Constituent Response Team

In October 2009, the Mayor of
Boston, in conjunction with the Boston Police Department, launched a community
policing initiative known as the Constituent Response Team (CRT), which analyzes
recurring quality of life issues through the use of computerized mapping. The
CRT consists of officers from the BPD and representatives from the Departments of
Public Works, Neighborhood Services, Transportation, and Parks and Recreation, as
well as the Code Enforcement Division, Graffiti Busters, and other City of
Boston service providers.

The BPD compares data from
multiple sources to examine trends and patterns concerning minor crimes, nuisances,
social disorder (e.g., loitering, unruly youth, public drinking, loud music), and
environmental disorder (e.g., abandoned buildings, graffiti, litter, vacant
lots). The Department works to identify people and places that generate a
disproportionate amount of citizen complaints involving quality of life issues.
Data comes from BPD incident and arrest reports, calls for service, Mayor’s
Hotline complaints, City Hall Neighborhood Liaisons and Community Service
Officers.

The CRT initiative includes bimonthly
interagency meetings hosted by Boston Police District Captains to review
trends, patterns, and recurring issues. The team pays particular attention to
addressing hotspots of disorderly behavior and individuals who play a repeating
role in generating a large number of complaints.

Residents help to drive the
work of the CRT, which focuses significantly on service requests logged through
the Mayor’s Hotline. The City of Boston has launched a state-of-the-art
tracking system for all constituent requests. Constituents can log requests by
calling the Mayor’s Hotline at (617) 635-4500 or by visiting the City’s website,
both of which are available 24 hours daily.