Boston Police Commissioner Bill Evans joined Boston Public Radio for their monthly "Ask the Commissioner" segment. Commissioner Evans talked about ongoing protests in Boston, body cameras on police officers, and relations between law enforcement and Boston citizens.
To hear the entire segment, click the audio above. Questions below are in bold, and have been paraphrased. Commissioner Evans' comments have been edited where noted (...).
Have relations between the BPD and protestors remained cordial?
We had a protest last night, about 40 or 50 people. We've been very low-key. We're not going to have that kind of presence out there. If you come looking for a fight, you're going to get a fight. (...) If things get a little out of whack, we have troops at the ready.
Should Boston police adopt body cameras?
Me and the Mayor are looking at it. We're dealing right now with the protests going on. We understand that nationwide there's basically a cry for them. We're looking at the pros and the cons right now. (...) There's no case law on what the parameters are of using them [in domestic calls]. You know, we haven't ruled them out. (...) I see the benefits of it, but it's still in its infancy stage.
Is it fair to say that you and the Mayor are more open to the question?
Yeah, that's a fair statement.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has taken heat for not supporting his city's police department. Is that tension felt in the Boston police ranks as well?
There's a lot of negativity towards police in general. We are feeling it here in Boston. (...) They felt that he abandoned the police department in favor of this whole incident, which was ugly. I wish that whole incident could've been more transparent. (...) Mayor [de Blasio] was quick to jump on the bandwagon against the cop [in the death of Eric Garner]. I think he could've done a better job of staying out of it.
I think the tone that the Mayor had set after that wasn't [pro-police]. (...) From what I heard, he was sort of not backing his department.
Would you be open to classifying crimes against police — such as the recent killing of two NYPD officers — as hate crimes?
Basic assaults, no. But clearly if we're targeted because of what our profession is, I'm all for it.
Have Boston protestors treated police with respect?
The sad thing is, we're out there last night, and you know they marched from Tremont Street down by the Garden. And there was a lot of negativity [being thrown] at our officers. (...) I think everyone realizes that this was a wake-up call for police across the country. I think in Boston we have a great relationship with the community.
Christmas Day I was home, I got a call for a young kid shot out on Humboldt Ave. (...) There's no outcry about young black kids getting shot every day in the street, and I wish they could push all the energy not only at us, but at all the senseless violence [happening] every day.
I know there might be a march this Monday on Martin Luther King Day. We're all for the protesting. All we ask is they do it respectfully, they do it peacefully. (...) It's time to engage in a dialog, find out what we can do better. (...) Let's scream and yell about the violence [in our communities].
Boston Globe reporter Todd Wallack recently wrote about police officers involved in drunken-driving incidents. Should the public know the name of an officer if she or he drives drunk?
I think they should know. I don't think we're any better than anyone. I think the case here, it was a year after, two years after [the incidents]. We always should release the reports. I know I spoke to the media afterwards, and I said, 'You know what, it wasn't worth making a big stink of it.' (...) If you're going to request names of anyone locked up we just can't release that. (...) That won't happen again.
