHIP WITH THOSE KIDS, WHETHER THAT'S IN THE SCHOOLS, IN OUR SPORTS PROGRAMS, IN HUMAN SERVICES AT THE YOUTH CENTERS. I THINK THE CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW IS THE LIBRARIES ARE SOMETIMES PICKING THAT UP ON THE SIDE. AND EVEN WITH THE RESOURCES THEY HAVE, WE HAVE A SOCIAL WORKER, WE HAVE ACTUALLY A SPECIFIC, UM, WE HAVE A SPECIFIC POSITION TO CREATE PROGRAMMING FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE COMING OUT OF MIDDLE SCHOOL OR HIGH SCHOOL SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE SOMETHING TO DO IN THE LIBRARIES. BUT IF THOSE FOLKS AREN'T COMING UP WITH AN ANSWER OR HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT ACROSS ALL OF THE ARRAY OF PROGRAMS WITHIN THE CITY AND ALSO IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE COORDINATE THAT FLOW OF INFORMATION BETTER? AND ALSO, HOW DO WE DO THAT APPROPRIATELY AS WELL? BECAUSE ON THE ONE HAND, I THINK WE FEEL LIKE IF WE'VE GOT PEOPLE WHO ARE FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS AND WE HAVE RELATIONSHIPS, WE WANNA BE ABLE TO WRAP AROUND THEM AND, AND FIND THE ADULT OR THE, OR THE PERSON WHO CAN REACH OUT TO THEM. AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO RECOGNIZE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DON'T WANT THEIR INFORMATION BEING SHARED THAT FREELY AS WELL. SO I THINK WE'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT HOW WE DO THIS BETTER. AND, UM, AND I THINK THAT'S A LOT OF, THAT'S A LOT OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT INTERNALLY AND THE WORK THAT, THAT DR. DANS WILL BE DOING. I JUST ADD TO THAT, THERE ARE, THERE ARE MANY SPACES THAT, UM, THAT ARE DOING THAT COORDINATED WORK. UH, SO WE HAVE, UH, DH, A LOT OF 'EM FOLLOW WITHIN DHSP, AND I REMEMBER THAT FROM BEING A FORMER DHSP EMPLOYEE. BUT WE HAVE THE RAY, THE REACH REACHING ALL YOUTH, UM, MEETING THAT HAPPENS MONTHLY, WHERE YOU BRING ALL, UM, FOLKS FROM NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, CITY, UH, ENTITIES, UH, UH, TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT, UM, TO TALK ABOUT THE WORK AND SHARE RESOURCES. UM, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY SAFETY NET WITH THE, WITH THE POLICE, UM, AS WELL, DR. JAMIE BARRETT, [02:40:01] WE HAVE, UM, I'M A MEMBER OF THE HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE, THOSE DATA POINTS THERE. SO THAT, AS IS, UM, AS IS THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER. SO WE HAVE POLICE REP REPRESENTATION US THERE. UM, UH, SO, SO YEAH, THERE ARE, THERE ARE, WE ARE POSITIONED WELL TO BE BETTER CONNECTORS. I HAD COUNCILOR MCGOVERN FOR A QUESTION, AND THEN COUNCILOR ZUZI, UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU. I THINK THE COMMISSIONER MIGHT HAVE WANTED TO ADD TOO, I DIDN'T SEE THAT. SO YOU CAN BRIEFLY RESPOND AND THEN WE MOVE ON, UH, TO YOU, MADAM MAYOR. YOU KNOW, WE ALSO PARTNER WITH A LOT OF PROGRAMS. UM, BUT I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE, THE, UH, THE YOUTH ACADEMY THIS SUMMER IS THE BIGGEST ONE WE'VE EVER HAD. SO PEOPLE, PEOPLE WANNA COME TO IT AND THEY REALLY, UH, ENJOY IT. UM, SOMEHOW I HOPE THROUGH THINGS LIKE THIS THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY GET MORE CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS TO TAKE THIS JOB. UM, THAT IS ONE OF MY, MY BIGGEST HOPES BECAUSE IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE, AS EVERYBODY SAW IN THAT COMMUNITY MEETING. IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IF YOU'RE FROM CAMBRIDGE. I REALLY BELIEVE THAT. AND, AND WE WANT A POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, TO LOOK LIKE THE COMMUNITY. SO, AND THOSE TYPES OF PROGRAMS DEFINITELY HELP THAT. UM, I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, THE SAFETY NET THAT, THAT DR. DAN MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WE RE WE, WE HAVE REDUCED JUVENILE ARRESTS BY 80% SINCE WE STARTED SAFETY NET. SO IT DOES, THESE PROGRAMS DO, UM, DO HAVE A GREAT IMPACT ON WHAT WE DO AND WHAT, UH, AND HOW PEOPLE, UM, LOOK AND SEE US IN THE COMMUNITY. SO, COUNCILOR, GOVERNOR, UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU. UM, I WANNA AGREE AND APPRECIATE WITH WHAT COUNCILOR SIMMONS SAID ABOUT THE, THE YOUNG ADULTS, RIGHT? AND, AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, PROGRAMS TO, TO SUPPORT THEM AND PROVIDE THEM WITH OPPORTUNITIES. UM, BUT I ALSO THINK IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION, THAT HAS TO HAPPEN VERY EARLY ON. AND I, I THINK OF, UM, A YOUNG MAN THAT, UM, I WAS VOLUNTEERING IN A FIFTH GRADE CLASSROOM AT THE TOBIN SCHOOL BACK IN 92, I THINK IT WAS 93. AND HERE WAS THIS KID, HE FIFTH GRADE, SO 10 OR 11 YEARS OLD, UH, BOY OF COLOR, LIVES IN, LIVED IN PUBLIC HOUSING, INCREDIBLY SMART, INCREDIBLY CHARISMATIC, JUST HAD A LOT OF THINGS GOING FOR HIM, BUT WAS ALREADY TALKING ABOUT AT THAT AGE THAT SCHOOL'S NOT FOR HIM, AND THAT EDUCATION'S NOT FOR HIM, AND THAT I'M NEVER GONNA GO TO COLLEGE. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO FOLLOW THE RULE? I MEAN, WHAT, WE'RE ALREADY LOSING HIM AT 10 YEARS OLD. SO, YOU KNOW, GETTING THOSE INTERVENTIONS IN, UM, AND SADLY WE DID LOSE HIM. HE, HE ENDED UP, UM, PASSING AWAY. AND SO, YOU KNOW, GETTING THOSE INTERVENTIONS EARLY. SO IT BRINGS ME TO MY QUESTION TO SOMETHING YOU SAID EARLIER, DR. DAN, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THAT A LOT OF THE YOUNG, YOUNG PEOPLE I'M TALKING ABOUT, NOT THE ADULTS, BUT KIDS, UM, THAT DO TAKE PART IN A LOT OF OUR PROGRAMS. UM, HOW CAN WE IMPROVE THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PROGRAMS? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT CAMBRIDGE HAVING A LOT OF DOTS AND NO LINES. SO YOU'VE GOT A KID IN AN AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM WHO'S ALSO WITH MY BROTHER'S KEEPER, WHO'S ALSO WITH, YOU KNOW, INNER CITY BOXING, RIGHT? BUT THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ARE NOT NECESSARILY TALKING TO EACH OTHER ABOUT THAT CHILD, RIGHT? SO IT'S NOT REALLY WRAPAROUND SERVICES, IT'S INDIVIDUAL SERVICES THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY CONNECTED. SO WHAT, HOW DO WE, I MEAN, AND THIS HAS BEEN, THIS HAS BEEN THE CASE FOR DECADES, RIGHT? SO HOW DO WE CRACK THAT AND WHAT DO WE DO TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS ARE TALKING TO EACH OTHER SO WE REALLY CAN PUT OUR ARMS AROUND THESE KIDS? I THINK I WANNA LOOP IN, UM, MICHELLE AND I KNOW EXACT, I WENT TO TOBIN AND KNOW EXACTLY WHO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. SO THINKING ABOUT HIM, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THAT IS THE QUESTION. AND WE DO HAVE MANY OPPORTUNITIES IN CAMBRIDGE TO SHARE YOUNG PEOPLE AND TO TALK ABOUT THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE. UH, THE PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, THEY ARE SO THAT THEY'RE PROTECTIVE FACTORS, RIGHT? WE CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT SOMEBODY DOESN'T SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS, RIGHT? THAT THE ISSUES OF VIOLENCE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE NOT BECAUSE SOMEBODY WASN'T IN A PROGRAM. THESE ARE DUE TO THE, ALL THE ISSUES FROM THE, THE MANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT THAT SPOKE TODAY, RIGHT? THIS IS ABOUT POVERTY, THIS IS ABOUT RACISM. [02:45:01] THIS IS ABOUT ALL OF THOSE THINGS AND THESE PROGRAMS AND PARTICIPATING IN THESE PROGRAMS. WHEN, WHEN, UH, FOR YOUTH, THIS IS ABOUT PROTECTIVE FACTORS, RIGHT? TO HELP SHIELD AGAINST WHAT INEVITABLY HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON'T INTERRUPT THAT. IN CAMBRIDGE, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, LIKE THROUGH SAFETY NET AND OTHER GROUP KIND OF COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS, WE DO TALK ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE. WE HAVE THE AGENDA FOR CHILDREN, UM, INITIATIVE THAT BRINGS ALL OF THE OUTTA SCHOOL TIME PROGRAMS TOGETHER, RIGHT? SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE. WE'RE HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE NAVIGATE AND FIND THE BEST PROGRAM FOR THEM. OUR STAFF ACROSS PROGRAMS KNOW EACH OTHER, RIGHT? AND THE, THE SAFETY NET INITIATIVE POLICE, UH, HUMAN SERVICE PROGRAMS, THE SCHOOLS, PUBLIC HEALTH, WE ARE ALL AT THE TABLE. AND WE'RE SPECIFICALLY THERE TO TALK ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE WHO AREN'T CONNECTED TO PROGRAMS. HOW DO WE INTERRUPT LIKE SOME BAD BEHAVIORS THAT WE'RE SEEING? HOW DO WE MAKE SURE WE GET YOUNG PEOPLE TO THE RESOURCES THAT WE ARE FUNDING IN THIS CITY? AND THAT'S THE POINT OF THE SAFETY NET INITIATIVE. AND JUST LIKE AN EXAMPLE, YESTERDAY, I WAS SPENDING THE AFTERNOON IN ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS AT THE MORE YOUTH CENTER, THE SPORTS LEADERSHIP ACADEMY. AND WHO WAS THERE PLAYING WITH THE KIDS IN THE GYM? OFFICER MARCUS COLLINS, RIGHT? HE WAS THERE. HE WAS, HE SPENT THE AFTERNOON THERE AS WELL. AND MARCUS COLLINS MAKES A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE HE WAS A YOUNG PERSON WHO PLAYED IN THAT GYM IN THE SAME PLACE. IT MATTERS. AND THE WORK THAT THE CPD IS DOING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SCHOOLS AND WITH HUMAN SERVICES MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE. AND SO, I JUST, I DON'T WANT US TO DISCOUNT THAT. COUNCILOR ZI, UH, THANK YOU. SO WE HAVE TWO CHALLENGES. WE NEED TO MAKE PEOPLE MORE SAFE. AND I, I DO BELIEVE THAT THE CITY DOES FABULOUS WORK IN THAT REGARD. WE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER, BUT THEN WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS FEEL SAFE, EVEN FROM PERPETRATORS, FROM OUTSIDE OF THE COMMUNITY. SO IN THINKING ABOUT THE SECOND CHALLENGE, UM, JUST COMING BACK TO COUNCILOR SIMMONS SORT OF REFRAIN. UM, I, I I FEEL AS THOUGH, UH, WE NEED THE COUNCIL, IF WE'RE COMING, IF WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE CREATING POLICY TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL MORE SAFE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, WE NEED MORE FEEDBACK FROM THE RESIDENTS, FROM THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE VIOLENT IS VIOLENCE IS MORE PREVALENT. AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU DIRECTOR DANCE, YOU JUST GOT STARTED AND YOU'RE TALKING TO EVERYONE, BUT WE'RE MAKING POLICY AND MOSTLY WE'RE HEARING FROM, UM, WHITE, WHITE, WHITE PEOPLE AND DSA PEOPLE, PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE OF, UH, NEIGHBORHOODS OF VIOLENCE. SO HOW CAN WE, WHAT IS, WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT THIS AND WHAT SORT OF OUTREACH? UM, SO I, I ALMOST, I ALMOST WONDER