There has been much recent publicity about the number of uniformed police officers in the Boston Police Department.  Frankly, it wasn’t until this week that South Boston Online felt there was anything to add. But since Saturday, June 17, the City of Boston has boosted patrols in troubled neighborhoods.  The extra police coverage will be paid for on an overtime basis, which is costlier than having enough officers to handle the load on straight time.

     This week, the Mayor was offered assistance from State Troopers by Gov. Romney, but he turned this down at first.  Later, after a groundswell of adverse public opinion, he agreed to use the troopers in a limited way, which hasn’t been worked out yet.  Among many others, South Boston’s Michael Flaherty, the City Council President, insisted that we “put aside differences” and use the troopers, so we can do what’s best for unsafe neighborhoods in the City.

     As of this writing, two ministers from the troubled areas in Boston have sent their children elsewhere for the summer.  That alone is an extremely discouraging fact.  The ministers’ courage in staying in the City to serve their flocks is a good example to all of us, but they cannot be expected to risk their families as well.  It has gotten that bad.  Over the last 18 months, it has become worse than it has been for at least ten years.

     So we are going to add our voice to the outcry.  We feel we must.

First, it has to be remembered that public safety is the top priority in any city.  That’s the way it’s been since the days of the first settlers of Boston in 1630, and that’s the way it still is.  Without public safety, who can go to parks, attend schools, or even walk the streets in front of their homes?

As the philosopher George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it.”

     Next are the numbers.  We understand there is a law that requires the Boston Police Force to add several hundred officers.  Since about 60 officers resign or retire each year, and since approximately 20% wash out of the Police Academy, it will take five annual classes of 200 candidates each to bring the department back to where it should be.  Nothing less will meet the mandated targets for police officers, no matter what anyone tells you.

     This clearly is not in Boston’s budget, but so what?  There’s blood in the streets – even on the front porches – so budgets can’t be used as a reason for not acting.  Something else will have to go, because public safety comes first.

     The police union claims that staffing is dangerously low.  Well, if that’s the case, then in the interest of public safety, the union should agree to certain details being staffed by flagmen, to relieve the pressure on the uniformed personnel where the emphasis is needed.  They can’t have it both ways.  Crossing guards take care of our school kids every morning and afternoon, and traffic department people issue parking tickets, so there’s plenty of precedent for this (we’ll await the anguished calls about that issue).

Yes, there are many reasons for increased crime – neglectful parents, broken families, drug abuse, lenient judges, poor schools, lack of jobs, and lots of bad people on the streets.  But when crime already exists, especially violent crime, Boston must fight it by putting enough officers on the streets where the problems started.

     To use a well-known saying, “Let’s roll.”