##VIDEO ID:LZ2_K8ZkYhQ##  WE GOOD TO GO AND RECORDING WISE AND TECH WISE REALLY COOL IT AS A POP UP DISTRICT ONE CITY COUNCILOR AND I'M THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS.  TODAY IS SEPTEMBER 9TH 2024. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON.COM.  FORWARD SLASH CITY COUNCIL DASH TV AND BROADCAST ON XFINITY CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 FIOS CHANNEL 964 AND FIOS CHANNEL 964. IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER TWO OF THE ACTS OF 2023 MODIFYING CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS OF THE OPEN MEETING LAW AND RELIEVING PUBLIC BODIES OF CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS INCLUDING THE REQUIREMENT THAT PUBLIC BODIES CONDUCT ITS MEETING IN A PUBLIC PLACE THAT IS OPEN AND PHYSICALLY ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE CONDUCTING THIS HEARING REMOTELY.  THIS ENABLES THE CITY COUNCIL TO CARRY OUT ITS RESPONSIBILITIES WHILE ENSURING PUBLIC ACCESS TO ITS DELIBERATIONS THROUGH ADEQUATE ALTERNATIVE.  WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT C DOT GEO AT BOSTON.COM AND WILL BE MADE A PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS.  OUR TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THIS HEARING.  IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING PLEASE EMAIL OUR CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON MEGAN DOT CAVANAUGH AT BOSTON.COM FOR THE LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE INDIVIDUAL PETITIONERS WHO WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO PROVIDE THEIR TESTIMONIES. IF YOU HAVE CORRESPONDENCE FROM MY CHIEF OF STAFF ELLIE SANCHEZ, YOU WILL BE ELEVATED PANELIST SHORTLY AFTER TESTIMONY FROM DPD UNION REPRESENTATIVES AND THEN IT'LL BE YOUR.  BUT I'LL GO THROUGH THE AGENDA JUST AFTER THIS. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET 0926A HOME RULE PETITION FOR A SPECIAL LAW REGARDING AN ACT RELATIVE TO RAISING THE MAXIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT FOR ENTRANCE TO THE BOSTON POLICE ACADEMY. THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY MYSELF COUNCILOR AND WE HAVE BEEN IN COUNSELOR SANTANA AND WAS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON JUNE SIX, 2024.  I SEE WE'VE ALSO BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR SANTANA AND AS TYPICAL WITH OTHER COUNCIL HEARINGS I WILL PROVIDE MY COLLEAGUES THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE OPENING STATEMENTS. I WILL GO TO THE LEAD CO-SPONSORS FIRST. SO THAT MEANS THAT THE ORDER WILL BE COUNCILOR AND THEN COUNCILOR SANTANA,  COUNCILOR FLYNN, THEN FITZGERALD CAPITAL LOUIJEUNE AND THEN COUNCILOR MURPHY. AT THIS TIME I WILL PASS IT OVER TO COUNCILOR BUT THEN FOR ANY OPENING REMARKS YOU HAVE MADAM CHAIR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HOSTING THIS HEARING TODAY. IT'S AN HONOR FOR ME TO BE HERE WITH ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW ME , MY NAME IS PEPEN DISTRICT FIVE BOSTON CITY COUNCILOR PROUD TO BE ONE OF THE ORIGINAL CO-SPONSORS OF THIS HEARING AND I ARE PROUD TO SAY THAT I'M PROBABLY ONE OF THE COUNCILORS THAT HAS SUBMITTED THE MOST WHOLE GROUP PETITIONS TO HELP BOSTON RESIDENTS BECOME POLICE OFFICERS OVER THE OVER THE AGE OF 39.  AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I DID BECOME A CO-SPONSOR FOR THIS. THERE'S A LOT OF RESIDENTS IN MY DISTRICT THAT ARE WILLING TO BE POLICE OFFICERS ARE PHYSICALLY CAPABLE OR MENTALLY CAPABLE, ARE READY TO SERVE OUR CITY AS A POLICE OFFICER IN A TIME WHERE I KNOW THAT OUR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IS HOPING GET A LOT MORE ON THE POLICE FORCE. I'VE BEEN VERY PROUD TO VOUCH FOR THEM AND I'M HERE TO WORK AND WORK WITH MY COLLEAGUES HERE TO FIND OUT A SOLUTION AND HOPEFULLY MAKE IT EASIER FOR FOLKS TO BECOME POLICE OFFICERS IN OUR CITY. BUT WITH THAT JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOU, MADAM CHAIR, FOR HOSTING US IN LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION. THANK YOU COUNCILOR FOR PAM.  