Guest Op-ed: Public Safety Is on My Mind

By Jessica Giannino

Public Safety has always been one of my top priorities. With National Police Week and International Firefighters Day in our rearview and, of course, a pandemic on our hands for the unforeseeable future, public safety is on the vanguard. In fact, it may be more necessary than ever before. It is important to keep in mind that public safety is multi-faceted. To be a community with well-rounded public safety, it means having the best tools and resources for our police and fire departments, having adequate staffing and ensuring the safety of our community.

Although we are amid a historic pandemic, we have made time over the last few weeks to recognize the firefighters and police officers and first responders that serve, have retried and those we’ve lost. As the daughter of a police officer, I’ve grown up with a deep understanding of the sacrifices that police officers make when they report to work each day. Every day when my dad put on his uniform and went to work, he set out to protect not only my family, but our community. As the granddaughter and goddaughter of 2 firemen, I can understand the unsettling feeling when they leave the house not knowing what they are walking into, weather it be a home of someone who could potentially be infected with COVID 19 or walking into a blaze. When other people run out, or police and fire run in. The truth is, our loved ones made an oath. They put themselves and their safety at risk each and every day. That selflessness is something I have the utmost respect for.

As a Chair of Public Safety on the Revere City Council, I can assure you that especially during these times we are relying heavily on police, fire, municipal, and regional emergency officials. I am so very proud of the great work our police and firefighters have accomplished under the leadership of Chiefs Guido and Bright. The same goes for the community partnerships that have been built and strengthened over the years with public safety in mind. Through my work in city government, I’ve seen how important, and sometimes fragile, the relationship between public safety officials and the civilians they serve really is. It’s so important to me that I will seek to be a member of the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security if elected as your next State Representative.

Jessica Giannino is an City Councilor At-Large for the City of Revere, as well as a candidate for State Representative, 16th Suffolk District.

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