Mayor Wu weighs in on Boston’s growing crime problem

ED: GOOD MORNING. IT’S SUNDAY, MAY 15. BOSTON MAYOR MICHELLE WU IS OUR GUEST. LET’S GO “ON THE RECORD.” A FRESH ADMINISTRATION, FACING CHALLENGES NEW AND OLD. THE CITY’S TRAILBLAZING MORAY HAS BEEN TESTED IN HER FIRST MONTHS IN OFFICE. THIS MORNING, WE GET A PROGRESS REPORT. LET’S GO “ON THE RECORD.” ♪ ANNOUNCER: THE INSIDE WORD FROM WASHINGTON AND HILL. GOING ON THE RECORD. ED: WELCOME TO “OTR.” I’M ED HARDING, ALONG WITH NEWSCENTER 5 POLITICAL REPORTER JANET WU. WE’RE PLEASED TO HAVE BOSTON MAYOR MICHELLE WU WITH US THIS MORNING. SHE IS A DEMOCRAT. THE FIRST WOMAN TO BE ELECTED MAYOR OF BOSTON, OFFICIALLY TAKING OFFICE LAST NOVEMBER. SHE PREVIOUSLY SERVED ON THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL. A RESIDENT OF ROSLINDALE. SHE IS A GRADUATE OF HARVARD UNIVERSITY AND HARVARD LAW SCOL.HO IT IS GOING TO HAVE YOUIT WH US. FORGIVE THE QUESTION OFF THE TOP, NOW THAT YOU HAVE THE JOB, DO YOU LIKE IT? MAYOR WU: I LOVE THE JOB. JAT:NE IT IS WONDERFUL TO HAVE YOU. I HATE TO BRING UP SOME TOUGH ISSUES ON THIS GORGEOUS WEEKEND, BUT THE FIRST ONE IS TOUGH. VIOLENT CRIME, IT IS A GROWING PROBLEM IN BOSTON, INCLUDING YOUNGECHR ILDRENS A PERPETRATORS. WHAT’S YOUR ANSWER? WHAT IS YOUR SOLUTION WTOHAT IS GOING ON? MAYOR WU: WE ARE A CITY THAT HAS BEEN BLEEDSS AND FORTUNATE AFTER HARD WORK OVER MANY DECESAD TO BE IN A DIFFERENT TRENDLINE THAN OTHER MAJOR CITIES. PUBLIC SAFETY INCIDENTS ARE RISING ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN BOSTON HAS BEEN ON THE OPPOSITE TRACK IN THE DATA OVER ALL. THAT IS T NOTO SAY THERE IS NO EXCUSE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IN EVERY SINGLE CORNER OF THE CITY, THERE IS A BASELINOFE SAFETY. OVERALL, THE NUMBERS LOOK LIKE THEY HAVE BEEN. LAST YEAR WAS A HISTORIC LOW IN THE PANDEMIC. WE WANT TO PROVIDE THE PROGRAMMING, RESEARCH IN COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS TO KEEP THAT GOING. WE KNOW THAT IS WHAT WORKS. AND FRANKLY OUCIR TY HAS BEEN A LEADER AND HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS DRIVE OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND HEALTH. JA T: BUT WHEN YOU SEE CHILDREN AS PERPETRATORS, THAT MOST WOYRR YOU. IS THERE A STRATEGY THAT NEEDS TO BE PUT IN PLACE TO PREVENT SO METHING LIKE THAT FROM BECOMING A GROWING PROBLEM IN THE CITY? JENNIFER: YOU CAN VISIT — MAYOR WU: YOU CAN VISIT ANY SCHOOL IN BOSNTO AND AT THE SCHOOL NURSE WILL TELL YOU THAT THE FREQUENCY AND DEPTH OF NEED WHEN IT COMES TO MENTAL HEALTH HAS BEEN DEEPENED DURING THE PANDEMIC. THE WAIT LISTS ARE LONG. WE ARE COMING AT IT FROM ALL DIFFERENT ANGLES. THERE NEEDS TO BE ACCOUNTABILITY FROM THE ADULTS AND THE YOUNG PEOPLE’S LIVES. IN RECENT SITUATIONS THAT HAS BEEN A FAMILY BY FAMILY STRATEGY, WHERE AGENCIES LIKE DCF, THE CITY OF BOSTON AND OTHERS AT THE STATE LEVEL HAVE WRAPPED AROUND AND TAKEN ACTION TO GET THE RESOURCES THERE. BUT TO GET AT THE ROOT CAUSES, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE ALL YOUNG PEOPLEND A THEIR FAMILIES HAVE SUPPORT THEY NEED. ED: THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT IS STILL WITHOUT A PERMANENT COMMISSIONER. HOW MUCH LONGER? IS THAT IT CONTRIBUTED TO WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE CITY, DO YOU THINK? THE YOUNGER PEOPLE ACTING VIOLENTLY, AS JANET MENTIONED. MAYOR WU: IT IS NOT A COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER LONG HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE PARTNER. AND THE KNOWS THE DEPARTMENT INSIDE AND OUT. WE ARE IN DAILY COMMUNICATION AND WE FEEL LIKE ALL