The Boston City Council is divided on releasing $3.4 million in grant cash to the city’s police department’s investigative arm.
Six of the 13 councilors said they would vote to finance the Boston Regional Intelligence Center (BRIC), but the same number said they were concerned about its gang database, which the state’s attorney general is looking into for alleged racial bias.
“Public safety is paramount for our city,” said Councilor Michael Flaherty, who presided over a committee meeting on the issue on Friday. “I am aware of the critical role BRIC plays in each and every homicide in Boston.” They don’t go around blowing their own trumpet. It’s a group effort.”
Recognizing his colleagues’ concerns, the majority of which came from councilors of color, as well as testimony from community members who claimed they had been unfairly targeted by the BRIC’s gang database, Flaherty encouraged officers to remove the names of persons who “shouldn’t be on there.”
“I think we’re all in agreement, if there’s someone on that list that should not be on that list, as the chair, on behalf of this body, that name has to come off and we need to make some adjustments,” he stated. “If that’s going on, it has to stop.” If it’s already ceased, that’s definitely good news.”
Flaherty earlier this month advocated for skipping a hearing and instead for a speedy vote on three $850,000 state grants allocated for the
The funds were rejected by the City Council on a 7-5 vote, causing Mayor Michelle Wu to resubmit the three grants from fiscal years 2021-23, as well as a fourth award for the same amount from fiscal year 20. The body has now voted three times to reject the grants.
Police Commissioner Michael Cox is “dumbfounded” that the BRIC’s work is not “so well-received” for being “so central to what we do as a police department.”
“The work that they do is not about vilifying people of color,” Cox stated. “It’s really about identifying the people who are driving the violent crime in our city, and you’re keeping track of that information.”
He stated that the monies would be used to plug multiple deficiencies in BRIC’s analytical operation by hiring eight civilian analysts over a five-year period. According to police officials, the BRIC is currently understaffed in that area, with only one analyst on duty every shift from Friday through Monday.
According to its Deputy Director Ryan Walsh, the gang database is a “relatively small part of what we do,” and the requested funds would not be devoted to that component of the BRIC.”As a first-term city councilor, I can’t say I have enough information to see that you are out in our communities for good and not for discrimination,” stated Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune. She went on to “I don’t see a reason to trust the data that the BRIC is collecting.”
“As a first-term city councilor, I can’t say I have enough information to see that you are out in our communities for good and not for discrimination,” stated Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune. She went on to “I don’t see a reason to trust the data that the BRIC is collecting.”
Councilor Julia Mejia, who has previously advocated for the abolition of the BRIC, chastised the mayor for abandoning her previous opposition.
Wu voted down one of the $850,000 grants as a municipal councilor in 2021. While running for mayor that year, she announced her support for eliminating the BRIC and dismantling the gang database, but she is now asking the Council to fund the institution.
“I’d love to hear from her, because if she can convince me as to why we’re doing this right now, then she might be able to provide me with some clarity on the record,” Mejia stated. “Because if you want me to change it up, you’ll have to explain it to me.” Otherwise, I won’t be going.”
Attorney General Andrea Campbell, who recommended that the city council reject a BRIC grant in 2021 as a city councilor, initiated a probe into the database and the police department’s gang section in May.
