Public Safety

What is being done about fentanyl and the opioid epidemic in Cambridge? What is being done to help the unhoused? What is being done about the five-year increase in violent crime by 52%? How are we improving safety for the most vulnerable in our community? It is time for a strategic path forward to reduce harm and empower our community. To prioritize public safety, a collaborative approach is paramount.

While the immediate association with public safety often revolves around police and fire services, the concept extends far beyond these aspects. This calls for strong leadership that nurtures collaboration and leverages experience to effectively achieve our dual goals: safeguarding the community and supporting its most vulnerable members.

To truly put public safety at the forefront, collaboration becomes essential. We need to foster close partnerships between multiple agencies, local advocacy groups, stakeholders, religious organizations, and first responders. It's through these joint endeavors that we can establish an approach to preserving public safety that is more effective and comprehensive.

In this endeavor, we must address a spectrum of critical issues that significantly impact public safety. These include extending support for mental health, addressing homelessness, combating substance abuse (with a particular focus on the alarming rise in fentanyl overdoses), managing environmental and hazardous material concerns (as demonstrated by the situation at Jerry's Pond), and safeguarding public health. All these components should be seamlessly woven into a comprehensive strategy for public safety. Moreover, we must be equipped to manage potential catastrophic events that could severely disrupt the city, such as acts of terrorism or cyber ransomware attacks. Ensuring that our frontline workers have the necessary tools and resources is equally indispensable.

As a candidate, I'm also deeply troubled by the recent and alarming uptick in violent crime. The lack of action from the Council in convening committee hearings to address this surge is concerning, as it directly affects our community. The BridgeStat report from the Cambridge Police Department underscores this rise in violent crime within our city, and the most recent report in July 2023 illustrates a five-year change with rapes increasing by 94%, robbery increasing by 67%, and aggravated assaults increasing by 41%. This threat to public safety does little to make Cambridge, the city we call home, a safer place to live, play, work, or raise a family. I will remain committed to ensuring that we have robust strategies focused on preventing crime, which includes mental health treatment, support for the unhoused, adopting crime prevention through environmental design, enhancing awareness, and implementing proactive measures. By taking these steps, we can contribute to creating a safer environment that benefits all residents.