THANK YOU FOR KEEPING US BUSY THIS SPRING WITH THE MULTIPLE HOMEGROWN PETITIONS THAT HAVE COME THROUGH THIS THIS COMMITTEE. I APPRECIATE YOUR PARTNERSHIP IN THIS WORK. COUNCILOR SANTANA, MADAM CHAIR, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND AND EVERYONE REALLY HAPPY TO CO-SPONSOR THIS HEARING AS A COUNCILOR . AS YOU HAD MENTIONED, I THINK WE YOU KNOW, THERE'S THERE'S BARRIERS RIGHT NOW TO BECOMING POLICE OFFICER AND I THINK THIS ISN'T AN EASY ONE THAT WE CAN FINANCE SOLUTION FOR TO GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE RESIDENTS TO BECOME POLICE OFFICERS. WE ARE NOT YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE TIME TO GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS TO BECOME A BUSINESS. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION TODAY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE QUESTIONS PEOPLE MAY HAVE AND YOUNG PEOPLE.  MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SANTANA COUNCILOR FLYNN AND THEN FITZGERALD.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, FOR SHARING THIS IMPORTANT COMMITTEE AND THIS IMPORTANT SUBJECT MATTER IN SUPPORT OF THIS HOME RULE PETITION TO RAISE THE AGE REQUIREMENT FOR ENTRANCE TO THE BOSTON POLICE ACADEMY.  SINCE I HAVE BEEN ON THE CITY COUNCIL I HAVE CONSISTENTLY ADVOCATED TO HIRE MORE POLICE OFFICERS EVERY YEAR FOR THE NEXT 210 YEARS DUE TO OVERSTRETCH RESOURCES, FORCED OVERTIME AND A LOOMING RETIREMENT CRISIS. THE BOSTON MUNICIPAL CODE MANDATES THAT THE NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS ON THE FORCE SHALL AT NO TIME BE GAS THAN 2500. WE ARE CURRENTLY UNDER THIS NUMBER AROUND 2200 ACROSS DISTRICT TWO PARTICULARLY IN DOWNTOWN BOSTON DOWNTOWN CROSSING BOSTON COMMON COPLEY SQUARE N SOUTH BOSTON I HAVE HEARD FROM MANY NEIGHBORS ON THE NEED FOR STRONGER POLICE PRESENCE WHERE CRIME IN ILLEGAL ACTIVITY PARTICULARLY RELATED TO DRUG TRAFFICKING HAS BECOME VISIBLE. JUST LAST MONTH I FILED A HEARING TOGETHER WITH COUNCILOR MURPHY TO DISCUSS BOSTON POLICE STAFFING LEVELS. THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SERVE IN THE BOSTON POLICE WHO ARE CURRENTLY ABOVE THE AGE LIMIT OF 39. WE SHOULD SUPPORT THIS EFFORT TO RAISE THE MAXIMUM LIMIT TO 45. GIVE THESE GIVE THESE YOUNG PEOPLE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE A CITY THAT THEY LOVE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.  THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD.  AND THEN COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE.  THANK YOU. YOU DON'T JUST HAPPEN TO BE HERE. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY I MYSELF HAVE ALSO PUT ONE IN FOR THAT. THESE ARE AGE WAVERS AND ACTUALLY JUST GOT BACK FROM VISITING THE POLICE ACADEMY THIS MORNING AND TALKED TO THEM ABOUT IT THERE AND SO I AM HAPPY TO DIVE INTO IT AND SEE HOW WE GOT GOING BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH CHAIR I APPRECIATE.  THANK YOU. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE ARE YOU STILL WITH US?  YES. ROOKIE MISTAKE I STILL HAD MY MUTE ON. THANK YOU. COULD DO IT. WHO IS IN MY OFFICE SWAPPING OUT NEW COMPUTERS? I'M A BIT SO THAT'S WHY I'M ON MY CELL PHONE. BUT I WILL HAVE NEW COMPUTERS SOON. BUT THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH ME . THANK YOU. AND MADAM CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU TO THE SPONSORS FOR PUTTING THIS FORWARD. LIKE MANY OF YOU RESIDENTS, CONSTITUENTS COME FORWARD AND ASKING FOR US TO FILE AID WAIVERS AND I THINK THAT IT IS REPRESENTS GOOD GOVERNMENT AND US PASSING A PETITION TO MOVE THIS FORWARD SO THAT NUMBER ONE, IT WILL HELP US DEAL HELP US GET MORE DIVERSE LIFE EXPERIENCES ON THE FORCE. IT WILL HELP TO EXPAND THE TALENT POOL. I WILL NEED FEWER EXEMPTIONS OR WE'LL HAVE FEWER FILINGS BECAUSE THE AGE CAP WILL BE UP AND IT PROVIDES FOR MORE INCLUSIVE HIRING PRACTICES AND HELPS US COMBAT AGE DISCRIMINATION AND SO I'M EXCITED TO BE IN SUPPORT OF THIS WHOLE PETITION SO THAT WE CAN GET MORE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO JOIN THE FORCE ONTO THE FORCE. AND SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS BOARD AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM THOSE WHO ARE I HAVE TESTIMONY TO OFFER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY.  