Programs |
- A Senior Crime Watch Program in the Elderly/Disabled Developments: This program encourages senior and disabled residents to participate in the safety and well-being of their communities. Through this program, residents increase their safety awareness and learn the steps to becoming more involved in crime prevention in their communities. The Crime Watch training program, which is offered through a collaboration with the Boston Police Department, teaches residents how to properly identify suspects, how to call for help in case of an emergency and what building safety tips they can follow. These skills are taught interactively through the use of possible crime scenarios and suspect identification drills.
For information about starting a Crime Watch in your neighborhood click here
The BHA Chief of Public Safety also runs quarterly public safety meetings with tenant leaders from all BHA elderly/disabled developments. These meetings have been held since 2006. They provide an open forum for residents to discuss any safety concerns they may have, provide input regarding how to address specific issues, and allow residents to communicate amongst themselves and with BHA Police about how to work collectively to resolve common problems.
Unity Days: BHA Police Officers also attend the many Unity Day festivals that are held throughout the city's developments. These are backyard barbecues on a grand scale with food and entertainment provided to bring residents together in a spirit of friendship and cooperation.
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Social and Community Activities |
In addition to providing policing services to the residents of public housing, BHA Police Officers and Department of Public Safety staff also initiate and participate in social and community activities.
For the last ten years, the Department has sponsored the “BHA Police Annual Turkey Drive” that provides complete turkey dinners to low-income BHA families during the Thanksgiving season. In 2008, BHA Police collected and distributed, with the help of development managers, 250 turkey dinners to resident families.
Public Safety personnel also have organized an “Annual Children’s Holiday Party” each December for more than a decade. In 2008, the BHA Administrator and Chief of Police decided to reach more BHA low-income families given the recent economic realities. As a result, BHA Police and staff collected and distributed toys to more than 3,000 BHA children, ages 3 to 10-years-old who live in our lowest-income households. The BHA was able to distribute approximately three times as many toys as in prior years due to generous assistance from Toys for Tots, Catholic Charities’ St. Ambrose Shelter, Local 103 IBEW, Interrnational Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 135, Carpenters Union Local 218, Laborers International Union Local 367, Carpenters Local Union 67, Carpenters Union Local 51, James M. Coyle, Teamsters Local Union 122, Iron Workers Union Local 7, Fogg/Roberts Post 78 A.L. and BHA employees. Funds also came from proceeds related to several film company location agreements. The effort included toys being distributed to families by Operations and development staff along with assistance from many other BHA departments.
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