Framingham Police Department: Downtown Crime

Framingham residents seek solution to downtown crime August 29, 2018

Zane Razzaq 508-626-3919 Metrowest Daily News

About 40 Framingham residents and business owners told police that ongoing issues such as loitering and public intoxication are negatively effecting their quality of life and business.
FRAMINGHAM - Residents and business owners raised concerns during a meeting Wednesday morning about crime and public safety in the downtown area along Irving and Hollis streets, urging the city, Police Department and South Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC) to do more to control the problems.
About 40 residents and business owners said that ongoing issues such as loitering and public intoxication are negatively affecting their quality of life and businesses in that area. The meeting was held at the Blumer Room in the Memorial Building and hosted by Framingham police. Lt. Harry Wareham led the discussion and later took questions from the crowd.
"Enforcement action alone is not going to solve this problem," said Wareham, who is commander of the Police Department's traffic and safety division. "We aren't going to arrest our way out of this."
Wareham noted that the problem is largely a public health issue, with substance and alcohol abuse often the underlying reasons. He drew attention to Framingham launching the first Pre-Arrest Co-Responder Jail Diversion Program (JDP) with Advocates in 2003. The program pairs officers with masters-level clinicians who accompany them during calls involving mental health or substance-related crisis. Since its start, the model has been replicated in Marlborough, Watertown and Natick, and is offered on a regional basis in Ashland, Sudbury, Hudson, Holliston and Hopkinton.
Wareham explained some misconceptions, such as public intoxication not being a crime in Massachusetts, and a police officer needing to witness someone drunk in public in order to arrest them. He highlighted one "hot spot" of activity as Framingham One Stop Market on Irving Street, which had 277 calls for service last year, including assault, disturbance and inebriation.
"As a police department, we'd obviously like to get that under control. It draws from our limited resources," said Wareham.
Landlord Robert Forbes rents out store space on Hollis Street and said some of his tenants feel unsafe.

"A couple of my tenants have to keep my doors locked because of the problem," Forbes said. "They're intimidated with the illegal activity going on, with the panhandling and the aggressiveness. We need to find a solution for where these people can be provided an outlet that is not suffering downtown."
Many attendees said park benches downtown exacerbate the problem and make loitering more likely. Acting Police Chief Steven Trask said he would look into where the benches came from and if the city could remove them.
Another issue the group examined was whether a space for the homeless could be created. Some envisioned a social club where homeless people could go to learn job skills, receive meals, and help with housing. Courtney Thraen, executive director of Downtown Framingham, said a city commission that publicly met might be helpful.
Mayor Yvonne Spicer told the group that the issues will "not be solved overnight ... and not be solved alone." Like the residents who spoke, she said she was also "troubled that we do not have a place for people to be, to learn those job skills, to actually have a leg up."
"No one wants to be homeless ... it starts with humanity," said Spicer.
Trask said he and other police officials made note of all suggestions. He said the department plans on holding a similar meeting sometime in September at a later hour to allow for more residents to attend.

Framingham residents seek solution to downtown crime	August 29, 2018
Zane Razzaq 508-626-3919	Metrowest Daily News
About 40 Framingham residents and business owners told police that ongoing issues such as loitering and public intoxication are negatively effecting their quality of life and business. FRAMINGHAM - Residents and business owners raised concerns during a meeting Wednesday morning about crime and public safety in the downtown area along Irving and Hollis streets, urging the city, Police Department and South Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC) to do more to control the problems. About 40 residents and business owners said that ongoing issues such as loitering and public intoxication are negatively affecting their quality of life and businesses in that area. The meeting was held at the Blumer Room in the Memorial Building and hosted by Framingham police. Lt. Harry Wareham led the discussion and later took questions from the crowd. "Enforcement action alone is not going to solve this problem," said Wareham, who is commander of the Police Department's traffic and safety division. "We aren't going to arrest our way out of this." Wareham noted that the problem is largely a public health issue, with substance and alcohol abuse often the underlying reasons. He drew attention to Framingham launching the first Pre-Arrest Co-Responder Jail Diversion Program (JDP) with Advocates in 2003. The program pairs officers with masters-level clinicians who accompany them during calls involving mental health or substance-related crisis. Since its start, the model has been replicated in Marlborough, Watertown and Natick, and is offered on a regional basis in Ashland, Sudbury, Hudson, Holliston and Hopkinton. Wareham explained some misconceptions, such as public intoxication not being a crime in Massachusetts, and a police officer needing to witness someone drunk in public in order to arrest them. He highlighted one "hot spot" of activity as Framingham One Stop Market on Irving Street, which had 277 calls for service last year, including assault, disturbance and inebriation. "As a police department, we'd obviously like to get that under control. It draws from our limited resources," said Wareham. Landlord Robert Forbes rents out store space on Hollis Street and said some of his tenants feel unsafe. "A couple of my tenants have to keep my doors locked because of the problem," Forbes said. "They're intimidated with the illegal activity going on, with the panhandling and the aggressiveness. We need to find a solution for where these people can be provided an outlet that is not suffering downtown." Many attendees said park benches downtown exacerbate the problem and make loitering more likely. Acting Police Chief Steven Trask said he would look into where the benches came from and if the city could remove them. Another issue the group examined was whether a space for the homeless could be created. Some envisioned a social club where homeless people could go to learn job skills, receive meals, and help with housing. Courtney Thraen, executive director of Downtown Framingham, said a city commission that publicly met might be helpful. Mayor Yvonne Spicer told the group that the issues will "not be solved overnight ... and not be solved alone." Like the residents who spoke, she said she was also "troubled that we do not have a place for people to be, to learn those job skills, to actually have a leg up." "No one wants to be homeless ... it starts with humanity," said Spicer. Trask said he and other police officials made note of all suggestions. He said the department plans on holding a similar meeting sometime in September at a later hour to allow for more residents to attend.

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