WHETHER WE SHOULDN'T BE HAVING SOME FORUMS IN NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, WHERE VIOLENCE OCCURS BEFORE WE BRING, YOU KNOW, DEVELOP ADDITIONAL POLICIES. I, I, I AGREE AGAIN WITH COUNSELOR SIMMONS, THAT WE NEED SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM PLANS. AND IT SEEMS LIKE YOU HAVE SOME GOOD SHORT TERM PLANS IN PLACE FOR THE SUMMER, AND MAYBE WE NEED MORE, BUT IT, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THAT OUTREACH PIECE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE TAKE SUCH PRIDE IN OUTREACH, I THINK WE'VE GOT AN, UH, AN OUTREACH STAFF OF LIKE 12, MAYBE IT'S BIGGER, BUT HOW ARE I, I I JUST, I WISH WE, THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCEEDED OUR THINKING ABOUT MAKING DIFFERENT CHANGES. ANYWAY, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM ALL OF YOU OR, OR SOME OF YOU REGARDING THAT. HOW ARE WE GONNA DO A BETTER JOB ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY THAT HASN'T SHOWN UP MOSTLY FOR OUR SIX OR SEVEN HEARINGS ABOUT SHOP SPOTTER. HOW ARE, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE THE PEOPLE THAT REALLY DON'T FEEL SAFE, THAT WE'RE AT THE COMMUNITY MEETING JULY 9TH. HOW CAN WE ENGAGE THEM SO THAT WE CAN BETTER MAKE POLICY THAT WILL HELP THEM TO FEEL SAFER IN THEIR COMMUNITIES? I GOT IT. SO NOT ONLY IS THAT, I THINK THAT'S AN ESSENTIAL, UM, PIECE OF THIS ROLE. I WAS JUST THINKING EARLIER, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M, I CONSIDER MYSELF TO BE ONE OF MY MORE POLITICALLY ENGAGED IN CITY ENGAGED OF, OF MY FRIEND GROUP THAT I GREW UP. AND I'VE ONLY BEEN TO CITY COUNCIL [02:50:01] MEETINGS A HANDFUL OF TIMES. WHY? UM, I KNOW I, I KNOW FOLKS, AND I DID, IT FEELS ODD IN THE SPACE, BEING IN THE SPACE. YOU FELT LIKE AN OUTSIDER IN THE SPACE. AND THAT'S OVER THE COURSE OF MY ENTIRE LIFE. UM, SO I THINK THERE IS A PIECE OF IT THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THE COMMUNITY WOULD WELCOME ALL OF US, UM, ALL OF Y'ALL, UM, TO, TO COME OUT AND TALK. I THINK FOLKS ARE WILLING AND ABLE AND READY TO DO THAT. UM, UH, SO, UM, I'LL, I'LL BE OUT THERE. SO COME ON, COME ON WITH, CAN YOU ORGANIZE SOME MEETINGS? WHERE CAN YOU ORGANIZE SOME MEETINGS? I CAN ABSOLUTELY. WHERE WE CAN BE PRESENT TOO. AND HERE'S COMMUNITY. I CAN ABSOLUTELY DO THAT COMMUNITY BECAUSE I THINK THEY HAVE TO BE IN THE COMMUNITIES. YES, I AGREE. SO, UH, GO AHEAD. I JUST, I THINK THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR, I THINK THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. I JUST WANNA SAY, I WOULD INVITE COUNSELORS TO THINK ABOUT ENGAGING WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE NOT HERE, NOT JUST ABOUT VIOLENCE AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION IN DIFFERENT WAYS. SO THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. MM-HMM . GREAT. THANK YOU. SO I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE TIME, IT'S ALMOST EIGHT 30, UH, IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING REGULAR MEETINGS, UH, WE HAVE RULE 10 THAT APPLIES TO REGULAR MEETINGS. UM, BUT THERE'S NO SET TIME REQUIREMENTS WITH SPECIAL MEETINGS. WITH THAT SAID, UM, I THINK IT'D BE IN, YOU KNOW, BEST INTEREST AND PRACTICE, UH, OF NOT, UM, TRYING TO GO TILL MIDNIGHT AS COUNCILLOR SIMMONS REALLY WANTS . BUT, UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, SO LET'S, I WOULD SUGGEST IF YOU HAVE A PRESSING QUESTION, I CAN GO TO YOU, BUT I WOULD MOVE ON TO THE POLICY ORDERS, IF NOT YES. COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY, JUST, JUST, AND I'LL BE VERY, VERY BRIEF. SO I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT SORT OF A CENTRAL DATABASE WHERE EVERYBODY CAN SHARE INFORMATION ACROSS THE PROGRAMS. AND, UM, I, I KNOW IT'S EFFECTIVE. I REPRESENTED COREY DAVIS, I KNEW HIM WHEN HE GET MURDERED, AND I KNEW HE WAS A GUY THAT COULD HAVE MOVED AWAY FROM THAT LIFE IF HE HAD THE RIGHT INFLUENCE IN HIS LIFE. AND I SEE OFFICER JONES AT THE YA COUPLE OF TIMES A WEEK WITH THE KIDS IN HIS BOXING PROGRAM, AND HE'S EXCEPTIONAL. AND I'M SO HAPPY THAT YOU SAY THAT IN THESE MEETINGS. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE KIDS WHO WANTED THE SERVICES, BECAUSE I KNOW THE KIDS WHO ARE IN THE BOXING PROGRAM, THOSE AREN'T THE KIDS THAT ARE IMPACT PLAYERS IN CAMBRIDGE. THERE ARE IMPACT PLAYERS IN CAMBRIDGE. AND MY QUESTION REALLY IS THROUGH THAT CBT REWIRING THERAPY, CAN WE IDENTIFY THOSE 16 TO 24-YEAR-OLD KIDS WHO ARE IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE IN NEED OF EVERYTHING? UM, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY'RE IMPOVERISHED. MAYBE THEY'RE NOT LITERATE. MAYBE THEY'RE YOUNG PARENTS, MAYBE THEY'RE COURT INVOLVED. ALL OF THAT IS HAPPENING IN THEIR LIVES AND, AND IS THERE A WAY THROUGH THE SAFETY NET? AND, AND I KNOW YOU LOOK AT DR. DANCE , I'M NEW TOO, AND I KNOW YOU'RE JUST HERE. BUT IN MY MIND, THERE ISN'T ANYTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE CAN DO AS A CITY GOVERNMENT THAN PROTECT OUR PEOPLE AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR FUTURE, WHICH IS OUR YOUTH, OUR FUTURE IS, UM, THRIVING. AND I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT IF WE INVEST NOW, AND I MEAN RIGHT NOW, AND WE CREATE PATHWAYS, I MEAN, WE'RE RIGHT DOWN THE STREET FROM KENDALL SQUARE AND, AND WE'VE GOT GUN VIOLENCE, WE'RE GONNA LOSE, LOSE A KID TO A BULLET RATHER THAN PUT 'EM IN A BIOTECH THAT'S GONNA GIVE 'EM A CAREER. UH, IT'S, IT'S MIND BOGGLING TO ME. AND I'M, I'M CONFRONTED WITH, I SIT HERE AND I, AND I LISTEN TO ALL OF THIS TALK AND THE PUBLIC COMMENT, AND IT'S GREAT. AND I'VE SPENT MY LIFE AROUND THE FOURTH AMENDMENT. I REALLY HAVE. AND I'M A BIG BELIEVER IN PRIVACY RIGHTS, BUT I'M A BIGGER BELIEVER IN REAL PEOPLE'S LIVES. AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE RESIDENTS SAFE AND IMPROVE THE TRAJECTORY OF THOSE KIDS THAT ARE THE KIDS IN TROUBLE? AND I KNOW YOU'RE DOING ALL YOU CAN, BUT CAN WE IDENTIFY AND MAKE IT IMMEDIATE SORT OF EFFORT TO GET THEM INVOLVED IN CBT OR SOMETHING OTHER, SOME OTHER PROGRAM THAT'S GONNA HELP 'EM TO BUILD THOSE RELATIONSHIPS LIKE OFFICER JONES DOES EVERY SINGLE DAY AT THE Y YEAH. IS THERE A WAY TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW TO ANSWER THAT? YES. SO, UM, AND WE ARE DOING, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT WAS PART OF THE REASON WHY I WAS HIRED. LIKE YOU, I'M NEW TO THE ROLE. I'M NOT NEW TO THE CITY. CORY GOT KILLED RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY, UM, BEST FRIEND'S HOUSE. AND AROUND THE CORNER FROM MY HOUSE, SEAN HOWARD GOT KILLED. I WENT TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITH HIM AND PLAYED POP WARNER WITH HIM MY ENTIRE LIFE. WE KNOW, LIKE [02:55:01] WE ARE HAVING FOLKS THAT ARE OUT THERE AND OR, UM, POURING DIFFERENT TYPES OF RESOURCES, NOT ALWAYS FINANCIAL, BUT DIFFERENT TYPES OF RESOURCES INTO PEOPLE THAT ARE EMBEDDED IN THE COMMUNITY WHO CAN HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, YOU KNOW, YEAH, UM, ROCHA HAS A WONDERFUL MODEL, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CBT MODEL AND, YOU KNOW, I USE IT IN INDIVIDUAL THERAPY AND GROUP THERAPY, AND THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO C-B-D-C-B-T, UM, CO COACHING. UM, AND SO THAT, SO THAT FOLKS CAN USE THAT. THERE'S MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID TRAINING THAT WE COULD GET FOLKS, UH, TRAINED IN, IN THE CITY, AND WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO THAT THROUGH THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND, UM, SOME OF THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. SO, UM, AND US. BUT, UM, I THINK POURING SOME OF THOSE RESOURCES INTO INDIVIDUALS THAT CAN HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, UM, AND HAVING FOLKS EMBEDDED AND KNOWING THE RESOURCES LIKE ROCA AND HAVING THAT CONNECTION, UM, WILL ALLOW US TO, TO, TO DO MORE OF THAT. AND, UH, ROCA'S COMMITTED TO, TO HELPING TRAIN FOLKS TOO. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT ROCA. THEY'VE OPENED THEIR DOORS TO ANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE HAVE. AND, UM, WE'RE ACTUALLY HAVING A JOINT MEETING COMING UP WITH ALL OF THE FOLKS WE FUNDED, AND I'M GONNA INVITE SOME OTHER FOLKS THERE TOO, UM, WHERE WE CAN SHARE BEST, BEST PRACTICES. AND I DEFINITELY THINK THAT THEY HAVE ONE OF THE BEST PRACTICES. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN ZUBY. YEAH, JUST REAL QUICK THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR, I, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU COMMENTED THERE ON, YOU KNOW, THERAPY CBT WORK. UM, AND I ALSO JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE MATERIAL CONDITIONS, BECAUSE WE CANNOT THERAPIZE PEOPLE OUT OF BEING UNHOUSED. WE CANNOT THERAPIZE PEOPLE ABOUT WHEN THEY'RE GONNA GET THEIR NEXT MEAL. AND A LOT OF THE TIMES IT'S THOSE THINGS THAT IMPACT PEOPLE'S MENTAL HEALTH IN THE FIRST PLACE. IT'S THE FACT THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO A COMMUNITY THAT THEY CAN ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE THAT THEY CAN SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS WITH. SO I, I APPRECIATE THAT WORK. AND ALSO, I DON'T WANT US TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT MATERIAL CONDITIONS MATTER. PEOPLE ARE JUST PLAINLY STRUGGLING AND THEY NEED THAT SUPPORT. SO I, I'D LOVE TO DO THAT WORK. I'D LOVE TO CHECK IN WITH YOU ON THAT. UM, BUT YEAH, SURE. ANY MORE QUESTIONS? SO I'LL JUST WRAP UP AND SAY THERE'S A LOT OF IMPORTANT INFORMATION IN ALL FOUR OF THESE, UM, COMMUNICATIONS. UH, AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS JUST MORE, IT IS NOT A QUESTION, BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK IN, UH, SUPPORTING, UM, THE VICTIMS OF GUN VIOLENCE, I THINK SOMETHING THAT HAS ALSO COME UP IS, UH, WHEN THIS HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS, WHAT ARE WE EXACTLY DOING AS A CITY AND WHAT ARE THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE? AND I THINK HAVING SOME KIND OF LANDING PAGE WITHIN COMPUTER SAFETY, UM, YOU KNOW, HERE'S WHERE ARE THE STATE RE RE RESOURCES, HERE'S WHAT THE CITY, HERE'S WHICH CITY DEPARTMENTS ARE, UM, GETTING INVOLVED IN THE RESPONSE. WE'RE DOING IT ALL, BUT IT IS A LITTLE LIKE FRAGMENTED, RIGHT? AND SO HAVING, UM, THAT BE CLEAR AND TRANSPARENT WITH, AS YOU KNOW, MUCH DETAIL AS WE CAN PROVIDE, WOULD BE HELPFUL AS IT RELATES TO SUPPORTING VICTIMS OF GUN VIOLENCE. SO THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY. ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR NOLAN TO PLACE ALL PLACE THE FOUR COMMUNICATIONS ON FILE. YES, PLEASE. ALL JUST THE COMMUNICATIONS, JUST TO PLACE ALL FOUR COMMUNICATIONS ON FILE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. ALL FOUR COMMUNICATIONS HAVE BEEN PLACED ON FILE. WE'LL MOVE ON TO POLICY [ That the City Manager is requested to take all necessary steps to temporarily restore and reactivate ShotSpotter within the areas of Cambridge previously covered by the system.] ORDERS AND WE'LL JUST GO, UM, TO EACH, TO EACH ONE OF THEM. SO THE FIRST ONE IS THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS REQUESTED TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY STEPS TO TEMPORARILY RESTORE AND REACTIVATE SHOT SPOTTER WITHIN THE AREAS OF CAMBRIDGE PREVIOUSLY COVERED BY THE SYSTEM. THIS WAS FILED BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS AND COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY. YOU, COUNCILLOR SIMMONS HAVE THE FLOOR FIRST. UH, THANK YOU. THROUGH THE, THROUGH YOU MADAM CHEER TO MY COLLEAGUES. FIRST I WANNA BEGIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING WHY THIS IS A HARD NIGHT. AND BY ASKING THAT WE HOLD IT WITH THE SERIOUSNESS IT DESERVES. THIS IS NOT ABOUT SOUND BITES OR SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS. IT'S ABOUT REAL PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE FEELING IGNORED, OVERLOOKED. THIS IS NOT MY FIRST COMMUNITY MEETING. I WISH I COULD SAY IT WAS GOING TO BE MY LAST. DR. DANCE IS NOT GONNA SOLVE ALL OUR PROBLEMS. IT'S ALMOST NOT FAIR TO PLUNK 'EM IN AND SAY, OKAY, GET YOUR WOUNDING, AND WE'RE ALL FIXED. IT'S, IT'S REALLY ABOUT WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TO REMOVE THE IMP THE, THE IMPEDIMENTS TO STOP THE VIOLENCE, THE RACE, THE CLASS BIAS. AND WHEN I LOOK AROUND, I MEAN, I THINK THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES A, A A IS A MODEL AND HUMAN SERVICES TOO, AROUND HIRING PEOPLE OF COLOR, BLACK PEOPLE, NOT PEOPLE OF COLOR. 'CAUSE I REALLY HATE THAT TERM, [03:00:01] BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR. I REALLY APPLAUD THEIR EFFORTS BECAUSE ONE OF THE FEW DEPARTMENTS THAT REALLY KIND OF WORK AT DOING IT, BUT EVEN THEN, WE DON'T DO IT FAR ENOUGH. BECAUSE IF YOU REALLY WANNA INTERRUPT RACISM AS PEOPLE ARE SAYING, THEN IT'S IMPORTANT THAT BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE SEE BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE IN POSITIONS ALL THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION. AND THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN HERE. SO WHEN WE ARE PUTTING TOGETHER THAT RECIPE TO FIX THINGS, LET'S THINK ABOUT WHEN WE SIT IN A ROOM OF EXECUTIVES, IF THERE'S A BLACK AND A BROWN PERSON IN THERE, IF WE ARE RUNNING DISPATCHING PEOPLE TO DO A SERVICE IN THE COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY IN THE PORT THAT BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE ARE THERE. WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT DOING RESOURCES, I HOPE WE'RE GONNA HIRE BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE. 'CAUSE IF WE REALLY WANNA DO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, TALK TO PERSON MORE, UM, READILY THAT LOOKS LIKE ME THAN I AM TO SOME A, A GOOD-WILLED, WELL INTENDED, BUT DON'T LOOK LIKE ME, AND I DON'T NEED PEOPLE'S BLEEDING HEARTS. I NEED THEIR, I NEED TO BE ABLE TO KNOW AND TRUST THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SERVING ME ARE WILLING TO WORK WITH ME. SO IN THE EARLY HOURS OF THE 4TH OF JULY, YOUNG MEN WHO WORKED FOR THE CITY LOST HIS LIFE TO GUN VIOLENCE. HE WAS ONE OF OURS. IN, IN, IN, IN OUR SADNESS. IT ALL THE WELL INTENDED REALLY RINGS TIN, BEFORE I SAY A SINGLE WORD ABOUT THE POLICY, I WANT HIS FAMILY TO KNOW THAT THIS COUNCIL SEES THEM. DO WE SEE THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE, THAT ARE UNDER THIS KIND OF STRESS AND STRIFE? YEAH, SURE, IT'S ABOUT HOUSING AND EDUCATION, BUT IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE DISCRIMINATION THAT KEEPS US FROM HAVING THAT HOUSING, KEEPING US GETTING THAT GOOD EDUCATION. WE DON'T HAVE TO GO FAR TO LOOK AT OUR, LOOK AT OUR SCHOOL BUDGET. THAT IS A TESTIMONY TO INEQUALITY. DON'T GET ME STARTED. BUT I WANT HIS FAMILY TO KNOW THAT WE DO SEE THEM AND THAT WE GRIEVE ALONGSIDE THEM. I GRIEVE ALONGSIDE, 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT FEELING. EVERY ONE OF US IN THIS CHAMBER WANTS THE SAME THING. A CITY WHERE NO FAMILY HAS TO BURY THEIR CHILD. NO MOTHER HAS TO PUT THEIR SON OR DAUGHTER IN THE GRAVE AND THINK ABOUT WHAT IF WHAT IF WE HAD DONE MORE, WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED? WE ARE ON THE SAME SIDE. SO LET US USE OUR, I'M GONNA USE MY TIME TONIGHT IN THE SPIRIT OF LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT WE OWE THE COMMUNITY TO, WHAT WE SEEK TO SEE THE WISEST PATH AHEAD. WHEN THIS COUNCIL VOTED TO DISCONTINUE SHOTS, BARTER EVERY MEMBER, CAST THEIR VOTE IN GOOD FAITH, I TRULY LEAN INTO THAT. WE WERE RESPONDING TO REAL CONCERNS ABOUT EFFECTIVENESS, ABOUT PRIVACY, ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN OUR RESIDENTS AND THE SYSTEM. IT'S MEANT TO PROTECT THEM. AND THOSE CONCERNS WERE LEGITIMATE THEN. AND I HOPE THEY STILL REMAIN LEGITIMATE NOW. NOTHING, THIS ORDER ASK ANYONE TO PRETEND OTHERWISE. WHAT HAS CHANGED IS NOT THE MERITS OF ANY ARGUMENT. WHAT HAS CHANGED IS WHAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM OUR RESIDENTS. WHAT I I WHAT I HAVE HEARD FROM MY RESIDENTS, IF ANYONE GIVES ANY CREDENCE AND WEIGHT TO THAT, WHEN THE, WHEN CAMBRIDGE CAME TOGETHER AT THE SENIOR CENTER AFTER THE TRAGEDY, SO MANY MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY ROSE TO SAY THAT THEY WISH SHOTS SPOTTER HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN AWAY. AND PART OF THAT WAS THEY FELT DISRESPECTED BECAUSE NO ONE ASKED THEM. NO ONE ENGAGED THEM. NO ONE CAME AND KNOCKED ON THEIR DOOR, HAD 'EM COME TO COFFEE, GO TO THE SCHOOL. THINGS THAT I DO REGULARLY, BECAUSE I KNOW THE BEST WAY TO LEAD IS TO LEAD WITH AND NOT, NOT LEAD FROM THE FRONT, NOT FROM BEHIND, BUT SIDE BY SIDE. AND MANY OF THEM TOLD, SAID SOMETHING THAT I'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO STOP THINKING ABOUT. THEY DID NOT EVEN KNOW THE CITY COUNCIL HAD VOTED ON IT. THEY DID NOT KNOW THE DECISION HAS BEEN MADE AT THE RESIDENTS MOST AFFECTED BY A PUBLIC SAFETY DECISION. DID NOT EVEN KNOW THAT THE DECISION WAS BEFORE US. THIS IS NOT A FAILURE OF THEIR ATTENTION. IT IS THE FAILURE OF OUTREACH. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. WE HAVE TO, WE CAN GO, COME BACK TO YOU. WELL, NO, NO, NO. LET ME JUST, YOU KNOW WHAT IT, THAT'S THE PROBLEM. EVERYTHING'S, YOU KNOW, I DON'T TALK THAT OFTEN AND I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA, DON'T EVEN START, I'M GONNA ADHERE TO THE RULES. I'M JUST SAYING WE'VE HAD A LOVELY CONVERSATION. I'M TRYING TO PUT A POLICY ORDER AND DEFEND IT. I RAN OUT OF TIME. AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MY COMMUNITY. WE RUN OUT OF TIME BECAUSE NO ONE HAS THE PATIENCE TO US. WE CAN COME BACK SECOND ROUND, COUNCILOR FLAHERTY, AND THEN I HAVE VICE MAYOR AZI. I, I'D LIKE TO SECOND EVERYTHING THAT, UM, MY COLLEAGUE, COUNSELOR SIMMONS HAS SAID. I KNOW MOST OF US ATTENDED THAT, UH, COMMUNITY MEETING. AND IT WAS STRIKING, UH, FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. IT WAS STRIKING BECAUSE OF THE PAIN OF THE FAMILY, WHICH WAS PALPABLE. [03:05:02] UH, THE PAIN CONTINUED AT THE FUNERAL AND AT THE SITE. IT WAS STRIKING, UM, BECAUSE OF THE CALL FOR TECHNOLOGY. UM, PEOPLE FEEL UNSAFE. AND THERE WAS A REACTION WHEN, UH, THEY WERE TOLD THEY LIVE IN A, IN A CITY THAT'S RELATIVELY SAFE. AND, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS VISCERAL AND FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE, VERY WELL WARRANTED. AND, UM, THERE IS SIGNIFICANT RACE ISSUES AND SIGNIFICANT CLASS ISSUES IN CAMBRIDGE. A TALE OF TWO CITIES. UM, AND I THINK WHAT WE'VE GOT TO DO ON THE COUNCIL IS WE'VE GOT TO EXAMINE THESE ISSUES, UM, EVIDENCE-BASED, WE'VE GOTTA TAKE A LOOK AT THE EVIDENCE THAT SUPPORTS IT, BUT WE'VE ALSO GOTTA LOOK AT THE EVIDENCE THAT'S RIGHT UNDERNEATH OUR NOSE. XAVIER BATISTA WAS MURDERED ON NORFOLK STREET ON JULY 4TH. AND, UM, IF THERE WAS 1% CHANCE THAT SHOTS PLOTTER WOULD'VE HAD A CAMBRIDGE POLICE OFFICER OR EMERGENCY FIRST RESPONDER BE THERE WITH A LESS THAN 1% CHANCE TO SAVE HIS LIFE, IT'S WORTH IT TO ME. AND I'M SURE IT'S WORTH IT TO EVERYBODY IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND TO EVERYONE IN HIS FAMILY. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, EVEN IF THAT WAS AN IMPOSSIBILITY, AND WE DON'T KNOW THE CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT I'VE HEARD IT SAY, WELL, MAYBE THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE GREAT. BUT WHAT COULD HAVE HAP ABSOLUTELY HAVE HAPPENED IS THERE WAS A REPORT, AND THIS WAS, UH, UH, UH, GENERATED FROM A RING CAMERA FROM A RESIDENT THAT THREE PEOPLE LEFT THE SCENE IN A WHITE PICKUP AND A RAM PICKUP THAT COULD HAVE BEEN OBTAINED IMMEDIATELY. A BOLO COULD HAVE BEEN PUT OUT, AN A PB COULD HAVE BEEN PUT OUT. ALL THREE INDIVIDUALS COULD HAVE BEEN ARRESTED AND BROUGHT TO JUSTICE. THAT OPPORTUNITY WAS LOST BECAUSE IT WASN'T AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE THAT YOUNG MAN, THE FATHER OF A 5-YEAR-OLD BOY LAY THE GUTTER FOR WHAT IT'S BEEN REPORTED FOR AN HOUR. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN THINKING, UH, ABOUT MY OWN LIFE AND MY OWN SON AND WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED, UM, IN MY OWN LIFE THROUGH CERTAIN EVENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED TO ME RECENTLY, AND WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED TO MY SON'S LIFE GOING FORWARD. AND, UH, I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SHAKE THE THOUGHT OF, UM, MR. BATISTA'S CHILD. AND, YOU KNOW, LOOK, I'M THE FIRST TO PROTECT PEOPLE'S INDIVIDUAL PRIVACY RIGHTS. BUT IF THERE IS A BALANCING TEST TO BE DONE, UH, IN THIS INSTANCE, CONSIDERING THESE FACTS AND THE CHANGED CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE ARE NOW WELL AWARE OF, AND THE TENOR AND THE TONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO CAME TO THAT COMMUNITY MEETING AND WHO HAVE SPOKEN TO ME INDIVIDUALLY AND PERSONALLY, UM, THEN THOSE CHANGED CIRCUMSTANCES REQUIRE US TO, UM, REACTIVATE SHOTS, BARTER. NOW, UH, THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT OUR RESIDENTS WANT. AND, UH, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, THAT'S, UH, WHAT WE'RE OBLIGATED TO DO. I YIELD VICE MAYOR ZIM, AND THEN I HAVE COUNCILOR MCGOVERN, AND THEN COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YOU'LL HAVE TO COME BACK TO ME FOR A SECOND ROUND TO FINISH THIS. UM, BUT I HAVE A FAIRLY DIFFERENT TAKE THAN WHAT MOST OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID TO ME, UH, HAD SAID TODAY. AND WHAT I HAD AS AN OPINION WHEN I FIRST GOT ELECTED. WHEN I FIRST GOT ELECTED WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH, I MADE A COMMENT THAT GOT ME INTO A LOT OF TROUBLE. I SAID, ONE OF THE LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH AND INJURIES FOR YOUNG ADULTS IN OUR CITY WAS FROM, UH, CAR CRASHES. AND THAT IS TRUE NATIONALLY. BUT THEN NICO IMAC AND IDA JALO GOT REALLY ANGRY AT ME. AND THEY WERE LIKE, YOU KNOW, HAN, EVERYONE TALKS ABOUT BIKE SAFETY ALL THE TIME, BUT YOU KNOW, IN OUR CITY, YOUNG PEOPLE ARE ALSO HURT BY GUN VIOLENCE. AND I WAS LIKE, WELL, OF COURSE EVERYONE CARES ABOUT GUN VIOLENCE. YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST NOT A DIVISION. THAT'S WHY WE DON'T DO IT. AND THEN MY FIRST YEAR HERE, THE FIRST SUMMER PEOPLE GOT SHOT. NOTHING CHANGED. YEAH. MY SECOND SUMMER HERE, PEOPLE GOT SHOT. NOTHING CHANGED. AND I SLOWLY STARTED TO GET IT. AND I, BUT I'M EMBARRASSED, VERY EMBARRASSED TO SAY THAT IT WASN'T UNTIL MY THIRD SUMMER HERE, WHEN SOMEONE GOT SHOT IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. AS I WAS WATCHING THAT, I GOT IT. ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A GIRL WHO WAS SHOT IN SHOT, WAS BLEEDING OUT IN FRONT OF ME. AND I WAS FACED WITH A CHOICE, DO YOU TAKE CARE OF HER? OR DO YOU CALL 9 1 1? ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT WASN'T JUST LIKE, OBVIOUSLY YOU CALL 9 1 1. THERE WAS REAL TRADE OFFS. ALL OF A SUDDEN, ME AND MY NEIGHBOR, WHO GOT A BULLET THROUGH THEIR HOUSE WAS LIKE, WE SHOULD DO A GOFUNDME TO HELP PAY FOR THEIR MEDICAL BILLS. AND WE WERE LIKE, OF COURSE, LIKE THE COMMUNITY'S VERY GENEROUS. IT WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE. [03:10:01] BUT THE MOM OF THE GIRL WHO GOT SHOT WAS LIKE, I, I DON'T KNOW IF I WANNA DO THIS. AND WE HAD TO KIND OF PUSH HER INTO THIS. AND WE WERE LIKE, WHY NOT? THE COMMUNITY'S VERY SUPPORTIVE. WELL, AS SOON AS THEIR NAMES WENT PUBLIC MM-HMM . THEY GOT A NOTE ON THEIR DOOR, NOT OF SUPPORT, BUT THAT SAID, DON'T BE A RAT. ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY WERE AFRAID. THEIR MAIN FEAR WAS THAT SOMEONE WAS GONNA COME AFTER THEM FOR SAYING WHAT THEY DID PUBLICLY. AND THEN IT MADE SENSE TO ME THAT HOW CHARLENE HOLMES HAPPENED, WHERE EVERYONE KNOWS WHO HER KILLER IS, BUT PEOPLE JUST WON'T SAY THE NAME. AND IT IS BECAUSE PEOPLE GEN AND PEOPLE DO SHOOTINGS IN OUR CITY BECAUSE THEY GENUINELY BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH IT, BECAUSE PEOPLE WON'T BE A RAT. 'CAUSE THEY CAN THREATEN THEM. AND THEY THINK THAT BECAUSE IT HAS HAPPENED IN OUR CITY, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF EMPATHY FOR EVERYDAY PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT INVOLVED, RIGHT? LIKE, YOU DON'T WANNA HAVE SURVEILLANCE WHEN YOU'RE GOING AROUND. WE HAVE A LOT OF EMPATHY FOR THE PERSON WHO DID THE CRIME, RIGHT? LIKE MAYBE THEY HAD A TROUBLED CHILDHOOD, MAYBE THEY WERE UNSTABLE. WE SOMETIMES HAVE EMPATHY FOR THE VICTIM, RIGHT? LIKE THEY WERE HURT, OR THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS WERE HURT. BUT THERE WAS ALSO EMPATHY THAT WE NEED TO HAVE FOR THE PEOPLE IN OUR CITY WHO ARE JUST SITTING THERE AFRAID THAT THEY ARE GONNA BE TARGETED NEXT. AND SO WHEN THAT MOM HAD THAT POST-IT NOTE PUT ON HER MAILBOX, ALL OF A SUDDEN I UNDERSTOOD WHY YOU WOULD WANT MORE POLICE IN OUR CITY AND WHY YOU WOULD WANT POLICE ACTUALLY CORNERED AT YOUR HOUSE. 'CAUSE YOU THOUGHT YOU HAD A TARGET ON YOUR BACK NOW. AND SO, AND THEN I UNDERSTOOD WHAT NICO AND ISAAC HAD SAID TO ME, WHICH IS OUR STANDARD FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, FOR STREET SAFETY. IT'S JUST DIFFERENT THAN IT IS FOR SHOOTINGS. WE DON'T SAY, YOU NEVER HEAR, WELL, WE'RE ACTUALLY SAFER, AND WE HAVE LESS CAR CRASHES, CAR CRASHES THAN OTHER CITIES IN AMERICA. NEVER HEARD. THERE'S ACTUALLY WIDESPREAD SUPPORT FOR SPEEDING CAMERAS, FOR RED LIGHT CAMERAS, FOR BUS LANE ENFORCEMENT. WE HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH SURVEILLANCE WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING SURE THAT RULES OF THE ROAD ARE FOLLOWED. BUT THEN YOU GO AND TALK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY AND IT'S LIKE, WELL, ACTUALLY, WE'RE SAFER THAN MOST CITIES. THAT'S REALLY HARD TO TALK TO SOMEONE WHO HAS JUST BEEN SHOT IN THEIR FAMILY. I SUPPORTED HEART, I SUPPORTED CARE. AND I STILL THINK THAT THEY DO GOOD WORK. I THINK THAT POVERTY IS A PROBLEM AND IT CAN LEAD TO DARK PLACES. BUT I ALSO THINK THAT RICH PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALL THE ACCESS AND ALL THE RACE IS ALSO SUPPORT, CAN ALSO COMMIT CRIME. THAT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT POVERTY, IT IS ALSO THAT SOMETIMES THERE ARE JUST BAD PEOPLE WHO WANT TO HURT OTHER PEOPLE. AND THAT IT IS REALLY HARD BECAUSE THAT CASE OF THAT PERSON WHO DID A SHOOTING IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE HAD ACTUALLY BEEN IN PROGRAMS WITH THE CITY, HAD ACTUALLY HAD A JOB, WAS ACTUALLY DOING FINANCIALLY FINE. AND ACTUALLY AFTER THEY GOT OUT, THE FIRST THING THEY DID WAS, AGAIN, IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE IN A CORNER WHERE THERE WAS NOT A CAMERA. SO I HAD TO SHOOT IT AGAIN AND TESTIFY AGAIN. THEY COMMITTED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT. AND I WOULD NOT GO TO THAT WOMAN AND SAY THAT ACTUALLY THE REASON THAT THAT HAPPENED TO YOU WAS BECAUSE THE PERSON WHO DID THAT JUST DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH SUPPORT AND THEY HAD A TRAUMATIC CHILDHOOD. UM, I THINK IT IS REALLY, REALLY COMPLICATED AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE IGNORE THE DETAILS UNTIL IT HAPPENS TO YOU. AND I'M EMBARRASSED TO SAY THAT THAT WAS MY CASE. AND YOU KNOW, I AGREE ACTUALLY WITH WHICH IS THE REASON THAT I DIDN'T VOTE ON, UH, YOU KNOW, KEEPING SHOTS SPOTTER. I, I VOTED PRESENT AND I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN RID OF IT, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S THE BEST TECHNOLOGY. BUT IN THIS CASE, MAYBE IT'S RIGHT THAT IT WAS ON FIREWORKS MODE AND THERE WAS LOWER ODDS. MAYBE THE IT INJURIES WERE SO SEVERE THAT YOU COULD NOT HAVE SAVED THEM. BUT IF IT WAS MY KID, MY DAD, MY FIANCE OUT THERE, AND YOU TOLD ME THERE WAS A 5% CHANCE THAT THEY COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED, WELL, THAT IS EVERYTHING TO ME. AND SO I HAVE A LOT TO SAY ON THE MERITS OF THE POLICY ORDERS, WHICH I WILL DO IN MY SECOND TIME. BUT I JUST HAD TO SHARE MY FEELINGS AND MY EXPERIENCE AND HOW I GOT TO WHERE I AM. WE WILL GO TO COUNCILOR MCGOVERN, AND THEN I HAVE COUNCILOR SERENA WHEELER, COUNCILLOR NOLAN, AND COUNSELOR ZUBE. UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU. UH, THANK YOU VICE MAYOR FOR THAT. UM, AND I DO WANT TO START OFF BY AGAIN, EXPRESSING MY CONDOLENCES TO THE BAPTISTA FAMILY. I DIDN'T KNOW XAVIER, BUT, UM, CERTAINLY IN HEARING A LOT ABOUT HIM, UM, I WISH THAT I HAD. UM, SO I DO, I AM VERY SORRY FOR THEIR LOSS. UH, IN TERMS OF TECHNOLOGY IN GENERAL. I AM NOT AGAINST THE USE, UM, OF TECHNOLOGY. I VOTED FOR THE CAMERAS IN CENTRAL SQUARE. I VOTED TO EXPAND THEM. UM, I'VE, YOU KNOW, VOTED FOR, UM, LICENSE PLATE READERS FOR TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS, NOT FOR FLOCK, BECAUSE MY ISSUE WITH FLOCK WAS MORE ABOUT THE COMPANY AND HOW THAT DATA WAS BEING USED AND WHO IT WAS BEING SHARED WITH, MORE SO THAN THE TECHNOLOGY, UM, ITSELF. AND, YOU KNOW, BUT I AM OBVIOUSLY CONCERNED AS MANY ARE ABOUT, UM, HOW THAT TECHNOLOGY IS USED, RIGHT? SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE CENTRAL SQUARE CAMERAS, AS THE COMMISSIONER SAID, WE CONTROL THAT DATA. WE DON'T SHARE THAT DATA WITH [03:15:01] ANYONE ELSE. WE DON'T SHARE IT WITH HOMELAND SECURITY. IT GETS ERASED AFTER, I THINK, 30 DAYS, RIGHT? 35 DAYS. UM, IT'S ONLY LOOKED AT IF A CRIME HAS BEEN REPORTED. IT'S NOT USED TO, YOU KNOW, FOCUS ON CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS. THERE'S NO FACIAL RECOGNITION. IT, IT'S, AND, AND IN THAT IF TECH, IF THE TECHNOLOGY WE USE WAS LIKE THAT, I WOULD FEEL A WHOLE LOT, YOU KNOW, BETTER ABOUT IT. UM, BUT IT'S NOT ALWAYS LIKE THAT. AND I, SO I CONTINUE AS TO SHOT SPOTTER SPECIFICALLY. I CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THAT SHOT SPOTTER IS FLAWED. I THINK THE EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT WE HAVE THE 82% FALSE POSITIVE RATE IN CAMBRIDGE. YOU GOT THE STUDY OUTTA CHICAGO ABOUT RESPONSE TIMES. UM, EVEN FOLKS WHO SUPPORT IT AGREE THAT IT'S FLAWED. UM, YOU KNOW, MANY CITIES, THIS ISN'T JUST A CAMBRIDGE THING. MANY CITIES THAT HAVE A LOT MORE GUN VIOLENCE IN CAMBRIDGE HAVE MOVED AWAY FROM SHOT SPOTTER, UM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF ITS INACCURACY. UM, AND, BUT DURING THE COURSE OF THE CONVERSATION, WHICH HAS TAKEN PLACE OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, I ALWAYS SAID THAT DESPITE MY CONCERNS, WE NEED TO BE HEARING FROM THE FOLKS MOST IMPACTED BY THE VIOLENCE AND WHERE THE TECHNOLOGY IS LOCATED. AND WE DIDN'T DO THAT WELL ENOUGH HERE, AND I HOLD MYSELF RESPONSIBLE FOR MY PART IN THAT. I DIDN'T MAKE SURE IT HAPPENED, RIGHT? SORT OF RELIED ON SOME OTHER PEOPLE TO DO IT. AND SO, UM, WE DID DROP THE BALL ON THAT. AND SO, TO COUNCILOR SUZI'S POINT ABOUT OUTREACH, I COMPLETE, COMPLETELY AGREE. UM, JUST TONIGHT, FOR EXAMPLE, I WENT INTO THE HALL AND ASKED TWO WOMEN FROM NEWTOWN COURT WHO SPOKE AT THE COMMUNITY MEETING VERY PASSIONATELY IF THEY WERE GONNA SPEAK TONIGHT. AND THEY SAID NO, BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T FEEL SUPPORTED AND THEY WERE HURT BY SOME OF WHAT WAS SAID AND HOW IT WAS SAID. AND THAT GETS BACK TO THE INTENT VERSUS IMPACT. SO WE'VE GOTTA DO BETTER. WE HAVE TO DO BETTER ABOUT HOW WE TALK ABOUT THIS. WE HAVE TO DO BETTER ABOUT WHO WE INCLUDE IN THIS CONVERSATION, UM, ON THE ISSUE OF ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSES OF VIOLENCE. YES, YES, YES, YES. AND YES, BETTER FUNDING FOR MENTAL HEALTH, HOUSING, ADDRESSING POVERTY, CREATING MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, FIXING OUR TWO TIERED EDUCATION SYSTEM, UH, AND SO MUCH MORE. BUT I FEEL LIKE TONIGHT, LIKE WE WERE KIND OF MISSING EACH OTHER IN THIS CONVERSATION, THIS BECAME A CONVERSATION OF WE SHOULD EITHER SUPPORT PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION OR SUPPORT TECHNOLOGY. AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS HAS TO BE AN EITHER OR CONVERSATION. WE HAVE TO SUPPORT PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION. AND I THINK EVERYBODY AGREES TO THAT REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY STAND ON SHOT SPOTTER. UM, AND THERE ARE, UH, WITH THE RIGHT SAFEGUARDS AND CONTROLS, TECHNOLOGY CAN BE HELPFUL. IT DOES NOT PREVENT, SHOT SPOTTER DOES NOT PREVENT CRIME FROM HAPPENING. WE KNOW THAT CAMERAS DON'T DO THAT EITHER, BUT THEY COULD HELP IN SOLVING THOSE CRIMES AND BRINGING SOME CLOSURE TO THE FAMILY. SO IF WE CAN FIND A WAY, AND I THINK WE CAN, TO PUT THOSE SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT COLLABORATING WITH ICE, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT LISTENING IN ON PEOPLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT SPYING ON PEOPLE OR VIOLATING THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR PRIVACY. UM, I THINK WE CAN FIND A WAY TO DO THIS AND BALANCE THIS. