Police Commissioner Haas Addresses June GAC

Cambridge Police Commissioner Robert Haas was our guest at the June 24 GAC meeting and luncheon. Commissioner Haas discussed his first year as Commissioner and current initiatives. He also discussed his experience structuring the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Homeland Security efforts during his time as Undersecretary and Secretary with the Executive Office of Public Safety.

Commissioner Haas said that Cambridge provides unique opportunities because it has both urban and suburban characteristics. Cambridge has crime under control and this is due to the commitment of the City Manager, City Council, the community and police personnel. He said that he has been and continues to be impressed by the City’s willingness and ability to provide the resources necessary to operate a modern police department responsive to community needs and by the quality of the members of the Cambridge Police Department. Addressing quality of life issues is of importance to residences and much of the department’s work is around these types of issues.

The Commissioner mentioned the new public safety headquarters that will open later this year as a measure of the support the community gives to the police as well as Cambridge having a higher ratio of officers to population than most cities of its size. The new headquarters will provide significantly more space than the current facility and, in an answer to a question from a participant, will provide increased opportunities for the department to use technologies to address public safety concerns.

The Police Department has been vigilant around concerns of violent crime and has worked with surrounding communities on crime issues and works with Metropolitan Gang Task Force. Cambridge has no organized gang activity but the Police have on-going efforts to keep gangs out of the City. An issue when he arrived a year ago was gun violence and the Police have worked to get guns off the street. A particular concern is that guns possession, which was a problem with men between the ages of 23 and 30 years old, have become a problem with teenagers as well.

The Commissioner said that the members of the Police Department work cooperatively to address crime and safety concerns. Specific initiatives he mentioned included the expansion of bicycle officers supplementing the work of bicycle patrols and car patrols in City neighborhoods, the Youth and Family Services Unit which works with other City agencies to build relationships with youth and families who have had trouble with law enforcement, and the work of the Homeless Senior Policy Group which coordinates efforts around the activities of homeless people in Cambridge.

The Commissioner was asked questions about the relationship between the Cambridge Police department and University departments. He said that the City has a very good relationship with the Harvard and MIT police departments and work cooperatively with the four schools in Cambridge.

Two questions were raised about the direction of department and opportunities and challenges. Haas said that members of the department work collaborative and cooperatively and that staff at all levels see themselves as problem solvers. This allows the department to continually improve while providing opportunities for staff to move-up within the ranks. He was asked about pending retirements of senior staff and he said that the middle management in Cambridge is very strong and prepared to move into senior roles. A challenge he mentioned was recruitment. Only about 100 people took the most recent test to join the department, down from seven to ten years ago when more than 500 people would take the test.