I THANK YOU. I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF THIS. I'VE SPONSORED MANY OF THE PREVIOUS WAIVERS AND EACH INDIVIDUAL STORY IS NO SHOWS THAT MANY OF OUR CURRENT RESIDENTS REALLY WANT TO BE A PART OF THE POLICE FORCE SO WE KNOW WE'RE STRUGGLING TO FIND QUALIFIED CANDIDATES SO ANY WAY WE CAN OPEN THAT UP SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION WITH THE UNION, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND FINDING A WAY BECAUSE EVEN IF WE RAISE THE AGE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RESIDENTS OUT THERE KNOW THAT THEY SHOULD TAKE YOU KNOW, BECAUSE MANY TIMES WE FIND OUT PEOPLE AREN'T EVEN CONSIDERING APPLYING. SO THIS IS ONE STEP IN A BIGGER PICTURE THAT I KNOW COUNCILOR FLYNN AND I HAVE FILED TO HEARING ORDER TO ADDRESS THE BIGGER PICTURE OF RESIDENTS NOT EVEN SEEING THIS ROLE, THIS JOB AS AN OPPORTUNITY OF A GREAT CAREER GOING FORWARD.  THANK YOU. COUNCILOR MURPHY, AND THANK YOU TO YOU AND COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR ALSO SUBMITTING A POTENTIAL TOOL THIS WOULD HELP TO SUPPLEMENT THAT AND SO REALLY EXCITED TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY INTERACT AND HOW THEY MIGHT HELP OVERALL WITH THAT WITH THAT STRATEGY AS YOU SAID,  WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR WEBER COUNCIL MEMBER YOU HAVE THE SUPPORT FOR OPENING REMARKS.  THANK YOU.  IF YOU CAN SEE ME YEAH THANKS FOR BRINGING THIS FOR A HEARING CHAIR YOU KNOW MY OFFICE HAS RECEIVED REQUESTS. I SUPPORT THEM WHERE PEOPLE NEED A NEEDS WAIVER AND THEY'RE QUALIFIED.  YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU KNOW,  PEOPLE CAN MEET THE REQUIREMENTS REGARDLESS OF THEIR AGE.  WE SHOULD BE WELCOMING THEM ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. I ONE SIDE I HAD WAS I HAD A REQUEST FROM SOMEBODY WHO IS A COURT OFFICER AND SO FOR PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN IN SORT OF RELATED PROFESSIONS, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD SORT OF TRY TO GET THEM INTO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.  PEOPLE ARE QUALIFIED. YOU KNOW, THIS MIGHT BE ABLE TO SHOW SOME PREFERENCE YOU WANT IT TO YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU DIDN'T PASS THE EXAM WHEN YOU WERE 30 AND NOW YOU'VE SPENT TEN YEARS AS A CORRECTIONS OFFICER OR SOMETHING AND YOU KNOW YOU NOW WHAT YOU NOW YOU KNOW YOU COULD PASS THE EXAM. YOU'RE QUITE YOU'RE STILL YOU KNOW I THINK WE WANT TO WELCOME THOSE PEOPLE WITH SORT OF RELEVANT EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, INTO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.  SO I LOOK FORWARD TO PARTICIPATING AND THANKS FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. THANK YOU SO MUCH SEEING NO OTHER COUNCILORS, I WILL RECOGNIZE THEM AS THEY COME IN. BUT JUST BRIEFLY JUST ECHO THE COMMENTS OF FOLKS AND THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION. I HEAR EVERY SINGLE THAT WE NEED MORE POLICE OFFICERS THAT THERE IS A SHORTAGE SEEING THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ADMINISTRATIVE ONLY BARRIER TO FOLKS GETTING IN OR AT LEAST HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRY TO BE A PART OF THE POLICE FORCE I REALLY SEE THIS AS A NO BRAINER AND OF COURSE WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO HIRE AND RECRUIT MORE FOLKS WHO ARE WHO ARE IN THEIR YOUNGER YEARS, FOLKS WHO ARE IN THEIR TWENTIES OR THEIR THIRTIES. BUT FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE WILLING TO MAKE EITHER A CAREER SHIFT OR HAVE SO MUCH DEDICATION AND ADMIRATION AND RESPECT FOR POLICE OFFICERS THAT THEY THEMSELVES WANT TO BECOME ONE I THINK REALLY SAYS A LOT ABOUT THEM AND THEIR CHARACTER AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO THAT'S WHY I REALLY SEE INSTEAD OF US DOING ONE HOME PETITION, ONE AGE WAIVER BY AGE WAIVER AND SENDING IT UP TO THE STATE HOUSE, WHY NOT AT LEAST GIVE THESE FOLKS THE OPPORTUNITY TO OVERCOME THIS ADMINISTRATIVE BARRIER TO GET THE TEST SCORES THAT THEY NEED TO PASS THE PHYSICAL TESTS WHEN THE TIME COMES TO IT? SO THIS IS REALLY AGAIN A NO BRAINER FOR ME . I DO JUST WANT TO OUTLINE HOW I THINK TODAY SHOULD GO FOR EVERYBODY LISTENING AND THAT'S ON THE LINE AND WE HAVE SOME FOLKS THAT ARE WAITING TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY SO I WILL PASS IT OVER TO THE ADMINISTRATION'S REPRESENTATIVES.  THIS IS LISA O'BRIEN WHO IS THE BUREAU CHIEF OF ADMINISTRATION AND TECHNOLOGY OF THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THEN AFTER THAT WE WILL HEAR FROM A COUPLE OF UNION REPS.  