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE ALL AGREE THAT CAMBRIDGE, THAT WE WANT CAMBRIDGE TO BE A SAFE COMMUNITY FOR EVERYONE. IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH THAT SOME OF US FEEL SAFE, WHILE OTHERS DO NOT. AND SO I WANT US TO WORK TOGETHER ON ADDRESSING THIS MASSIVE ISSUE THROUGH INVESTING IN PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION AND BALANCING THE BENEFITS OF TECHNOLOGY WITH THE RIGHT SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE. I DON'T WANT US TO GET INTO A FIGHT. AND THIS GOES THROUGH THE POLICY ORDER, AND I'M GONNA ASK A QUESTION THROUGH YOU. OH, SHOOT. UM, THE POLICY ORDER SAYS, UM, REINSTATE SHOT SPOTTER, UH, OPERATION UNTIL THE CITY HAS COMPLETED A ROBUST INCLU INCLUSIVE PUBLIC PROCESS, AND THE OTHER ORDER SAYS 90 DAYS. SO YOU ARE NOT SUGGESTING TO BRING SHOT SHOT SPOTTER BACK INDEFINITELY. YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT TEMPORARILY UNTIL WE CAN INCLUDE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN LEFT OUT OF THIS CONVERSATION. IS THAT CORRECT? YES. THANK YOU. WE WILL GO AHEAD TO COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER. AND THEN I HAVE COUNSELOR NOLAN. THANKS. I'M GONNA ASK SOME QUESTIONS THAT I HAD SENT OVER AHEAD OF TIME ABOUT SHOT SPOTTER TO TRY TO GET SOME DATA. UM, THE FIRST ONE WAS IN 2025, UM, THERE WERE FOUR SHOOTINGS IN CAMBRIDGE THAT RESULTED IN INJURIES. HOW MANY OF THEM, THOSE FOUR SHOOTINGS WERE IN THE SHOT SPOTTER RANGE. AND HOW MANY OF THOSE SHOOTINGS THE SHOT SPOTTER PICK UP TO YOU, MADAM MAYOR? UH, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. UH, THREE OF THE FOUR SHOOTINGS WITH VICTIMS WERE IN THE SHOT SPOTTED COVERAGE AREA. NONE OF THE THREE RESULTED IN ALERTS BECAUSE TWO WERE INSIDE BUILDINGS AND IT ONLY SHOT SPOTTED DETECTION, [03:20:01] ONLY WORKS OUTSIDE. UM, AND ONE WAS A DRIVE BY WHERE THE FIRING OF THE GUN CAME FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE, WHICH WOULD'VE AFFECTED THE SOUND AS WELL. THE FOURTH INCIDENT WAS ON CLIFTON STREET, AND THAT WAS OUTSIDE THE SHOT SPOTTER AREA. GREAT, THANK YOU. AND, UM, SHOT SPOTTER, AS IT SAYS IN THE CONTRACT, IT'S SUPPRESSED FOR A 48 HOUR WINDOW AROUND JULY 4TH AND NEW YEAR'S EVE. THAT CAME UP A LOT IN THE DISCUSSION OF THE SHOOTING ON JULY 24TH, 2025. A YEAR AGO. THERE WAS A SHOOTING IN CAMBRIDGE. IT WASN'T ONE OF THE ONES THAT RESULTED IN AN INJURY, BUT ON THAT, THAT SHOOTING ON JULY 4TH, 2025, DID SHOT SPOTTER DETECT THAT SHOOTING THAT PARTICULAR SHOOTING ON JULY 4TH, 2025? NO. OKAY. THANK YOU. UM, AND IN 2025, HOW MANY TOTAL TIMES DID SHOT SPOTTER TRIGGER AN ALERT, BOTH FOR GUNSHOTS AND FOR OTHER SOUNDS? I DON'T THINK THAT WAS ON THERE. I DID SUBMIT THAT AHEAD OF TIME. UM, YOU MEAN TOTAL TOTAL, YEAH. HOW MANY ALERTS WERE TRIGGERED IN, IN 2025? IN 2025, THERE WERE 11 INSTANCES OF SHOTS FIRED IN CAMBRIDGE. AND OF THE 11 5 9 WERE IN THE CAMBRIDGE JURISDICTION. THE OTHER TWO WERE HOBBIT SQUARE MBTA. SO SEVEN OF THE NINE SHOTS FIRED, UH, WITHIN THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE JURISDICTION WERE, WERE IN THE SHOTS SPOT SHOT SPOTTER COVERAGE AREA, AND THREE RESULT IN IT IN AN ALERT. THE OTHER FOUR WERE INSIDE A HOUSE, ONE INSIDE A CAR, AND ONE WAS THE 4TH OF JULY. BUT WAIT, AN APOLOGIES IF I IF I LEFT THIS ONE OFF, BUT WE DON'T KNOW SURE. HOW MANY TOTAL ALERTS THERE WERE FOR THINGS. I I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION IN FRONT OF ME. WOW. THAT WOULD BE, UH, HELPFUL TO KNOW BECAUSE IT IS A QUESTION OF HOW MANY TIMES IS THIS BEING TRIGGERED? WE HAVE A LOT OF DATA FROM OTHER PLACES SAYING, UM, SHOT SPOTTER PICKS UP A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE NOT GUNSHOTS. IT WOULD BE, YEAH, YEAH. NO, I CAN GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU. BUT, UM, WE DID GET INFORMATION FROM SHOTS SPOTTER THAT IT IS NOT SUPPRESSED FOR THE 48 HOURS AROUND THE HOLIDAYS. THE ALGORITHM IS ADJUSTED ACCORDING TO NOISE LEVELS AND EXTRA TECHNICIANS ARE, UM, PUT IN PLACE FOR LISTENING FOR GUNSHOTS DURING THE 4TH OF JULY HOLIDAYS, AS WELL AS THE NEW YEAR'S EVE. UH, AND ON EVENTS SUCH AS THOSE TWO, UM, THE AMBIENT VOLUME RISES AND THE SYSTEM RELIES ON THE TECHNOLOGY, IT SWITCHES OVER TO THE TECHNOLOGY TO FILTER OUT, FILTER OUT OTHER NOISES. THE SYSTEM IS CONSTANTLY FLUCTUATING, BE, BE BASED ON THE AMBIENT NOISE LEVELS. AND WHICH WOULD, YOU KNOW, AT 4:00 AM UM, SHOTS SPOTTED, WOULD'VE BEEN USING REGULAR DETECTION WITH NO SUS NO SUPPRESSION. UM, YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. UM, NO, I THINK IT, IT'S HELPFUL TO JUST HEAR SOME OF THE ANSWERS ABOUT IT. IT NOT PICKING UP, UM, THE SHOOTINGS FROM 2025 ABOUT IT MISSING THE, THE SHOOTING ON JULY 4TH. WE WANT TO GROUND THIS IN REAL EVIDENCE. WE WANT TO BE DOING THINGS THAT ACTUALLY WORK AND, AND NOT JUST TO MAKE A, YOU KNOW, A POLITICAL POINT. UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE MORE THAN 30 SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGIES IN OPERATION IN THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS APPROVED. MORE THAN A DOZEN OF THOSE TECHNOLOGIES ARE IN USE BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ALONE. THIS ISN'T ABOUT TECHNOLOGY. YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE ADVOCATED FOR TECHNOLOGY LIKE RED LIGHT CAMERAS, THAT, THAT WOULD SAVE LIVES. THIS IS, TO ME, IS HOW THAT, HOW DANGEROUSLY INACCURATE THIS TECHNOLOGY IS. IT REDUCES RESPONSE TIMES TO REAL VIOLENCE. AND I, LIKE OTHERS COUNSELORS HAVE TALKED ABOUT IN SITUATIONS THEY LIVE IN, I ALSO LIVE AROUND THE CORNER FROM WHERE A YOUNG PERSON WAS SHOT AND KILLED. I LIVE THREE BLOCKS FROM WHERE ED FAISEL WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY A CAMBRIDGE POLICE OFFICER. THIS IS A YOUNG BROWN MAN HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING I'M, I'M GONNA RE RELITIGATE RIGHT NOW. BUT SHOT SPOTTER MAKES IT MORE LIKELY THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER TRAGEDY LIKE THIS ONE BECAUSE OF HOW DANGEROUSLY INACCURATE IT IS. BECAUSE SO MANY OF THE THINGS THAT THINKS ARE GUNSHOTS ARE NOT ANYTHING CLOSE TO BEING GUNSHOTS. WE SHOULD NOT BE PUTTING RESIDENTS IN THIS SITUATION WHERE THEY CAN JUST BE GOING ABOUT THEIR, THEIR DAILY LIVES, BE AROUND ABOUT NOISE AND HAVE, HAVE SOMEONE SAY THIS WAS A GUNSHOT, AND SEND THE POLICE RACING TOWARDS THEM. WE ALSO SHOULDN'T BE PUTTING OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, OUR CITY EMPLOYEES IN THAT SITUATION. SO THE LAST PIECE HERE IS AROUND THIS QUESTION OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND ABOUT HAVE WE DONE THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT? I JUST WANT TO TURN THAT ON ITS HEAD. WE NEVER DID COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BEFORE PUTTING THIS UP. WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF SUGGESTIONS THAT WE NEED TO DO MORE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BEFORE TO PUT TAKING A A TECHNOLOGY DOWN. HOW COME WE NEVER DID ANY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BEFORE PUTTING IT UP? SHOULDN'T THAT BE THE FIRST THING? SHOULDN'T WE HAVE DONE THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BEFORE WE PUT THAT UP? THERE'S ANOTHER POLICY ORDER TONIGHT. SHOULDN'T WE DO MORE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BEFORE THAT? I DON'T UNDERSTAND. WE WILL NOW MOVE TO COUNCILOR NOLAN AND THEN COUNCILLOR ZUZI. OKAY. SO WE'RE GOING THROUGH AND JUST ASKING EITHER QUESTIONS AND, OR EVENTUALLY, YES. OKAY. AND WE'LL, THIS IS THE FIRST ROUND OF AT LEAST A COUPLE. YES. OKAY. SO JUST WANNA GET IT CLEAR. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS REALLY HARD DISCUSSION, AND I THINK ALL THREE OF THESE POLICY, FOUR OF THESE POLICY ORDERS ARE, ARE GOOD. AND I WILL NOTE THE CITY IS VERY SPLIT ON OUR APPROACHES TO PUBLIC SAFETY ON THE LEVEL OF POLICING, ON THE SPECIFIC SHOT SPOTTER ON PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS SAFETY. AND I THINK [03:25:01] THAT'S TRUE WHEREVER YOU LIVE IN THE CITY, WHAT YOUR RACE IS, ETHNICITY, FINANCIAL STATUS. UM, SO I I, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE SPLIT ON WHAT APPROACH IS MOST EFFECTIVE. WE DO SHARE THE GOAL OF A VERY SAFE CITY WHERE EVERYONE FEELS SAFE. SO I'M GLAD WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT. AND, AND EVERYTHING I DO AND EVERYTHING ALL MY COLLEAGUES DO ARE IN THAT SPIRIT OF WANTING THAT ONE GOAL. THE PROGRAMS WHICH CAN BE EFFECTIVE. THE ONE STAT WE HEARD TONIGHT ABOUT AN 80% REDUCTION IN JUVENILE ARRESTS REALLY REPRESENTS HOPE. UM, AND YET AS VICE MAYOR ZE NOTED, THERE ARE ALSO CRIMES THAT HAPPEN IN PEOPLE FOR WHOM PROGRAMS HAVE NOT WORKED. AND WE NEED TO GET THOSE PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS AND OUT OF OUR CITY, SO THEY CAN'T HURT US FURTHER WHEREVER IT IS THAT IF THERE'S REHABILITATION SOMEWHERE. YES. BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO HOLD THAT WITH US, AND YET WE SHOULD BE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PREVENT THAT, UH, FROM HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE. I, I DO HAVE A, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, WHICH IS, UM, JUST SOMETHING THE COMMUNITY IS REALLY TALKING A LOT ABOUT. IN THE CASE OF TRAGIC MURDERS, WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT, INCLUDING WITH THE A CLU SAYING THAT RESPONSE TIME FROM THEIR, UM, ALL OF THEIR DATA ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAS NOT MADE ANY DIFFERENCE IN, IN PEOPLE BEING, UH, ABLE TO BE SAVED GIVEN SHOTSPOTTER. AND I KNOW IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO ASSESS, BUT REGARDLESS OF HOW ONE STANDS ON THESE TECHNOLOGIES, DO WE HAVE A SENSE OF WHETHER SHOTS SPOTTER COULD HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN SAVING XAVIER'S LIFE? COMMISSIONER THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR, YOU KNOW, FIRST AND