THE PIECES ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. WE ARE ACTUALLY,HE T APPLICATIONS JUST CLOSED FOR THE POLICE COMMISSIONER AND A SUPERINTENDENT THIS WEEK AND, SO WE ARE LOOKING TOWARDS VETTI,NG INTERVIEWING AND MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS. JANET: WILL WE HAVE A NEW RMPEANENT PLICE COMMISSIONER BEFORE THE SUMMER GETS UNDERWAY? MAYOR WU: THAT IS THE GOAL. THE TIMELINE WAS TO WRAP UP BOTH BY JUNE. WE ARE STILL ON TRACK FOR THAT. :ED COMPLETE THAT CIRCLE, THE SUPERINTENDENT BEFORE THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTS? MAYOR :WU BOTH ARE ON THE SAME TIMELINE. :ED I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE FORMER BOSTON POLICE OFFICER AND UNION HEAD PATRICK ROSE RECENTLY , WHO WAS SENTENCED FOR RAPING SIX CHILDREN OVER A QUARTER OF A CENTURY. THE FULL 103-PE AGREPORT ON WHAT HAPPENED, WHO KNEW WHAT, WHEN, NEVER RELEASED BY EITHER MAYORS JANEY OR WALSH. WILL YOU RELEASE IT? MAYOR :WU BASIC TRANSPARENCY IS A KEY FUNCTION TO EVEN KNOW WHERE THE ISSUES ARE, AND FOR EREVY INSTANCE OF THAT BECOMES IDENTIFIED IN THE MEDIA, MY QUESTION IAS WHAT DO WE NOT KNOW DEEPER IN THE SYSTEM AND HOW DO WE ENSURE PROTOCOLS ROACSS THE SYSTEM ARE THERE SO WE ARE NOT CSIHANG AFT TERHINGS THAT COME TO LIGHT BUT PREVENT THEM TO BEGIN WITH. OUR OFFICE OF POLICE ACUNCOTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY HAS JUST GOTTEN STOOD UP ISTH YEAR. WE HAVE A FULL BOARD ON THE CIVILIANEV RIEW BODAR SIDE, ON THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS ACCOUNTABILITY SE,ID SO ARE DIRECTOR STEPHANIE EVERETT HAS BEEN LEADING THOSE, THOSE ENTITIES TO GET TRAINED AND IT SAT AND START TAKING CASES. THEY WILLE B OUT IN FULL FORCE THIS SUMMER AND THERE ARE MANY OUTREACH PROJECTS PLANNED, SO ON CE RESIDENTS KNOW HOW TO REACH OUT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE ON TH ESE ISSUES. JANET: HAVE YOU READ THE 103 PAGE REPORT? MAYOR WU: I HAVE NOT SEEN THE LARGER REPORT, JUST THE REJECTED REPORT. JANET: WILL YOU LOOK AT IT UNREDACTED? MAYOR WU: I HAVE LEARNED THAT IN MANY OF THESE INSTANCES THERE ARE SPECIFIC RULES ABOUT WHO CAN READ WHICH VERSIONS OF THE REDAEDCTEP RORTS. JANET: BUT YOU ARE THE MAYOR? MAYOR WU: EVEN REVIEW BOARD MEMBERS HAVE HAD TO GET CERTAIN QUALIFICATIONS. I’M HAPPY TO DIG INTO ANY OF THE DOCUMENTS. ED: BUT WILL YOU RELEASET? I JANET: PUBLICLY? MAYOR WU: I WILL ENSURE THAT OUR OFFICE OF POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY TAKES THIS ON, ALONG WITH OTHER ISSUES, AND MAKES A WRECK OF ADDITION FOR HOW TO MOVE FORWARD. JAT:NE FOUR NORTHND E RESTAURANT OWNERS ARE SUING YOU FOR THE $7500 FEE YOU’RE CHARGING FOR OUTDOOR DINING PERMITS. YET, NEARLY 90% OF LAST YEAR’S PERMIT OWNERS INHA TT NEIGHBORHOOD ARE PAYING THE FEE. SO THAT THEYAN C SERVE CLIENTS OR THEIR PATRONS OUTSIDE. IS THERE MORE AT PLAY HERE THAN JUST DINING PERMITS? MAYOR :WU WE HAVE DONE A COUPLE WALK-THROUGHS ALREADY OF THE NORTH END DINING SCENE. I WAS THEREES YTERDAY, SURVEYING THE LINES, HOW THE SPACES LOOK. IT LOOKS GRE.AT AND THIS WEEKEND WHEN THE WEATHER IS NICER, THE RESTAURANT OWNERS ARE TELLING ME THEY ARE EXCITED FOR WHAT IT WILL MEAN FOR THE RECOVERY. EACH OF THE RESTAUNT OWNERS INVOLVED HERE ALREADY ARE OPERATG.IN THEY HAVE PAID THE FEE, THEY ARE PARTF ETH O PROGRAM, AND AT THIS IS A LONG ROAD TO GET HERE. WE HAD MONTHS OF PUBLIC CONVERSATIONS WITH RESTAURANT OWNERS AND RESIDENTS, AND THIS IS AEI NGHBORHD OOUNLIKE ANY OTRHE IN TERMS OF DENSITY WITH EVERYBODY CLOSE TOGETHER AND MORE RESTAURANTS PER CAPITA TNHA ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE STATE. THIS IS HOW WE MAKE IT WORK IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. JANET: DO YOU THINK THERE IS MORE AT PYLA THAN JUST THAT OUTDOOR DINING PERMITS, IS THERE AN OTHER TIMOVATION INVOLVED? MAYOR WU: RESTAURANTS HAVE GONE THROUGH A T.LO SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED SO MUCH IN THE PANDEMIC AND WE ARE LIVING IN A WORLD WHERE I THINKHA TT WE ARE STILL TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER THE PIECES OF THE PANDEMIC. WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO SUPPORT OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, MAKE SURE WE CAN OFFER OUTDOOR DINGNI IN A WAY THAT WORKS FOR EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD. IT WILL TAKE TIME. I KNOW PEOPLE ARE STILL LOOKING TO GET BACK UP ON THEIR FEET. AND WE ARE TRYING TO HELP WITH THAT TRANSITION. JANET: BUT YOU ARE CONFIDENT YOU ARE GOING TO WIN ETH LAWSUITS? MAYOR WU: THIS IS A PERMIT THAT IS DCRISETIONARY FROM THE CITY. THERE IS NO GUARANTEED RIGHT FOR ANYONE TBEO ABLE TO TAKE OVER THE STREET AND PUT ANYTHING THEY WANTUT O THERE. THAT IS A FUNCTION OF GOVERNMENT. SO, WE ARE LOOKING TO USE OUR PUBLIC SPACE, INCLUDING STREETS AND SIDEWALKS, IN AAY W THAT SUPPORTS A SMALL BUSINESSES, BRINGS PEOPLE OUT, ENJOY THE BEAUTY OTHEF NEIGHBORHOODS, SO WE FEEL GOOD. ED: LET’S TALKBO AUT THE WORLD WE LIVE IN NOW. U.S. SUPREME COURT JUDGES ARE NOW GETTING A TASTE OF WHAT YOU’VE BEEN FACING SINCE YOU OKTO OFFICE, PROTESTORS AT YOUR HOME. PRESOTRSTE ARE AT THE JUSTICES HOMES. DO YOU HAVE ISSUE WITH THOSE PROTESTORS OUTRAGED WITH THE EXPECTED RULING REVERSING ROE AND CASEY? DO YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE PROTESTERS? MAYOR WU: I THINK THAT LIKE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS, I AM CURIOUS ABOUT WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW. THERE IS A CHAENC THAT — MY PERSONAL DECISIONS ABOUT MY BODY AND THAT THE WORLD MY KIDS AND THEIR PRS WILL EXPERIENCE COULD BE IN FACT GOING BACKWARDS FROM WHAT MY PARENTS AND MY GRANDPARENTS HAD IN FRONT OF THEM. THAT IS A TERRIFYING THOUGHT. SO, PEOPLE ARE DESERVEDLY JUSTIFIABLY ANGRY. AND IT SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT OUR SYSTEM AND OUR COUNTRY RIGHT NOW, WHERE SO MANY FROM ALL DIFFERENT SIDES FEEL LIKE THE BEST WAY IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CHALLENGING EVERY T BIOF IT. IN BOSTON, WE HAVE PUT REASONABLE PROTECTNSIO FOR QUALITY OF LIFE FOR NEIGHBORS WHO E,AR UM, LIVING IN THEIR PRIVATE HOMES. SO WE HAVE A 9:00 UNTIL 9:00 RESTRICTION ON TARGETED RESINTIALDE PICKETING AT SOMEBODY’S HOME. IT HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE. ED: SHOULD THEY PROTEST AT THE JUSTICES’ HOMES? DO THEY HAVE THE RIG?HT MAYOR WU: HAVING EXPERIENCED A RFPEORMANCE OF PEOPLE BEING OUTSIDE MY HOME — HAVING EXPERIENDCE FOUR MONTHS OF PEOPLE BEING OUTSIDE MY HOME, IT DID NOT AFFECT WHAT I DO. SOME FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. IN THIS CASE, WE HAVE A FRINGE GRPOU OF UNELECTED INDIVIDUALS ABOUT TO OVERTURN FIVE DECADES OF SETTLED LAW THAT THE MAJORITY OF THIS COUNTRY BELIEVES SHOULD STAY IN PLACE. SO, WE

OTR: Boston Mayor Michelle Wu weighs in on growing crime problem, including violent juveniles

Updated: 1:16 PM EDT May 15, 2022

The mayor of Boston also discusses the ongoing search for a new police commissioner and the sentencing of Patrick Rose, a former police officer.

BOSTON —

The mayor of Boston also discusses the ongoing search for a new police commissioner and the sentencing of Patrick Rose, a former police officer.