WE REACHED OUT TO LARRY CALDERON WHO I BELIEVE IS HERE FROM THE BOSTON POLICE PATROLMEN'S UNION. WE ALSO HAVE IZZY MARRERO FROM THE LATINO LAW ENFORCEMENT GROUP OF BOSTON. WE ALSO REACHED OUT TO DONALD CASEY AND WE ALSO REACHED OUT TO DR. JEFFREY LOPES FROM FROM MEMORIAL ATMOSPHERE. OKAY. AND THEN WE'LL HEAR FROM SOME FOLKS WHO ARE THEMSELVES PETITIONED THIS COUNCIL AND HAD TO GO THROUGH THE FORMAL PETITION PROCESS. I'D LOVE TO HEAR THEIR PERSPECTIVE AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES TO HAVE THIS UNCERTAINTY OF NOT KNOWING WHEN THIS WILL PASS. SO PERHAPS AT THE STATEHOUSE ALL OF THAT. BUT REALLY QUICKLY I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY AND I DO JUST WANT TO SHOUT OUT MEGAN CAVANAUGH WHO IS OUR GENERAL COUNCILOR WHO ALWAYS DOES A GREAT JOB IN MAKING SURE THAT I'M CORRECT AND I HAVE THE THE RIGHT HISTORY IN FRONT OF US SHE CREATED SHE CREATE THE BRIEF FOR ME EVERY SINGLE HEARING THAT WE HAVE IN THIS COUNCIL AND WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME REALLY GREAT INFORMATION.  SO I JUST WANT TO SHOUT OUT PUBLICLY MEGAN CAVANAUGH FOR HER WORK AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALL PREPARED DURING THIS HEARING AND OTHER HEARINGS. BUT GENERALLY IN TERMS OF LEGISLATIVE OBJECTIVES, THIS ONE THE PETITION WOULD AMEND THE MAXIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT IN THE CITY OF BOSTON FOR ENTRANCE INTO THE POLICE ACADEMY CURRENTLY INDIVIDUALS MUST BE 39 YEARS OR YOUNGER ON THE DATE OF ENTRANCE EXAMINATION TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE BOSTON POLICE ACADEMY.  THIS PARTICULAR PETITION WOULD CHANGE THAT REQUIREMENT TO BE 44 YEARS OR YOUNGER ON THE DATE OF ENTRANCE EXAMINATION FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF MANY INDIVIDUAL PETITIONS TO WAIVE THE MAXIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT THE INTENT OF THE SUMMER PETITION IS TO EXTEND THE OPPORTUNITY TO A WIDER GROUP OF PEOPLE BEYOND THE AGE OF 39 AND IN TERMS OF HISTORY, THE LAST TIME THAT THIS WAS IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL BESIDES THE INDIVIDUAL AGE WAIVER FROM THE PETITIONS WAS BACK IN 2007 WHEN THEN COUNCILOR MICHAEL FLAHERTY INTRODUCED OR SPONSORED A HEARING ORDER TO DISCUSS RAISING THE MAXIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT FOLLOWING A HEARING THAT WAS HELD. MAYOR MENINO THEN FILED A HORROR PETITION RAISING THE MAXIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT TO 36 AT THE TIME. SO I THINK IT WAS FROM 29 TO 36. THE COUNCIL VOTED ON THE PETITION ON APRIL 11TH, 2007 AND AT THAT MEETING COUNCILOR HILLARY OFFERED A FLOOR AMENDMENT TO RAISE THE AGE FROM 36 TO 40 AND WHAT IS CURRENTLY ON THE BOOKS WAS WHAT WAS SUBMITTED AND APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATURE. SO I COULD HAVE JUST PUT UP ON THE SCREEN WHAT WE ARE HOPING TO DO HERE JUST SO WE HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE LANGUAGE IS THIS IS IT.  WE'RE TAKING THAT FROM A PETITION AND CHANGING IT INSTEAD OF SAYING 40TH WE'RE STRIKING THAT AND INSERTING IN PLACE THE FOLLOWING WORD 47. SO WITH THAT I WOULD LOVE TO PASS IT OVER TO LISA O'BRIEN IF YOU WANT TO JUST STATE WHO YOU ARE, WHAT YOU DO, WHAT YOUR BUREAU DOES GENERALLY AND HOW YOU OVERSEE THIS PROCESS AND IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF HOW THIS CHANGE MAY OR MAY NOT AFFECT YOUR WORK CURRENTLY.  SO I'LL PASS IT OVER TO YOU. LISA, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. I'M LISA O'BRIEN. I'M THE BUREAU CHIEF FOR THE BUREAU OF ADMINISTRATION AND TECHNOLOGY.  THE ACTUAL ACADEMY CLASS FOR THE RECRUITMENT OF THE ACADEMY CLASS FALLS UNDER MY BUREAU WHICH IS UNDER HUMAN RESOURCES. SO WE BASICALLY WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE ACADEMY BUT WE'RE ALSO WITH RECRUIT INVESTIGATIONS BECAUSE THAT'S A MAJOR COMPONENT OF THE RECRUIT PROCESS. BUT IT'S IT'S AN UNDER MY BUREAU WHERE THE ACTUAL CLASS STARTS WHERE ONCE THAT PERSON TAKES A CIVIL SERVICE EXAM AND WE CALL THE SERVICE CIVIL SERVICE LIST THE TRAIN GOES OUT, GOES ON THE TRACK AND STARTS THE WHOLE PROCESS OF OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS.  I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE COMMISSIONER HAS NO OBJECTIONS OF RAISING THE AGE TO 45. I ACTUALLY THINK IT WOULD BE A VERY POSITIVE THING BUT I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THAT WOULD ALSO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT FOR VETERANS. VETERANS GET AN ADDITIONAL TIME ADDED TO THE MAXIMUM AGE BASED ON THEIR YEARS OF SERVICE IN THE MILITARY BUT CANNOT EXCEED FOUR YEARS. SO SOME VETERANS COULD HAVE AN AGE CAP OF 49.  