Boston Police Department Archives

Half The Story: A Deep Dive On What’s Come Of Police Reform In Massachusetts

Massachusetts passed historic police certification reform. But even with the POST Commission, the public can’t see which cops have been part of the “officer shuffle.”

CHRIS FARAONE AND SAM STECKLOW September 18, 2024

THE SEVEN YEARS WAR

Boston police used their fusion center to surveil my journalistic actions. It took nearly seven years for BPD to hold itself somewhat accountable, and only after they used my information in a Department of Homeland Security conference presentation. The department violated transparency laws and their own policies to hide their

MAYA SHAFFER July 13, 2023

FLAW PATROL

“Increased patrols do not protect anyone … they are actively harmful to poor and oppressed people who are routinely harassed, brutalized, and surveilled by the police in Boston and across the country.”

OLIVIA DENG January 28, 2020

THE QUIET ONE

40 years ago this month, Fred Clay was arrested for a crime he didn’t commit. After 38 years behind bars, he’s telling his story and writing another chapter.

SARA SELEVITCH November 26, 2019

CRIPPLED EPISTEMOLOGY

Boston researchers have spent years helping government agencies plan and simulate operations to troll potential terrorists. Despite controversial practices and lackluster results, the covert operations continue.

JONATHAN RILEY August 9, 2018

CAUGHT ON CAM-SHARE

BPD seeks access to private security cameras, experiments with new surveillance network The Boston Police Department wants to deputize your surveillance system. After a crime, police canvass for private security cameras. Sometimes, they obtain a warrant for the tapes or data, or simply ask for the owner’s consent to access

DANIEL DEFRAIA March 21, 2018

THAT ‘FREE SPEECH’ THING

Photo by Kori Feener Mayor Walsh and various police agencies were no friends of civil liberties at Boston’s monster protests against the ultra right August 22, 2017 BY JASON PRAMAS @JASONPRAMAS Despite the “mission accomplished” happy talk in most of the news media, Saturday’s 40,000-strong Boston protests against extremism — and the tiny ultra-right rally that

JASON PRAMAS August 22, 2017

AND THEN THERE WERE FIVE

This originally appeared as a two-part story centering around police officers injured and allegedly injured during the shootout with Boston Marathon bombers in Watertown on April 19, 2013. It was published in multiple newspapers around Massachusetts including the Brockton Enterprise, the Quincy Patriot Ledger, and the Watertown Tab. On April

ADAM SENNOTT July 12, 2016