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michael_scarn_21 t1_j20aw6a wrote

Reply to comment by Yak_Rodeo in Globe Editorial Board: Boston police union needs to accept new realities of policing by GlobeOpinion

The residency requirement is arbitrary and the invested argument doesn't work unless it's a tiny city. When I lived in Dorchester I felt invested in Cambridge because I worked there and Somerville because I spent a lot of time there. Places like West Roxbury and Charlestown whilst in the same city might as well have been on another planet and i had no idea and honestly little interest in the issues they faced.

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Yak_Rodeo t1_j20dinz wrote

i dont think thats a great comparison, we dont treat police like other jobs for good reason, having a “reserve” of police in the city to get to work quickly in the event of a major event is a practical reason for requiring city residency

plus most police officers in the city are from here and went to school here and it helps humanize the police to the community and vice versa. seeing off duty cops at their kids sports events, involved in the community outside of work and so on is an important part of not creating an us vs them culture

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Dontleave t1_j21gwgq wrote

I don’t know anything about their contract but are they even allowed to be called in off duty at short notice? I know there’s mandatory overtime but I believe they are either already at work or given 8 hours notice. Unless there’s something in the contract which again I have no knowledge about that says they can be called into work at any notice then the first point isn’t really applicable to someone who lives in Revere vs Charlestown.

I do agree with your second point that there is a community benefit to seeing police officers shopping at the same stores you do off duty but obviously there is a major recruiting issue so perhaps something like giving them a year to move in plus 5 additional years of residency required once you move in would help.

They could also look at covering moving costs for new officers from outside of the city as they aren’t getting enough from inside the city already.

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Massui91 t1_j20kbyp wrote

Lol how are people downvoting this comment?

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Yak_Rodeo t1_j20kzuh wrote

im confused too, a lot of the rhetoric around police reform in 2020 was trying to bring the police closer to the community they serve and not being an occupying force

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2old4badbeer t1_j215t4x wrote

What’s your stance on police living in an extreme affluent town? There are plenty of towns that have average home sales over a million. There’s no way the average entry level cop can afford that.

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