I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS AWARE OF THAT BUT BUT I'M HERE BASICALLY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT THE PROCESS, ANY CONCERNS . BUT I'M OPEN FOR ANY ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANY OF THE COUNCILS HAVE RIGHT NOW IF THEY WANT ANY SPECIFICS ON THE PROCESS.  THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. JUST CONFIRMS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE VETERANS MAXIMUM REQUIREMENT. YOU SAID THEY WOULD BE BUMPED UP TO 49 THAT THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED YES SO YEP CHAPTER 31 SECTION 58 A STATES THAT VETERANS GET ADDED YEARS ON TO THE THE MAXIMUM AGE BUT NOT TO EXCEED FOUR YEARS. SO THEY DID TWO YEARS IN THE MILITARY TWO YEARS WOULD GET ADDED ON TO THE MAXIMUM AGE SO BUT THE MAX WOULD BE FOUR DO YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE ANY THE NUMBER OF VETERANS THAT ARE BEYOND THE AGE RIGHT NOW OF OF 40 ARE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 40 AND 45 NOT AT THE NOT AT THIS TIME BUT I CAN GET THAT TO YOU VERY QUICKLY AFTER THIS HEARING. OKAY THAT WOULD BE GREAT. I'LL SWITCH ME I'LL GO AHEAD. I'M SORRY . I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT TOO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DO SEE A LOT OF FORMAL PETITIONS OBVIOUSLY COME COME HERE AND SOMETIMES YOU FEEL BAD FOR THE CANDIDATES BECAUSE IT'S A PROCESS LIKE YOU SAID, MADAM CHAIR, AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T HAVE IT ON ON TIME FOR THE START OF THE CLASS. SO YOU KNOW, THESE ARE VIABLE CANDIDATES THAT WE CAN USE HERE AT THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT . THANK YOU FOR ADDING THAT IMPORTANT POINT INSTEAD OF GOING STRAIGHT TO QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES, I THINK IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO TO BE INFORMED BY BOTH THE UNION PERSPECTIVE AND THEN FOLKS THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH IT AND THEN WE CAN GO TO QUESTIONS AFTER THAT. I DO JUST WANT TO FLAG THAT COUNSELOR TANYA FERNANDEZ ANDERSON HAS SUBMITTED A LETTER OF ABSENCE TO US WILL BE PLACED ON RECORD. I'LL NOW ASK CENTRAL STAFF IF YOU COULD ELEVATE LARRY CALDERON IS MARRERO AND THEN DONALD CASEY AND DR. JESS JEFFREY LOPEZ IF THEY ARE HERE IN THIS ROOM AND WE CAN GO AHEAD AND START WITH MR CALDERON.  HI, LARRY. YOU'RE ON MUTE. YOU HAVE BEFORE SO SORRY ABOUT THAT COUNCILOR AND I'M MULTITASKING AS I'M COMING TO YOU FROM A VEHICLE ON MY CELL PHONE SO I'LL BE AS CAREFUL AS POSSIBLE. BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN ON LARRY CALDERONE OF THE PRESIDENT OF PATROLMEN'S ASSOCIATION OF BOSTON. WE REPRESENT THE APPROXIMATELY 1600 RANK AND FILE MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM THAT ANSWER THE CALLS FOR SERVICE EVERY DAY. AND I TAKEN THE TIME TO COME ON HERE AND SAY THANK YOU TO THE COUNCILOR AS AS MUCH AS YOU KNOW AND AS A PEOPLE THAT ARE LISTENING NOTE I WISH 2500 POLICE OFFICERS NEVER MIND THE MANDATE THAT WE'RE CONSTANTLY REMINDED OF EITHER BY MYSELF OR COUNSELOR GLENN WHERE WE SHOULD HAVE 2500 UNIFORMED MEN AND WOMEN TAKING THESE CALLS. WE ARE IN A CRISIS MODE AS TO QUOTE THE POLICE COMMISSIONER WHO HAS REPEATEDLY SAID THAT WE'RE SHORT HUNDREDS OF BODIES AND I KNOW HE MAY HAVE WOULD DONE A GOOD JOB ON HIGHER END CLASSES THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS BUT TRUTHFULLY IT'S NOT ENOUGH AND THIS IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. WE'LL TAKE AS MANY BODIES AS WE CAN AS LONG AS THEY CAN PASS THE BACKGROUND CHECK IN WHAT'S REQUIRED TO BE A POLICE OFFICER. WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY AND ALL VIABLE CANDIDATES, HOWEVER, ARE MORE FOCUSED ON NOT JUST SUPPORTING THIS MATTER BUT I'D LIKE TO JUST TAKE A QUICK OPPORTUNITY TO SAY I HOPE WE'RE NOT GOING TO STOP HERE.  WE HAVE MADE EXCEPTIONS AND WHEN I SAY WE I'M TALKING AS A WHOLE FAMILY WHETHER IT BE THE DEPARTMENT, THE COUNCIL , THE CITY, THE UNIONS WE THERE'S BEEN A CONCERTED EFFORT TO RECRUIT 911 OPERATED THAT WORK FOR THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT THERE HAS BEEN A CONCERTED EFFORT TO RECRUIT EMT WHICH ARE ORDERED BY ASSOCIATION AND PART OF THAT EFFORT HAS BEEN TO LIFT THE RESIDENCY POLICY EVEN IF FOR A SHORT TIME UNTIL THOSE ORGANIZATIONS REACH THEIR MINIMUM LEVELS.  