Boston Police Department Police Reform Policy update

On June 8, 2021 the Boston Police Department (BPD) issued a revised Gang Assessment Database rule. Changes to this Rule include:

• clarification of the purpose of the Gang Assessment Database in preventing and reducing violence and victimization in the City of Boston
• clarification of the role of the Boston Regional Intelligence Center (BRIC) in management of the Gang Assessment Database
• clarification and amendment of criteria for access, submission, verification, dissemination, and review
• removal of the "inactive" status, thereby ensuring that those individuals will be reviewed for purge or re-categorized to more accurately reflect their participation in gang activity
• clarification that Field Interaction/Observation/Encounter (“FIOE”) Reports shall not be used as the sole criteria for verification
• the addition of an annual public reporting requirement regarding number of individuals added to and purged from the Database and
• the addition of a Juvenile section with the intention of connecting juveniles to services and providing a pathway out of the Gang Assessment Database.

In addition, the BPD has made several other policy changes related to police reform over the past three months.  These policy changes were included in a lengthy update to the public on BPD police reform efforts on May 25. 

• A new Transgender Policy to establish guidelines for the appropriate treatment of transgender individuals who come into contact with the Boston Police Department.  
• A revised policy regarding transporting prisoners to mandate police officers report the odometer reading at the start and end of all prisoner transports.  
• A revised policy regarding notification responsibilities and process related to alleged criminal and/or questionable behavior of on and off duty officers and civilians
• Revised Use of Force Rules (303, 303A, 303B, 303C, 303D, 304) based on state legislation and task force recommendations.  
• Revised Body Worn Camera policy and deployed secondary cameras to provide the charging and storage capacity for officers to wear their BWCs on overtime and paid details.
• A revised Rule 113A Bias-Free Policing based on Massachusetts Police Reform Legislation and the recommendations of former Mayor Walsh's Task Force on Police Reform. 
• A new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policy for the Department.