FOREMOST, OBVIOUSLY OUR THOUGHTS REMAIN WITH THE, WITH THE BATISTA FAMILY AND ALL FAMILIES THAT ARE IMPACTED WITH GUN VIOLENCE. YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND WHY MANY HAVE ASKED WHETHER SHOTS BTA WOULD'VE CHANGED THE OUTCOME THAT EVENING. BASED ON WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THAT INCIDENT, THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT THE PRESENCE OF SHOT SPOTTER WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE SHOOTING FROM OCCURRING. BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN PREVENTING VIOLENCE AND HELPING LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPOND TO VIOLENCE ONCE SHOTS OF FIRED. THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. SHOT SPOTTER IS NOT DESIGNED TO PREDICT OR PREVENT. IT'S AN ACOUSTIC DETECTION SYSTEM THAT ALERTS OFFICERS WHEN GUNFIRE IS DETECTED, OFTEN PROVIDING INFORMATION WITHIN SECONDS. ITS PURPOSE IS TO IMPROVE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, AND IT HELPS OFFICERS LOCATE INCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS MORE QUICKLY. IDENTIFY VICTIMS WHO MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CALL 9 1 1 AND PRESERVE EVIDENCE THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE BE LOST. IT SERVES VERY MUCH AS AN INVESTIGATIVE TOOL THAT PROVIDES TIMELY OBJECTIVE INFORMATION TO SUPPORT CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS. NOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OFFICERS GOING TO FALSE 9 1 1, I MEAN FALSE SHOTS, BARTER ACTIVATIONS, WE JUST LIKE ANY OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENT, ARE REQUIRED BY STATUTORY LAW, STATE AND FEDERAL CASE LAW TO RESPOND TO ANY REPORT OF POTENTIAL VIOLENCE WITH A PROPORTIONAL RESPONSE. MEANING THE AVAILABLE FORCE OPTIONS FOR THE OFFICES MUST BE IN LINE WITH THE HARM WE SEEK TO PREVENT THE ACTIVATION OF SHOT SPOTTER COULD PROVIDE A REASONABLE PERCEPTION OF DANGER AND THE POTENTIAL PRESENCE OF A FIREARM FOR THE RESPONDING OFFICES. BUT THE ACTIVATION ALONE DOES NOT JUSTIFY A USE OF FORCE BEFORE OFFICERS PREPARE OR UTILIZE A FORCE OPTION. THE LAW SAYS WE MUST CONSIDER THE OVERALL TOTALITY OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES. THE ACTIVATION OF SHOT SPOTTER ALERTS OFFICERS TO THE POTENTIAL PRESENCE OF THE FIREARM, BUT IS NOT CONCLUSIVE PROOF BY ANY MEANS. IT ASSISTS OFFICERS BY ALERTING THEM TO THE POTENTIAL. IT DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY GIVE THE OFFICERS LEGAL JUSTIFICATION TO DRAW OUT POINT OR USE A FIREARM UPON ARRIVAL WITHOUT ADDITIONAL FACTS OR INFORMATION. IT WOULD BE CONTRARY TO CPD TRAINING AND NATIONALLY ACCEPTED POLICE PRACTICES FOR OFFICES TO SIMPLY PULL OUT THEIR FIREARMS DUE TO A SHOT SPOTTER ACTIVATION. I WILL STOP THERE. THANK YOU. THANKS. YEAH, I I I DIDN'T EVER THINK THAT PEOPLE WERE PULLING OUT THEIR FIREARMS. I WAS, I WAS ACTUALLY ASKING ABOUT, GIVEN THE TRAGIC CIRCUMSTANCES, YOU KNOW, MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT WAS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A VERY BIG DIFFERENCE IF IT'S INSTANT COUNCILOR NOLEN DEATH AND NOT, SO, I, I, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA SPEAK TO THAT FURTHER, BUT WE CAN GO BACK TO YOU. I'M FINE. I'M OKAY. THANK YOU. I HAD COUNCILLOR ZUI, UH, THANK YOU CHAIR SIDIKI. SO I, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS THROUGH YOU. SO THE POLICY ORDER SAYS THAT SHOT SPOTTER REMAIN [03:30:01] IN OPERATION. I THOUGHT IT WAS REMOVED. SO CAN IT BE REINSTATED? UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WILL HOMELAND SECURITY STILL FOOT THE BILL? THE TECHNOLOGY CAN BE REINSTATED, HOWEVER, THERE ARE OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT ARE LOOKING TO EXPAND THEIR COVERAGE USING OUR FUNDING ALLOCATION. SO WE WOULD NEED TO PAY LIKE $50,000 FOR THE SHOT SPOTTER FOR THREE FOR THE SUMMER MONTHS. NO, WE WOULDN'T, UH, UH, WE HAVE NEVER PAID FOR SHOT SPOTTER, AND WE WOULD CONTINUE NOT TO HAVE TO PAY. SO WE COULD INSTALL IT FOR THE, WE COULD CONTINUE, WE COULD REINSTATE IT FOR THE SUMMER WITHOUT EXPENSE THROUGH YOU, MME. MAY. THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING. OKAY. SO MY THOUGHT, AGAIN, WE'VE GOT TWO THINGS GOING ON. ONE IS, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA MAKE OUR COMMUNITY SAFE. AND I THOUGHT COUNSELOR MCGOVERN, YOU WERE BRILLIANT. I REALLY APPRECIATED YOUR TESTIMONY. IT'S NOT AN EITHER OR. WE WANNA INVEST IN PREVENTION AND WE WANNA DO INTERVENTION, AND WE WANNA FUND TECHNOLOGY THAT MAKES COMMUNITIES FEEL SAFE. AND I, UM, I I FEEL LIKE THIS IS ABOUT, I'M NOT CONVINCED, UH, SHOT, WELL, LET ME, LET ME GO BACK. I VOTED PRESENT ABOUT THE VOTE ABOUT SHOT SPOTTER. I WENT INTO THAT COUNCIL MEETING, PLANNING TO VOTE AGAINST SHOT SPOTTER. AND THEN I BECAME REALLY FRUSTRATED BY MY COLLEAGUES BECAUSE, UH, COUNCILOR SIMMONS AND COUNCILOR FLAHERTY AND THE CITY MANAGER AND COMMISSIONER WELLS WERE BEGGING FOR US TO KEEP SHOT SPOT WELL, FOR US NOT TO MAKE A DECISION UNTIL AFTER THE COMMUNITY MEETING, AFTER, UM, ABOUT THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE SHOOTER ON MEMORIAL DRIVE IN MAY. AND I JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE WE WEREN'T GONNA HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY, UH, BEFORE WE MADE THIS IMPORTANT DECISION. SO I, I THINK, I GUESS AGAIN, I THINK THAT TALKING TO THE COMMUNITY IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL. SO I'M GONNA, I WILL SUPPORT THIS POLICY ORDER. I AGREE WITH COUNCILOR MCGOVERN THAT WE NEED TO CREATE GUARDRAILS. AGAIN, I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT SHOT SPOTTER IS EFFECTIVE. I DON'T BELIEVE IT LISTENS TO OUR CONVERSATIONS AND REPORTS US TO ICE. UM, BUT YOU KNOW, I, I'M, I'M, I'M CONVINCED THAT IT'S OFTEN GIVES FALSE POSITIVES, WHICH ARE HIGHLY PROBLEMATIC, THAT MIGHT MAKE A, A COMMUNITY FEEL, UM, LESS SAFE. UM, BUT I THINK IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO HAVE UP DURING THE HEAT OF THE SUMMER, UH, TO EXPLORE, UH, INSTITUTING GUARDRAILS. UM, AND THEN WE CAN REMOVE IT IN THE FALL AFTER IF, IF, IF, IF THE COMMUNITY AFTER COMMUNITY OUTREACH, UH, WE DECIDE THAT'S THE BEST DECISION FOR THE COMMUNITY. 'CAUSE I THINK SOMETIMES, AGAIN, I'M NOT CONVINCED IT'S AN EFFECTIVE TECHNOLOGY, BUT I'M ALSO NOT CONVINCED IT'S AN EVIL TECHNOLOGY. BUT IF IT MAKES THE COMMUNITY THAT'S IMPACTED MOST BY VIOLENCE FEEL SAFER, THEN IT'S ACTUALLY SERVING A FUNCTION. AND WE ALL KNOW THAT WE NEED TO DO MORE AS WELL. YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST, IT, UM, THERE'S A LOT MORE WE NEED TO DO, BUT I ALMOST FEEL LIKE LET'S EXTEND THE TRIAL THROUGH THE FALL. LET'S GET THROUGH THE SUMMER MONTHS, WHICH ARE WHEN VIOLENCE GENERALLY HAPPENS. AND THEN LET'S, UH, LET'S REEVALUATE THE PICTURE THEN AFTER WE HAVE DONE ROBUST COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. THANK YOU. I YIELD, SO I THINK WE'VE HEARD FROM EVERYONE EXCEPT MYSELF AND COUNSELOR ZUBIE. COUNSELOR ZUBE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO? HAPPY TO DEFER TO YOU IF YOU WANNA GO FIRST, OR I JUST TWO QUESTIONS BASED ON WHAT YOU SAID. COUNSELOR, UM, ZUI, I THINK, UM, IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO HEAR FROM THE SOLICITOR ON THE PROCEDURAL PIECE. UM, I THINK WE TOUCHED BRIEFLY ON THE SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY ORDINANCE, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS HERE. MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WAS THAT STAFF COULD REQUEST APPROVAL THROUGH THE, UH, SUBMISSION OF A NEW, UM, YOU KNOW, STIR. WOULD THE SAME PROCESS BE REQUIRED FOR A TEMPORARY REINSTATEMENT? I KNOW WE HAVE A, WE FOLLOWED THE PROCESS. SO WHAT DOES IT EXACTLY LOOK LIKE? HERE IS THE POLICY ORDER. UH, ENOUGH THANK YOU TO YOU MADAM MAYOR. SO AS THE COUNCIL KNOWS, UNDER OUR SURVEILLANCE ORDINANCE, GENERALLY, [03:35:01] IF STAFF, UH, WANTS TO USE A NEW FORM OF SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY THAT COMES BEFORE THE COUNCIL ON THE CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA IN THE FORM OF A SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY IMPACT REPORT. UM, SO THAT WOULD BE AN OPTION FOR STAFF TO COME BACK BEFORE THE COUNCIL WITH A NEW, UH, STIR, UH, REPORT REQUESTING APPROVAL. I THINK THE OTHER OPTION THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THE COUNCIL THROUGH THIS POLICY ORDER IS, UM, POTENTIALLY, UH, UM, I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE I A RENEWAL OF THE PRIOR VOTE TO STOP USING THE TECHNOLOGY. UM, SO AS THE COUNCIL KNOWS IN OUR RULES, UH, WE HAVE RECONSIDERATION A RULE ON RECONSIDERATION. AND THAT RULE SAYS THAT, UM, YOU HAVE 36 HOURS AFTER THE VOTE'S TAKEN TO FILE FOR RECONSIDERATION, AND THEN THE VOTE GETS TAKEN UP AT THE NEXT MEETING. AND IF, UH, OR THE COUNCIL FREQUENTLY SUSPENDS THE RULES TO MOVE RECONSIDERATION RIGHT AT THE TIME OF THE INITIAL VOTE TO HAVE FINALITY. AND THAT RULE SERVES TO MAKE THE ACTIONS OF THE COUNCIL FINAL FOR THIS TERM OF THE COUNCIL. AS THE COUNCIL IS, UM, CURRENTLY, UH, FORMED THE ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER, ALSO THOUGH, UM, TALK ABOUT RENEWAL OF A VOTE. AND THERE ARE CERTAIN TIMES THAT A VOTE CAN COME UP AGAIN OUTSIDE OF THE RECONSIDERATION PROCESS AND TO READ FROM ROBERT'S RULES. UM, IF A MOTION IS MADE AND DISPOSED OF WITHOUT BEING ADOPTED, IT IS, IS LATER ALLOWED TO COME BEFORE THE ASSEMBLY, AFTER BEING MADE AGAIN BY ANY MEMBER IN ESSENTIAL, ESSENTIALLY THE SAME CONNECTION. THE MOTION IS SAID TO BE RENEWED. RENEWAL OF MOTIONS IS LIMITED BY THE BASIC PRINCIPLE THAT AN ASSEMBLY CANNOT BE ASKED TO DECIDE THE SAME OR SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME QUESTION TWICE DURING ONE SESSION, EXCEPT THROUGH A MOTION TO RECONSIDER A VOTE. SO THAT'S THE CONCEPT THAT IF YOU'VE ALREADY GONE THROUGH RECONSIDER RECONSIDERATION, YOU CAN'T BRING THE SAME MOTION UP AGAIN. BUT ROBERT'S RULES ALSO SAYS A PREVIOUSLY CONSIDERED MOTION MAY BECOME A SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT QUESTION THROUGH A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE WORDING, OR BECAUSE OF A DIFFERENCE IN THE TIME OR CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH IT IS PROPOSED. AND SUCH A MOTION MAY THUS BE AN ORDER WHEN IT COULD NOT OTHERWISE BE RENEWED. UM, SO I THINK THAT'S WITHIN THE DISCRETION OF YOU, MADAM MAYOR AS THE CHAIR, WHETHER IF THERE IS A MOTION THAT IS SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF TIME OR CHANGE CIRCUMSTANCES TO ALLOW IT TO BE RENEWED. OTHERWISE, UM, THIS, THE REQUEST TO BRING BACK SHOT SPOTTER FOR, UM, THIS TIME PERIOD WOULD HAVE TO COME THROUGH ANOTHER STIR ON THE, UH, MANAGER'S