I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THAT DEPARTMENT CITY HALL, THE COUNCIL , THE MAYOR, WHOEVER IT IS WHY WE CAN'T HAVE THAT SAME CONVERSATION BUT THE ORGANIZATION AND THE MEN AND WOMEN I REPRESENT AS MUCH AS THIS IS A GOOD THING, IT WILL NOT HAVE AN IMMEDIATE EFFECT IN HIGH NUMBERS. WE ARE LOOKING FOR HIGH NUMBERS. WE'RE LOOKING TO BE TREATED LIKE I'M ASKED LIKE THE NUMBER ONE OPERATORS. WE NEED HUNDREDS OF OFFICERS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. SO AGAIN I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU BUT I ALSO AM HOPING TO JUMPSTART A CONVERSATION ON DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THE RESIDENCY POLICY AS IT AFFECTS THE MEN AND WOMEN IN THE FAMILIES I REPRESENT THAT SERVE YOU IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC DAILY IN BOSTON.  WITH THAT AGAIN I SAY THANK YOU COUNCILOR . I APPRECIATE THE TIME AND OPPORTUNITY.  THANK YOU AS ALWAYS, LARRY, AND I APPRECIATE IT. AND JUST ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR POINT ABOUT THE NEED FOR 4911 OPERATORS VMS. I WILL SAY THAT THE LIFTING OF THE RESIDENCY AND RECRUITING YOUNGER FOLKS IS A IS A TANGENTIAL IT'S IT'S VERY SIMILAR AND RELATED CONVERSATION. THIS IS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THIS COMPETITION AND SO I HEAR YOU WE WON'T STOP HERE JUST BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND AND I HEAR FROM EVERYBODY THAT WE NEED MORE POLICE OFFICERS. SO I DO APPRECIATE YOU PROVIDING THAT PERSPECTIVE AND CHALLENGING US TO TO DO MORE BE ON THIS. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR . APPRECIATE YOUR IZZY MOREIRA, DO WE HAVE YOU WITH US TO PROVIDE YOUR PERSPECTIVE?  YES, MA'AM. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY CAN YOU HEAR ME BUT MY OKAY, THANK YOU.  YOU KNOW THERE'S SOME THINGS IN LIFE THAT ARE JUST NO BRAINERS AND THIS IS DEFINITELY ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE WE'RE GIVEN ADULTS THESE ARE GROWN MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE BEYOND THEIR DARE I SAY THE IMMATURE YEARS.  SO IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT IF YOU'RE DRAWING IN THOSE INDIVIDUALS AT THAT TIME THAT MAYBE CHOSE A CAREER PATH THAT DIDN'T NECESSARILY HIT WHAT IT IS THAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR OR THEY'VE ALWAYS KIND OF HAD SOMETHING IN THE BACK OF WANTING TO DO LAW ENFORCEMENT AS A FIRST RESPONDER CAREER AND SOMETHING WAS KEEPING THEM BACK. I'VE HELPED A COUPLE OF INDIVIDUALS GO THROUGH THE HOME RULE PETITION. IT IS A LONG AND LENGTHY PROCESS ALL THOSE INDIVIDUALS HAVE GOTTEN ON THERE, ALL QUALITY FOLKS THEY ARE THESE ARE ALSO MEMBERS THAT WORK IN OTHER CITY AGENCIES. SO YOU ALREADY HAVE A BIT OF A BACKGROUND ON THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE TRYING TO BECOME POLICE OFFICERS RAISING THE AGE OPENS IT UP SUBSTANTIALLY FOR FOLKS THAT WANT A CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT TO HELP COME IN AND DO THAT. OBVIOUSLY WE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ALL PHYSICALLY FIT MENTALLY FIT JUST LIKE WE DO WITH EVERYBODY ELSE. BUT FOLKS ARE LIVING HEALTHIER LIVES LENGTH, LIVING LONGER LIVES. THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING WHERE YOU GAIN A QUALITY PERSON, A MATURE PERSON, A SEASONED ADULT WHO HAS LIFE EXPERIENCES THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEPARTMENT AND TO THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE . THANK YOU SO MUCH AS EACH FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR HELP WITH GETTING MORE FOLKS ON THROUGH THE TO THE HOMEOWNER PETITION PROCESS. SO I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. I THANK YOU FOR SHARING THOSE WORDS. I DO JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR EARL.  I'M NOW GOING TO ASK THAT FOLKS WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS BE ELEVATED TO THE PANELISTS.  