1708 Centre Street West Roxbury, MA 02132-1542
Telephone: (617) 343-4560
Commander: Captain James Hasson


During 2001 and 2002, District E-5 personnel continued to use a variety of innovative measures to promote the concepts of neighborhood policing throughout Roslindale and West Roxbury.

With the completion of their newly renovated facilities, and the arrival of Captain Murray as their new commanding officer, E-5's pesonnel redoubled their work with the community to prevent crime. Among the most important of these efforts was the creation of a full-time Anti-Crime Unit.

One quick benefit of this positive change was a widespread reduction of public drinking in the district's many parks and recreational areas throughout the summer months, as well as the large cost-savings associated with eliminating the need for overtime for this purpose.

District E-5's Anti-Crime Unit also became very active in warrant service via an ongoing initiative named "Operation Pickoff." Its two-pronged goal was to increase warrant apprehensions in the expectation that this would in turn lower the incidence of burglaries, robberies, and breaking & entering. It succeeded on both counts, as warrant arrests increased by 30%, with burglaries also declining district-wide by more than 13 percent.

Other efforts protected senior citizens from con artists via a new "Proactive Elderly Intervention" program. District 5 personnel also specifically targeted the after school safety of local young people, and hosted well attented Drug Information Meetings to acquaint local parents, teachers, sports coaches, community leaders, and other concerned citizens about the emerging dangers of drugs like Oxycontin and Ecstacy.

Further, E-5 officers created a plan designed to reduce car accidents by stopping more speeding vehicles. During this year-long study, they increased their traffic stops by an impressive 45% - an increase of almost 4,000 stops - and also saw an associated 18% reduction in total car accidents. Due to the close cooperation among its personnel and the strength of their ongoing police-community partnerships, District 5 finished 2001 with both the lowest overall crime rate in the city and the highest percentage of crimes solved.