Letter – Mike Ross on Police Patrols in Victory Gardens

Fenway phragmites.
Image from www.pinebank.org

The following letter from City Council President Mike Ross is also posted at Bay Windows.

Over the last few weeks, a serious issue has come up in a part of the community I represent: increased police patrols in the Fenway Victory Gardens. It has not been an easy issue. It has a direct impact on public safety and public comfort in using a public park, but has raised fears in the GLBT community of civil rights violations and police targeting of the gay community.

I want to be clear that nothing could be more important than protecting the rights of a group that in the past has been targeted for discrimination. The clearing of the tall reeds, or phragmities, and the increased police patrols around the Fenway Gardens is not so much a civil rights issue as it is an issue that goes to the core of what makes Boston vibrant, attractive, and accessible to all. Community gardens are important gems within a neighborhood, attracting positive outdoor activity within an urban environment and encouraging families both gay and straight to enjoy our green spaces. Residents feel unsafe in their own gardens. They have found condoms, needles, and garbage, and are afraid to bring their children to the Fens. Residents have a legitimate complaint.

The phragmities in the Fenway Victory Gardens are a part of Boston’s history. They date back to World War II. These naturally-occurring weeds have presented public safety challenges over the years, growing so thick at times that the police have been hesitant to drive in parts of the Gardens and presenting a fire risk to the community as well. The long history of the reeds will end in a couple of years, when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers enters the construction phase of its Muddy River restoration project, which will remove the phragmities from the Fenway.

I want the Victory Gardens to be a place for all Bostonians to enjoy. I have worked closely with the Boston Police Department to increase the police presence in the Victory Gardens to prevent vandalism and drug activity that have plagued this area. However, I am mindful of the need to move forward cautiously as this area has been important to the GLBT community. The Boston Police Department had the wisdom to include their GLBT liaisons in meetings to ensure that the gay community would not be targeted by officers, to ensure that officers on the scene acted appropriately and with proper consideration for everyone’s rights, and to ensure that their efforts are focused solely on preventing crime and improving public safety.

The easy thing would be to do nothing, which has been the policy for many years. To be sure, there was a time in Boston’s history when members of the GLBT community were ostracized from licensed premises and they were literally driven to outdoor spaces like the Victory Gardens to evade discrimination. Boston has changed dramatically since then. It was the first capital city in America to allow same-sex marriages and is known for its vibrant gay scene. The annual Boston Pride Parade is attended by families and individuals of all sexual preferences, celebrating the importance of the GLBT community in our city. Our Mayor and my colleagues on the City Council are unanimous in their support of gay marriage, transgender rights, and improving the accessibility of services that may be helpful for the GLBT community.

The Boston Police Department is working to police the area to prevent crime that hurts the Fenway community—not profile those who may utilize the Victory Gardens as a meeting place. I’ve been pleased by the Police Department’s ability to recognize the difference between regulating behavior and preventing crime, which is illustrated by the fact that no one has been arrested for public sex after patrols were increased. I am sure that there are those who do feel targeted inappropriately, and I urge them to come forward, talk with the police, talk with me, as we want to be sure that we can make these improvements without violating anyone’s rights. This is a space that has been important to many people for many reasons, and we need to treat all of them with the respect they deserve while making the Back Bay Fens safer.