by Rick Winterson
South Boston’s Neighborhood Advisory Council meets monthly to conduct an open, back-and-forth discussion of police matters in and around South Boston. This meeting, called by Station C-6 Capt. Joseph Boyle on Wednesday evening, April 4, was particularly interesting locally.
March’s key event, of course, was the St. Patrick’s/Evacuation Day Parade on Sunday, March 18. Capt. Boyle reported that it was comparatively peaceful along the Parade’s abbreviated route, which terminated halfway along the usual route, at Farragut Road. A few complaints were voiced about the length of the lines into the bars and taverns along Broadway, but nothing really serious occurred because of these. Some 67 police actions were taken during the Parade itself – lower than last year’s total of 89 and considerably lower than prior years, when several hundred such actions were typical. In response to a question, Capt. Boyle stated that the various liquor selling establishments along the Parade route had been cooperative. All of them voluntarily closed by 7 p.m. that evening.
During March, Station C-6 lost one of its long-serving members. Detective Kenny O’Brian retired after 39 years with the Force. O’Brien was a well-liked and competent BPD officer. See accompanying photo.
The usual questions concerning the drug problems and opioid epidemic in our streets came up. There have been a number of arrests of persons accused of dealing drugs, especially along the parts of Mass Avenue that adjoin or are near South Boston. According to officers assigned there, “We are continuing to make progress … “
In mid-March, a local bank branch was held up. South Boston Online is presenting an abbreviated, redacted version of the Police Report about this incident. Although this was a serious crime, it also had its humorous aspects:
“On Monday, Officer ____ responded to a panic alarm call at ____ Bank on Broadway. The Officer spoke with the person who reported the alarm. She said that an unknown female, wearing a red hat, a white hospital mask, a black jacket, and blue hospital scrub pants, with a withdrawal slip in her hands, sat in the waiting area. The suspect female stated that she needed three thousand five hundred dollars ($3,500), because her son is in the hospital and needs surgery for cancer. The suspect female then pulled out a “white device”, and stated that if she didn’t get the money, she’s pull the plug and blow up the entire place. When the bank employee first refused to give her money, the suspect female said that there were two men with guns outside in a car, who would come into the bank and shoot everyone. After the suspect female finally received the money she had demanded, she was seen (on video footage) fleeing down a local side street.”
Despite the generally favorable police progress in March, there are still problems in South Boston. For example, a man wounded in the West Broadway Development died from his wounds last Thursday – this area was a “hot spot” last year and is still under surtveillance. Please consider helping the police anonymously. You can report suspicious happenings by calling 1(800)494-TIPS or by texting the word TIP to C-R-I-M-E (27463).
Thank you.