Public safety & crime prevention
Making neighborhoods feel and be safer through lighting, cameras, police presence and violence prevention.
Residents mainly ask for better street and park lighting, plus cameras, police patrols and community-based safety, so people feel safe at night and in public spaces.
Theme grouped and summary written with AI from this theme's resident ideas.
126 ideas across three cycles
| Cycle | Ideas | Share of all ideas | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 | 49 | 4.0% | 13 of 20 |
| 2025–26 | 31 | 2.6% | 17 of 20 |
| 2026–27 | 46 | 3.5% | 13 of 20 |
Needs that keep coming back
Brighter street, park and transit lighting
Residents across all three cycles ask for more or better lighting on streets, in parks and near transit stops, so people feel safe after dark.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
More security cameras
Residents ask for cameras to deter and solve crime, in neighborhoods, parks and commercial areas, though one 2026-27 resident opposes expanding surveillance.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
More police patrols and security presence
Residents ask for more patrols or security staff in specific places such as transit stops, parks, Chinatown and commercial areas, often at night.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Emergency call points and community safety groups
Residents propose blue light phones, emergency call buttons, and resident-led patrols or safety groups, as a way to get help quickly and build neighborhood involvement.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Self-defense and safety education
Residents ask for funded self-defense, gun safety or other safety classes, including for youth and adults.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
2024–25
Lighting dominated, especially repeated East Boston requests, alongside calls for cameras, gun violence prevention, police patrols and safer MBTA stations and parks.
2025–26
Lighting stayed central, with East Boston and school security prominent, plus requests for cameras, patrols, blue light phones and self-defense classes.
2026–27
Residents focused on lighting, cameras and emergency call posts in parks, night patrols and community safety patrols, with new interest in housing security and restorative justice.
New in 2026–27
New or growing asks include security and repairs at BHA housing, emergency call buttons on park paths, restorative justice and youth alternatives to policing, bleeding-control and overdose stations, and opposition to surveillance cameras.
Funding so far
The one winning project, grants for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated youth, connects to youth and restorative justice asks, but no winning project has yet addressed the recurring asks for lighting, cameras, patrols or emergency call points.
Projects are linked to themes by matching each project's description to the themes; this is not an official City classification.
Programs Supporting Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Youth
2024–25 · $250,000 · related theme
This proposal will offer grants to nonprofit organizations to support youth ages 14-21 who are formerly or currently incarcerated, helping them build a brighter future.
Departments that often lead this work
- Boston Police Department
- Public Works
- BCYF
Suggested with AI; not an official assignment of responsibility.
Ideas in Public safety & crime prevention
2 ideas
2024–25: 1 · 2025–26: 0 · 2026–27: 1 (of 126 in this theme)
- Security posts and law enforcement at parksThe resident asks for security posts or law enforcement stations at parks and similar sites so people feel safe participating in community activities.2026–27Downtown
- More police patrols and cleanup near Emancipation parkResident reports people sleeping in an unkept park and rule-breaking motorbike delivery drivers near their building, and asks for a cleanup, help for those sleeping outside, and more police patrols.2024–25Downtown