Beacon Hill residents are again invited to make the acquaintance of local law enforcement at another informal “meet and greet” sponsored by the Beacon Hill Civic Association (BHCA) Safety Committee.
“It’s a chance to get to know everyone in the neighborhood,” Captain Tom Lee. “I’m sure they’ll have concerns, and that’s why I’m doing this – to hear from them firsthand.”
Lee, who took over command of Area A-1 in March, will join Sgt. Tom Lema and Safety Committee Chair Paula O’Keeffe at the Firehouse, 127 Mt. Vernon St., on Thursday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m. to review recent crime statistics and respond to questions from citizens.
Regarding the statistics, Beacon Hill saw a 15-percent reduction in violent and property crime between January and August of this year, compared to the same timeframe in 2011.
“We’re pleased the stats are down on the Hill, and we want to keep them down,” Lee said.
Despite this encouraging trend, Revere Street was recently struck by several residential breaks with the influx of students and other newcomers to the Hill. “There’s often an increase in breaks as new residents move in,” Lee said.
The recent arrest of 55-yer-old homeless man with an extensive criminal record for breaking and entering into a residence might was a major coup for police, Lee said.
On Sept. 26, Officer Stephen Pasciuto confronted and apprehended the suspect in a foyer as he allegedly attempted to break into a River Street building.
“It was good Steve was out there and made this arrest,” Lee said.
Meanwhile, O’Keeffe encourages residents to “come and help the police do their job.”
“They enjoy meeting neighbors from Beacon Hill and feel that knowing the residents of the neighborhood are an important part of community policing,” O’Keeffe said. “We’re really lucky to have them.”