I HAVE ALEX GUZMAN, MAX HENDERSON, L.C. BARBOSA, ADAM WHITE, JEAN ROSSINI, KANIKA GATTO AND CHRIS GLOVER UPLIFTS . I SEE LC AND ALEX SO WE CAN GO IN THAT ORDER. YOU FOLKS ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO SPEAK ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AND AND JUST YOUR OVERALL THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS COMPETITION. WE'LL START WITH LC FIRST AND THEN WE'LL GO TO ALEX. LC YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  OKAY MAYBE WE'LL WE'LL CIRCLE BACK TO LC ALEX I SEE YOU'RE READY AND I'M CAMERA OH. LC ARE YOU WITH US? YES. SORRY I WAS MUTED. CAN YOU HANG SO WE CAN HEAR YOU PLEASE PLEASE FEEL FREE TO GO AHEAD AND TALK ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE. HI WE CAN HEAR YOU AND SEE YOU AND THEN ALEX GO TO YOU AFTERWARDS. OKAY SO 40 A MOM OF TWO I ACTUALLY APPLIED BACK IN 2015 AND BY THE TIME I WAS CALLED I WAS RUNNING INTO HAD ORDERS AT NINE MONTHS PREGNANT AND SO AFTER A WHILE I DID HAVE TO WITHDRAW BECAUSE OF THE BABY AND FAST FORWARD SOME YEARS WITH COVID AND EVERYTHING AND JUST LIFE I WASN'T ABLE TO REAPPLY.  I WASN'T IN THAT SPACE BUT I ALWAYS HAD IT IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD THAT I DID WANT TO DO IT AND BEFORE I KNEW IT I WAS TURNING 40 SO I ENDED UP DECIDING THAT I DID WANT TO APPLY AND THAT THE WAIVER WAS AN OPTION WHICH WAS EXCITING FOR ME AND THAT I STILL HAD A CHANCE TO DO IT FOR MYSELF AND FOR MY KIDS. I STARTED GOING TO INFORMAL SESSIONS AND JUST MAKING MYSELF PRESENT AT DIFFERENT EVENTS TO TO GATHER MORE INFORMATION ON THIS MET SOME REALLY NICE PEOPLE, ENDED UP TAKING THE EXAM A MONTH AFTER I TURNED 40 I PASSED AND JUST BEGAN THE PROCESS. RIGHT NOW I'M JUST WAITING FOR MY HOME VISIT AND I'M WAITING FOR MY STATE APPROVAL. I ALSO GOT MYSELF INTO JINGLE FOR PRE ACADEMY TRAINING SO I'M REALLY SORE RIGHT NOW BUT I THINK THIS RIGHT HERE IS IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE MY AGE AND A LITTLE BIT OLDER BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH I'M 40 I DON'T FEEL ALREADY LIKE PHYSICALLY I'M PRETTY IN SHAPE FOR HAVING KIDS AND BEEN LIKE A REALLY BUSY MOM AND I FEEL LIKE THIS IS MY PURPOSE. I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY, I'VE BEEN WITH INSPECTIONAL SERVICES FOR 18 YEARS AND I FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME FOR ME AND IT'S IT'S IMPORTANT AND I KNOW THAT IF YOU GUYS PASSED THIS YOU WOULD SEE A LOT MORE PEOPLE I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WANT TO GET ON BUT YOU KNOW DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE APPROVAL AND THEY JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO IT BECAUSE IT'S BEEN MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS OF ME WAITING. IT'S A LONG TEDIOUS PROCESS ON TOP OF TRYING TO GET IN BETTER SHAPE AND THEN BEING A MOM AND ALSO HAVING TO DO THIS AT THE SAME TIME.  SO I HOPE YOU GUYS FEEL THAT THIS PASS PLEASE FOR ME AND FOR A LOT OF OTHER WOMEN AND MEN THAT THAT YOU KNOW DIDN'T GET THE CHANCE BEFORE YOU KNOW SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THANK YOU FOR FOR BEING HERE AND PROVIDING A WINDOW INTO YOUR EXPERIENCE.  IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT NEW MOMS AND JUST EVERYBODY IN GENERAL THINGS HAPPEN IN LIFE AND EVERYBODY SHOULD BE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY. SO I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE AND LETTING US KNOW YOUR YOUR STORY ABOUT ADAM AND THEN KENNY HI.  YEAH. LIKE YOU SAID, MY NAME IS ALEX COLEMAN.  I AM A BOSTON RESIDENT, BEEN LIVING HERE FOR MOST OF MY MY LIFE MY ADULT LIFE AND I ALSO TOOK THE POLICE EXAM YEARS AGO PROBABLY 2010 2018, 2009 MAYBE . AND I ALSO CONSIDERED BEING A POLICE OFFICER IN NEW YORK AT THE TIME BECAUSE I IS THIS IS SOMETHING I REALLY WANT TO DO AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I ALWAYS CONSIDERED THAT I WANTED IT TO BE MY CAREER AND I WAS BEING PROCESSED FOR NEW YORK AND AT THE TIME ALSO AFTER PASSING THE EXAMINER IN BOSTON WAS GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS AND EVENTUALLY HAD TO DROP THE PROCESS IN NEW YORK AFTER REALIZING THAT THE PROCESS HERE WAS JUST PROBABLY NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF CANDIDATES THAT HAD APPLIED AND ALL OF THAT AND IT WAS VERY COMPETITIVE AT THE TIME AND I DIDN'T DO IT IN NEW YORK. I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE THE CITY. LIKE I SAID, I HAD BEEN LIVING HERE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS AT THAT POINT. EVEN SO THEN AND ALSO MY FIANCEE AND I HAD OUR FIRST CHILD RIGHT AROUND THAT TIME. I WAS BORN IN 2010 ACTUALLY AND SO THERE WERE THINGS THAT HAPPENED THAT PREVENTED ME FROM PURSUING THIS AFTER THAT BEING A DAD FOR A CAREER I JUST GRADUATED COLLEGE IN 2009 AND SO THINGS THAT YOU DON'T EXPECT THAT WOULD CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF YOUR LIFE MAYBE YOU OR YOUR DREAM CAREER THEY COME UP, YOU DEAL WITH THEM AND YOU MAKE HEADWAY.  