Police-civilian Patrol to Protect Lives, Property in Predominately Jewish Area

A police-civilian patrol force is expected to go on duty next month to protect lives and property in the predominately Jewish areas of Mattapan and Dorchester, an area plagued by high crime. The project was approved last week following conferences between Mayor Kevin White and Robert M. Segal, president of the Jewish Community Council, and Robert E. Segal, JCC executive director, and Rev. Arthur Walmsley, general secretary of the Massachusetts Council of Churches. Reginald Eaves, administrator for the Mayor’s Office on Human Rights, said an initial force of about 300 volunteers was planned. They will undergo a 10-week on-duty training program. They will be provided with nightsticks and two-way radios and will be deployed in pairs. Their purpose will be to report crimes being committed to the Boston Police Department. Volunteers between the ages of 19 and 65 will be accepted.

The project comes under the Federal Law Enforcement Assistance Administration. The Jewish Community Council is seeking $150,000-$200,000 from the Federal Government to finance the patrols under the Safe Streets Act. Patrol members will be neither paid nor uniformed. Expenses such as the purchase of radios will be paid by the city. The funds sought from Washington are to pay the salaries of additional policemen, for policemen’s automobiles and for trying out innovative methods of law enforcement. The local Police Department will be in full control of the civilian patrols and is responsible for their organization, administration, deployment and training. Crimes such as mugging and robbery have reached high proportions in the Mattapan and Dorchester areas. Two neighborhood synagogues were recently set afire by arsonists causing heavy damage. Synagogue worshippers were given extra police protection during the Shavuot holidays.