AGENDA. OKAY. UM, MY SECOND QUESTION, I'LL JUST GET THIS IN, IS, UM, ABOUT THE PUBLIC PROCESS PIECE. THE POLICY ORDER TALKS ABOUT A ROBUST AND INCLUSIVE PUBLIC PROCESS, UM, AND I THINK WE'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT IN THE PAST ABOUT THEIR APPROACH TO ENGAGEMENT AROUND KIND OF COUNCIL DECISIONS AND COUNSELOR POLICIES, UM, OR INITIATIVES. UH, IF I'M REMEMBERING CORRECTLY, THE FRAMING WAS THAT THE CITY DOES ENGAGE ON, UH, COUNCIL DOESN'T ENGAGE ON COUNCIL ISSUES AFTER DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE WITH THE AIM OF INFORMING COMMUNITY MEMBERS. BUT THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, SENSITIVITY AROUND ENGAGEMENT SEEKING INPUT AND DECISIONS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN MADE YET. UM, GIVEN THAT THIS MATTER IS BACK BEFORE THE COUNCIL, I'M JUST CURIOUS AROUND HOW YOU COULD SPEAK TO HOW THIS PART OF THE POLICY ORDER WOULD BE CARRIED OUT. BECAUSE IT SAYS TEMPORARY AND IT SAYS PROCESS. I'M JUST, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? UM, THROUGH YOU MAYOR SIDIKI, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR US TO HAVE SOME KIND OF CONVERSATION JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT HOW WE PROCEED MEETS THE INTENT OF THE COUNCIL. UM, I WOULD JUST PUT FORWARD SOME INITIAL THOUGHTS. UM, TRADITIONALLY WE'VE DONE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BY HOLDING MORE MEETINGS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. UM, THAT COULD BE A NORMAL PATH, UM, WHERE WE SCHEDULE SPACE AND ENSURE THAT WE'VE DONE ENOUGH OUTREACH THAT PEOPLE ARE AWARE AND CAN PARTICIPATE. UM, A SECOND OPTION WOULD BE TO FORM A, UH, TASK FORCE OR, [03:40:01] YOU KNOW, TEMPORARY BORDER COMMISSION THAT WOULD SEEK REPRESENTATION. UH, AND WE COULD SPECIFICALLY LOOK TO INCLUDE, UM, A VARIETY OF VOICES. UM, I THINK THERE'S SOME ADVANTAGES IN HAVING A MORE FACILITATED DISCUSSION WHERE PEOPLE CAN FEEL MORE CONNECTED AND RELATIONALLY, UM, WORK THROUGH SOME OF THE TRADE-OFFS AND HAVE VOICES BE HEARD, UM, NOT JUST ON ONE NIGHT, UH, WHERE SOMETIMES YOU CAN END UP SPEAKING PAST EACH OTHER, BUT, BUT REALLY WORK THROUGH TO FIND A SOLUTION. UM, A THIRD OPTION, UM, THAT I THINK WE'VE DISCUSSED BEFORE, UH, THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY NOT REALLY DONE IS A MODEL FOR CIVIC ASSEMBLIES. WHERE WHAT YOU ACTUALLY DO IS, UH, IS IS SELECT RANDOMLY A GROUP OF RESIDENTS WITHIN THE CITY ENSURING DIVERSITY AND REPRESENTATION. UM, AND WE CAN CHOOSE HOW WE WOULD DEFINE THAT. IT COULD BE ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD, IT COULD BE RACE, ETHNICITY, IT COULD BE, UM, SOMETHING ELSE. UH, WE WOULD TRY TO BALANCE THAT. BUT I THINK THE DESIRE THERE IS ALSO TO THINK ABOUT, UM, HOW WE BRING NORMAL RESIDENTS TOGETHER TO ACTUALLY, UH, TO ACTUALLY AGAIN, MEET TOGETHER, BE IN RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OTHER. THEY CAN HEAR FROM ADVOCATES, UM, BUT IT ENDS UP BEING A VERY DIFFERENT MODEL THAN WHEN YOU, UH, WHEN YOU CREATE A BORDER COMMISSION, THAT THAT IS ACTUALLY BRINGING ALL THE ADVOCATES TOGETHER AND THEN EXPECTING THEM TO FIND A COMPROMISE. IT IS SOMETIMES DIFFERENT IF YOU BRING TOGETHER REGULAR RESIDENTS, HAVE THE ADVOCATES COME AND SPEAK, AND THEN HAVE THOSE PEOPLE DECIDE. UM, SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME INITIAL THOUGHTS. I MEAN, I THINK THERE'S CERTAINLY DIFFERENT MODELS AND THERE'S A LOT MORE DETAIL THAT WE COULD TALK THROUGH. UM, BUT I THINK, I THINK THIS IS OBVIOUSLY, UM, A REALLY DIFFICULT ISSUE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I THINK WE CAN CERTAINLY SEE THE DIVIDE WITHIN, WITHIN THE COUNCIL BODY AS WELL. UM, AND OPEN ALSO TO OTHER IDEAS. I WILL GO TO COUNCIL ZUBI THREE, MADAM MAYOR. UM, I FIRST WANNA JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THE REALITY THAT WE OWE COMMUNITY MORE THAN WEAPONIZING GRIEF. XAVIER BAPTISTA WAS A YOUNG MAN LOVING COMMUNITY MEMBER AND A RECENT FATHER. AND BEFORE THIS WORK AND ANY OF THE TITLES WE HOLD, WE ARE NEIGHBORS. AND LIKE SO MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS, I'M ALSO SITTING WITH THE ANGER, GRIEF, AND HEARTBREAK. AND THAT IS PRECISELY WHY I'VE BEEN INCREDIBLY DISTURBED BY HOW QUICKLY HIS LIFE HAS BECOME A POLITICAL OPPORTUNITY FOR SHOT SPOTTER BY MY COLLEAGUES. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, EVEN BEFORE PROPER INVESTIGATIONS CALLS RESURFACE TO BRING BACK SHOT SPOTTER, WHICH IS THE VERY SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY THAT THE COUNCIL AFTER YEARS OF ENGAGEMENT, YOU MIGHT NOT AGREE WITH THE ENGAGEMENT, BUT AFTER YEARS OF ENGAGEMENT, DELIBERATION AND REVIEW OF THE EVIDENCE VOTED NOT TO REINSTATE. WHEN A COMMUNITY IS MOURNING OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS ELECTEDS IS TO LEAD WITH INTEGRITY AND TO LISTEN, NOT TO WEAPONIZE SOMEONE'S GRIEF, TO REVIVE A POLICY DEBATE FOR ONE'S OWN POLITICAL AGENDA. WHEN I VOTED AGAINST SHOTSPOTTER, I VOTED, I DIDN'T VOTE AGAINST PUBLIC SAFETY. I VOTED BASED ON THE FACTS AND THE REALITIES OF THE SYSTEMS THAT WE LIVE IN. SO I'M HERE, I'M GONNA QUICKLY REMIND US OF SOME OF THOSE FACTS. ONE SHOT SPOTTER'S CONTRACT STATES, IT HAS, IT HAS TO USE DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES IN THE 48 HOURS BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE HOLIDAYS OF WHICH INDEPENDENCE DAYS ONE. SO IT'S MORE LIKELY TO BE UNRELIABLE THAN ITS BASELINE UN RELIABILITY. TWO, THERE'S MIXED EVIDENCE ON WHETHER SHOT SPOTTER ACTUALLY IMPROVES RESPONSE TIME FOR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS WITH RESEARCH SAYING THAT WHICH SHOT SPOTTER IT DOES IMPROVE TIME. AND WITH OTHERS SAYING, WITHOUT SHOT SPOTTER, IT IMPROVES TIMES LENDING IT INCONCLUSIVE. THIRD SHOT SPOTTER DOESN'T REDUCE GUN VIOLENCE. WE CAN ALL AGREE ON THAT ONE. FOURTH, THERE'S LOTS OF EVIDENCE, INCLUDING OUR OWN CITIES THAT SHOW THAT SHOT SPOTTER UNRELIABLY CAPTURE SOUNDS LEADING TO MORE FALSE POSITIVES THAN ACTUAL GUNSHOT DETECTION. FIFTH, RESEARCH IN OUR OWN CITY DATA SHOW THAT THERE IS LIMITED EVIDENCE THAT IT LEADS TO MORE ARRESTS OR IMPROVED CLEARANCE RATES. OUR CITY HAS EXPERIENCE WITH THE TECHNOLOGY DURING THE YEAR, SHOTS SPOTTER WAS DEPLOYED, SHOOTING STILL OCCURRED, FAMILIES STILL LOST LOVED ONES IN CASES STILL WENT UNSOLVED. IN FACT, BASED ON THE ANNUAL 2024 REPORT FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FROM THE END OF, FROM THE START OF SHOTSPOTTER, WHICH WAS JULY, 2014 TO THE END OF 2023, AN OVERWHELM, UH, THERE WERE, THERE WERE SEVEN, THERE WERE 10 GUNSHOT RELATED MURDERS IN OUR CITY DURING THAT TIME PERIOD. AND AN OVERWHELMING SEVEN ARE STILL ONGOING. WE HAD SHOT SPOTTER IN ALL OF THOSE YEARS, AND FOR THE TWO THAT PLEADED GUILTY, WE DON'T KNOW IF SHOT SPOTTER HELPED IN THOSE CASES. AND IN THE THIRD, A POLICE OFFICER KILLED FA. SO IN OTHER WORDS, THE EXISTENCE OF THE TECHNOLOGY HAS NEVER GUARANTEED ANY SORT OF ARREST PROSECUTIONS OR JUSTICE. AND IN FACT, THE BATISTA FAMILY HAD SUFFERED A LOSS 12 YEARS AGO ON JUST ABOUT THE SAME DATE. A FEW STREETS DOWN WE HAD SHOT SPOTTER THEN IT WAS AT THE START OF IT. AND THAT CASE IS STILL UNSOLVED TODAY. BUT PUT THE DATE ASIDE FOR A SECOND. THE REALITY IS ON PRINCIPLE, A JUST CITY SHOULD NOT REQUIRE PEOPLE TO SURRENDER PRIVACY IN ORDER TO HAVE SAFETY. AND THAT IS ALLEGED SAFETY. OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS POLICYMAKERS [03:45:01] IS NOT TO GET TRAPPED INTO DECIDING WHICH RIGHT DESERVES GREATER PROTECTION. IT'S TO PURSUE POLICIES THAT SAFEGUARD BOTH RESIDENTS SHOULD NOT BE ASKED TO TRADE AWAY CIVIL LIBERTIES FOR THE PROMISE OF SECURITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE'S NO CLEAR EVIDENCE THAT DOING SO WILL DELIVER THE OUTCOMES THAT THEY HAVE BEEN PROMISED. NOW, DO WE REALLY THINK SHOT SPOTTER IS EFFECTIVE OR ARE WE SO CONVINCED BY THE IDEA THAT ANY SURVEILLANCE AND EVEN WORSE SHOT SPOTTER SPECIFICALLY, IS THE ANSWER TO OUR DEEPEST SYSTEMIC INEQUITIES? I DON'T HOLD ANY HATE IN MY HEART TOWARDS YOU, I HOLD THE PAIN WITH YOU. BUT WHEN YOU TURN A COMMUNITY MEETING INTO A POLITICAL OPPORTUNITY FOR SHOTSPOTTER, WHEN YOU INCITE FEAR IN A PLACE OF VULNERABILITY, I'M, I'M LOST IN THAT CONVERSATION. IT FOR ME SOUNDS, SO WE KEEP IT TO THE POLICY ORDER, THAT'S FINE, BUT I JUST WANNA POINT THAT OUT AND ACKNOWLEDGE IT BECAUSE WE COULDN'T HAVE AN AUTHENTIC CONVERSATION AT THAT COMMUNITY MEETING. I WILL ENTERTAIN CONVERSATIONS ON TECHNOLOGY WHEN AND ONLY WHEN WE HAVE ADEQUATE SUPPORT AND FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT. THEY DESERVE AN HONEST CHANCE TO DO THE WORK SUSTAINABLY. AND THEN I'M WILLING TO ENGAGE ON TECHNOLOGY. SO I'M TRYING TO SHIFT THE CONVERSATION OVER THE DECADES AND DECADES OF WORK IN WHICH WE'VE RETURNED TO SIMPLE SOLUTIONS, AND I'M HAPPY TO ENGAGE WITH THOSE. UM, SO I BELIEVE THAT, HI, HE DESERVES WAY MORE THAN THAT, AND I'M OPEN TO WORKING ON THAT WITH YOU. I DON'T THINK THAT YOU'LL BE, BUT, WELL, I'M HERE AND I WANNA DO THAT WORK AND I'M GONNA BE SHOWING UP WITH YOU, DR. KWAME, SO I'LL YIELD, BUT I WON'T SUPPORT IT. SO COUNSELOR ZUBE YIELDS, WE'LL, GO AHEAD. YES, JUST A JUST A QUICK FOLLOW UP TOO, BECAUSE I ACTUALLY WANNA TRY WRITE THIS. OKAY. COUNSELOR ZUBE EXERCISES HER CHARTER, RIGHT? SO IF COUNSELOR [ That the City Manager is hereby requested to report on progress of the February 2026 report's recommendations, and plans for ensuring appropriate levels of support and staffing for the Community Safety Department, including continued expansion of CSD’s violence prevention program, the number and types of calls handled by the CARE team, and the timeline for more comprehensive staffing for the CARE team emergency response program and is requested to report back to the City Council in a timely manner.] ZABI IS EXERCISING OUR CHARTER, RIGHT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO. AND BECAUSE THE CHARTER RIGHT IS EXERCISED, THIS WILL COME BACK BEFORE US AT THE AUGUST 3RD MEETING. MADAM MAYOR. MADAM MAYOR, YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. IN THE SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION, I'LL TRY TO WRITE THE REST OF THE POLICY ORDERS. SO COUNCILLOR SIMMONS HAS MOVED TO EXERCISE ALL THE POLICY ORDERS THAT WERE BEFORE US. SO WE WILL, WE CANNOT, UM, HAVE ANY BUSINESS ON THOSE PER THE RULES. SO THE ONLY THING THAT'S LEFT FOR TONIGHT FOLKS, IS TO ADJOURN. BUT I SEE A HAND UP BEFORE WE DO THAT, THERE'S A MOTION ON ADJOURNMENT BY VICE MAYOR A I HAD A POINT OF ORDER. COULD WE CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION EVEN IF THERE'S NOT A POLICY ORDER LIKE WE WERE BEFORE? SO PER THE RULES, I, I THINK THE, GOING TO THE SOLICITOR, THE YES CALL HAD BEEN BROAD AND I, I THINK THERE WAS, UM, KIND OF A VAGUE MENTION OF COUNCIL DISCUSSION FOLLOWING STAFF UPDATES, INCLUDING DISCUSSION, THE EUNICE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVES. BUT I THINK BECAUSE ALL OF IT WILL, IF IT RELATES BACK TO THE POS, THAT'S NOT GERMANE. SO THE SOLICITOR, UH, THANK YOU TO MADAM MAYOR. I, I AGREE, UM, THAT THE AGENDA INCLUDES COUNCIL DISCUSSION ON THIS BROAD TOPIC THAT INCLUDES DISCUSSION ABOUT TECHNOLOGY, UM, BUT IT COULDN'T BE ABOUT WHAT THE POLICY ORDER IS ASKING VICE MAYOR, COULD I MAKE A COMMENT? I JUST HAD SOMETHING I WANTED TO COME BACK TO FROM YES, GO AHEAD. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY, I THINK THAT LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, I REALLY JUST HAVE LIKE A PROFOUND DIFFERENCE OF OPINION. LIKE THERE WAS JUST RECENTLY, UM, A DEATH ON ON IN BOSTON STREETS AND EVERYONE GATHERED AROUND CITY HALL AND SAID LIKE, HEY, THIS IS A MOMENT WHERE WE WANNA REVI, UH, REPRIORITIZE SAFE STREETS IN OUR CITY. AND I THINK THAT IT IS FAIR AND TO DO THE SAME HERE. AND THESE MOMENTS ARE GALVANIZING MOMENTS, AND I HATE THAT THIS IS HOW POLITICS WORKS, BUT, UH, PEOPLE DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO ISSUES THAT MATTER UNTIL THERE IS AN EVENT OF LOSS SO OFTEN, BECAUSE THAT ENDS UP BEING A MOMENT OF, LIKE, THIS, OUT OF ALL OF OUR PRIORITIES SHOULD BECOME A PRIORITY IN THIS MOMENT. AND I WILL JUST SAY THAT LIKE I, I VOTED PRESENT LAST TIME AND A LOT OF THE CONVERSATION HAS BEEN BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE ACTUALLY I, I STICK WITH WHAT I SAID LAST TIME, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT THE, YOU KNOW, PARTICULAR TECHNOLOGY IS THE BEST TECHNOLOGY THAT THERE ARE OTHER SOLUTIONS OUT THERE AND WE CAN HAVE THAT CONVERSATION NEXT WEEK. BUT I WILL SAY THAT LIKE IT IS VALUABLE TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION BECAUSE WHENEVER I HAVE BROUGHT UP CONVERSATIONS ABOUT LIKE, OH, COULD WE DO THIS OR THAT, I HAVE FELT THAT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH WILL ON THE CITY COUNCIL TO DO SO. AND I HOPE THIS MOMENT THAT WE CAN HAVE NOT JUST A CONVERSATION ABOUT LIKE, THIS IS A VOTE THAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST, LET'S RE-LITIGATE IT. BUT ALSO IF WE WERE JUST GOING TO PRIORITIZE SAFETY, WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS ON THE TABLE THAT PERHAPS THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH COMMUNITY BUY-IN. THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH OF A GALVANIZING MOVEMENT [03:50:01] TO TALK ABOUT. AND I DO THINK THAT THERE ARE OTHER SOLUTIONS THAT WORK THE LOOK AS WELL. THANK YOU. IF COUNCILOR MCGOVERN AND THEN COUNCILLOR EY, AGAIN, WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THE MOTION TO ADJOURN, PLEASE DON'T SPEAK TO THE POLICY ORDERS. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. UM, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP OVER THIS MONTH ESPECIALLY, UM, WITH ALL THIS. 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN GETTING INUNDATED AND I, I, I APPRECIATE YOU. UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE BEEN AROUND POLITICS FOR A LONG TIME AND I KNOW THAT WE ARE, UH, A POLITICAL BODY. UM, BUT REALLY MY, MY PLEA, UM, TO ALL OF US, THOSE WHO SUPPORT SHOT SPOTTER AND THOSE WHO DON'T REALLY IS AROUND SORT OF LET'S NOT POLITICIZE THIS ISSUE AND DRIVE EACH OTHER INTO CORNERS. THE CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE WHO, UH, WHO OPPOSE SHOT SPOTTER ARE REAL, THEY'RE VALID, THEY'RE IMPORTANT. THEY DESERVE TO BE TALKED ABOUT AND ADDRESSED. SIMILARLY, THE CONCERNS OF THE FOLKS WHO FEEL THAT SHOT SPOTTER IS A BENEFIT TO THEIR COMMUNITY ARE REAL IMPORTANT AND DESERVE TO BE ADDRESSED. AND WHEN WE TURN THIS INTO WHO CAN TURN OUT MORE PEOPLE OR WHO CAN GET MORE SIGNATURES ON A PETITION, WE STOP LISTENING AND JUST LOOK AT US TONIGHT. THE NINE OF US. WE ARE ALL PA THESE, WE ARE ALL GOOD PEOPLE WHO, SMART PEOPLE WHO FEEL PASSIONATELY. AND WHEN I LISTEN TO ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES TALK ABOUT HOW AWFUL SHOTSPOTTER IS, I'M LIKE, YEAH, I AGREE. AND THEN I HEAR SOMEONE TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT OF NOT HAVING SHOT SPOTTER. AND, AND, AND I'M LIKE, YEAH, I AGREE. THIS IS COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT AND I JUST HOPE, YOU KNOW, I CAN ANTICIPATE NOW THE EMAILS THAT ARE GONNA BE, OH, YOU FLIPPED YOUR VOTE OR YOU DIDN'T DO THIS, YOU CAN WE NOT DO THAT? BECAUSE THIS ISN'T ABOUT PUTTING POLITICAL PRESSURE ON US. THIS IS ABOUT HAVING A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION WITH A REALLY SERIOUS AND IMPORTANT ISSUE AND NOT POLITICIZING IT WHEREVER WE STAND. RIGHT? AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AND I, I AGREE WITH, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING AT THE COMMUNITY MEETING. YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T WANT TO MAKE IT ABOUT POLITICS. I DIDN'T WANNA MAKE IT ABOUT MY POSITION BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE WERE REALLY HURT AND GRIEVING. AND WE'VE GOTTA JUST CREATE MORE SPACE TO HEAR EACH OTHER AND LISTEN TO EACH OTHER AND APPRECIATE EACH OTHER'S DIFFERENCES OF OPINION. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IF WE HAVE THESE COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND WE REALLY TALK ABOUT THE EVIDENCE AROUND SHOT SPOTTER AND HOW IT IS NOT EFFECTIVE, ALSO RECOVERING, I THINK NOT IT'S THE POLICY ORDER. IT'S POLICY ORDER. IT IS THE POLICY ORDER. I, I, OKAY. I WOULD MOVE ON PLEASE. . I THINK THAT HAVING COMMUN HAVING CONVERSATIONS, I THINK PEOPLE WE CAN UNDER PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND IT BETTER AND MAYBE WE CAN REACH SOME SORT OF RESOLUTION. SO I JUST, I JUST HOPE WE, WE CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER AND NOT DRIVE WEDGES BETWEEN EACH OTHER, WHICH WE OFTEN DO. COUNCILOR ZI, I'LL, I'LL BE SHORT. I, I REALIZE THAT AUGUST 3RD IS COMING UP REALLY QUICKLY, BUT I, I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY CONVENIENT AND APPROPRIATE IF THE CITY WITH ITS OUTREACH WORKERS REACHED OUT TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE MORE VIOLENCE BETWEEN NOW AND THEN AND, AND, AND TALKED WITH THEM, UH, ABOUT SHOT SPOTTER AND FEELING SAFE AND WHAT WOULD MAKE THEM FEEL MORE SAFE. BECAUSE I, I FEEL AS THOUGH WE'RE MAKING THIS DECISION IN THE ABSENCE OF HEARING FROM THE MOST SIGNIFICANT USERS THAT THE MOST, THE PEOPLE THAT, UM, UH, THAT ARE MOST IMPACTED, UH, AND, AND ARE NOT FEELING SAFE. SO IF THERE IS ANY WAY DURING THIS PERIOD THAT THE CITY COULD DO THAT OUTREACH, IT WOULD INFORM THE CONVERSATION ON AUGUST 3RD. AND I THINK IT COULD MAKE, I THINK IT WOULD HELP US TO COME TO AN UNDERSTANDING AND TO A DECISION. THANK YOU. I YIELD SABRINA WHEELER AND COUNCILOR NOLAN. THANKS. NO, I, UM, ACTUALLY, I THINK THE QUESTION ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND DOING MORE OUTREACH TO COMMUNITIES AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW WE DEFINE IMPACTED COMMUNITY AND WHICH PEOPLE OF COLOR WE'RE LISTENING TO AND WHICH PEOPLE OF COLOR WE'RE NOT, IS A, IS A REALLY IMPORTANT ONE HERE, BUT THAT OUTREACH I THINK IS, IS IMPORTANT. AND I, I HOPE IF THE CITY WERE TO DO THAT OUTREACH, THEY WOULD ALSO INCLUDE, UH, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU THINK OF THE COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT? DO YOU WANT MORE VIOLENCE PREVENTION EFFORTS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, MENTAL HEALTHCARE SERVICES ALONGSIDE SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGIES? AND SEE WHAT PEOPLE WANT? DO THEY WANT MORE SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY? DO THEY WANT MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING? DO THEY WANT MORE VIOLENCE PREVENTION EFFORTS? [03:55:01] I WOULD BE REALLY INTERESTED TO SEE THOSE RESULTS. IF IT WERE JUST ABOUT ONE THING THAT'S MAYBE LESS HELPFUL, BUT YOU TALK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE BROADER ASPECTS AND, AND THE OTHER PARTS THAT WERE PART OF THE MEETING TONIGHT, THAT WOULD BE REALLY INTERESTING TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AROUND THE GO BACK, COUNCILLOR NOLAN. THANKS. AND NOT TO ADDRESS THE SPECIFICS, BUT THE OVERALL QUESTION, I AGREE. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE IN THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE THAT WE ROLE MODEL AN ABILITY TO TALK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY WRIT LARGE IN A WAY THAT INCLUDES EVERYBODY'S EXPERIENCE. I MEAN, WE OFTEN IN VARIOUS ELEMENTS TALK ABOUT A TALE OF TWO CITIES. IT'S PROBABLY A TALE OF 16 OR 17 CITIES. BUT SO OFTEN, AND IN THIS AREA TOO, THERE ARE PARTS OF THE CITY WHERE PEOPLE NEVER ONCE EVER THINK ABOUT WAKING UP TO GUN VIOLENCE. AND THERE'S OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY WHERE IT'S AN EVER PRESENT IN THEIR MIND THAT IT COULD HAPPEN AT ANY MOMENT. AND WE HAVE TO LIVE WITH THAT. AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS. UM, BUT I, I, I RECOGNIZE THAT SINCE THE, THE COUNCIL DISCUSSION IS ON OVERALL PUBLIC SAFETY, EVERYTHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER TODAY WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS IS ABOUT THE PROGRAMS WE WANT AND HOPE WILL MOVE US FORWARD. AND YET, STARTING WITH ALL OF THE WORK THAT THE CITY DOES, WE ALL START TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF, OF PAIN AND FEAR AND PEOPLE IN THIS CITY LIVING A VERY DIFFERENT LIFE. I MEAN, HOW MANY, I I COULD ASK MY KIDS, THEY GREW UP HERE, YOU KNOW, DID THEY EVER SEE A GUN? DID THEY EVER GO TO A HOUSE WITH A GUN? AND I TELL YOU, THERE'S A LOTS OF KIDS IN THE CITY FOR WHOM THAT ANSWER IS, IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN, UH, THAN OTHER KIDS IN THE CITY. SO THE, THE MORE THAT WE CAN HOLD THAT AND UNDERSTAND AS, UH, I THINK ALL OF US HAVE PLEDGED TO DO NO MATTER WHAT, NO MATTER WHERE YOU COME DOWN, YOU'RE DOING IT WITH THE BEST THOUGHT OF WHAT COULD BE THE MOST AND SAFEST WAY FOR THE CITY TO MOVE FORWARD. AND, AND I WILL CERTAINLY HONOR THAT IN EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM, BUT ALSO EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE MAY END UP IN DIFFERENT PLACES OF HOW TO ADDRESS IT, BUT I TOTALLY HONOR THAT IT'S, WE'RE ALL HAVING THE SAME GOAL IN MIND. HAS EVERYONE WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK SPOKEN SO ON A MOTION BY VICE MAYOR AZI? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR TO ADJOURN? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. WE ARE ADJOURNED. GOODNIGHT EVERYONE. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.