As Mayor, I consider the safety and security of our residents to be my number one responsibility. I am proud to announce that the investments my administration has made in police and fire safety have netted positive results for our community.
Crime has steadily declined in all categories over the past three years as we have increased the number of foot patrols and opened a police substation on Broadway. Additionally, our Police Department is now utilizing “data driven†policing practices that focus on several factors; the analysis of crimes being committed; background searches of suspected and convicted felons; and intelligence gathering from members of the public. With this information in hand, we can better prepare our patrolmen, detectives, and specialized units on a daily basis.
While the Revere Fire Department already has one of the best response times in the Commonwealth, Chief Doherty recognizes that accepting the status quo does not breed excellence. Under a new program, firefighters are taking on expanded roles to curb substance abuse. Starting in 2011, Revere was recognized as the first municipality in the nation to supply firefighters with naloxone, more commonly referred to as Narcan – a drug which can save the life of someone who has overdosed on opiates. While hundreds of lives have been saved since the program’s inception, Chief Doherty is now launching a new program which will bring educational materials relating to detox and recovery, proper use and disposal of medications, and available family services to those who have been treated for an overdose. The goal is to help those suffering from addiction to receive treatment, get on the path to recovery, and ultimately stop future overdoses.
From Chief Cafarelli leading one of the elite units who captured Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, to mounting a full scale response to a Category 2 tornado that suddenly hit Revere, our public safety officials have been tested like never before. The work they have done is truly remarkable, and I am proud that my administration is ensuring that they have the funding they need to continue to provide the level of public safety our citizens deserve.
Dan Rizzo is the current Mayor of Revere.