BUT YOU KNOW SINCE THEN I'VE BEEN WORKING FOR THE BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY FOR ALMOST 13 YEARS NOW AND LIKE THE PERSON THAT JUST SPOKE ALSO I'M A CITY RESIDENT. I'M ALSO, YOU KNOW, WORK FOR THE CITY. I WANT TO JOIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OR AT LEAST HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN THE THE ACADEMY AND HAVE A SHOT AT PURSUING THAT CAREER THAT I'M THAT I'VE ALWAYS WANTED. IT IS DIFFICULT TO DO IT WHEN YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE WAVER ESPECIALLY FOR ME I'M ALREADY 44 SO I LITERALLY WOULD HAVE TO GET ON NOW AT 45 OR BEFORE I TURN 45 OR SEVEN IN JULY OF 2025 I DID PASS THE TEST. I SUBMITTED MY WAIVER. I'M WAITING FOR THE STATE TO HOPEFULLY PROVE THAT AND MOVE THAT PROCESS FORWARD SO THAT IT IS AN EXPERIENCE BEING A YOU KNOW, BEING A BOSTON RESIDENT.  YES, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE A NEED FOR ALL THE CANDIDATES AND MAYBE LIFTING THE RESIDENT REQUIREMENTS WILL BE IMPORTANT FOR MORE CANDIDATES TO BE ABLE TO APPLY. BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO GIVE THE SPACE AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR BOSTON RESIDENTS EVEN IF IT'S AT A LATER AGE TO PARTICIPATE AND BE AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN THAT DEPARTMENT. I THINK IF YOU LIVE IN BOSTON YOU'LL APPRECIATE THE CITY, YOU RESPECT THE CITY AND YOU FIGHT FOR YOUR CITY. EVEN SO, MORE SO THAN SOMEONE THAT COMES FROM OUTSIDE OF THE CITY THEY WOULDN'T CARE BECAUSE IF THEY'RE IN THE CAREER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICE OBVIOUSLY THEY WOULD THEY WOULD ACTUALLY STATE THAT TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY. BUT AGAIN, IF I'M GIVEN ANY OPPORTUNITY THIS IS SOMETHING I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO AND I AM PHYSICALLY READY. I AM MENTALLY READY. I DON'T FEEL 44 BY ANY MEANS. I PROBABLY LOOK AT IT I DON'T KNOW BUT I CERTAINLY DON'T FEEL IT AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND HOPEFULLY THIS HAPPENS FOR ME AND MANY OTHER CANDIDATES THAT WOULD ADD TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO BRING THAT EXPERIENCE, THAT LIFE EXPERIENCE AND BE IN A IN A MORE MATURE STATE OF LIFE BECAUSE OF YOUR AGE AND THE LIVES CAREERS OF YOU'VE GONE TO THE JOBS YOU'VE HELD AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.  SO THANK YOU AND AGAIN HOPEFULLY I'LL BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY AND I CAN THANK YOU SO MUCH ALEX FOR BEING HERE FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE CITY. I APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR REMARKS MIXED UP. WE HAVE ADAM KENNY AND THEN GINA JEAN.  YES, ADAM, IF YOU IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO NEXT YOU HAVE THE FOUR. YES. HELLO.  I JUST WANTED TO HOP ON. I APPLIED A FEW YEARS AGO FOR WHATEVER REASON IT DIDN'T WORK OUT. I'M AT THAT AGE WHERE I'M RIGHT ON THE CUSP. I'M 39, WANTED TO APPLY AGAIN AND I THINK THAT I THINK THAT AT MY AGE NOW WHERE I AM PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY I WOULD I WOULD I WOULD THRIVE IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.  I'M JUST LOOKING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY NOTHING MORE.  I'M NOT ASKING TO BECOME A POLICE OFFICER. I'M JUST ASKING FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE IT A SHOT.  AWESOME. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU FOR STICKING WITH IT. AND THIS IS ALL THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR THROUGH THIS WHOLE PETITION IS FOR FOLKS TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND BE GIVEN THAT OPPORTUNITY AS YOU MENTIONED. SO THANK YOU KENNY. AND THEN JEAN AND THEN I HAVE CHRIS.  HEY, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. HOW ARE WE DOING?  DOING WELL, THANK YOU. I THINK MATURITY IS THE NUMBER ONE THING ABOUT THIS WHOLE SITUATION. IT WILL DEFINITELY OPEN THE FLOODGATES AS WE SEE HEALTH BENEFITS.  EVERYBODY'S EATING WELL, EVERYBODY'S GETTING HEALTHIER MATURITY LEVEL AT THAT PARTICULAR PARTICULAR AGE SOMEONE IS STARTING A CAREER DON'T WANT TO GET AHEAD.  IT WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN THE FLOODGATES FOR A LOT OF CANDIDATES THAT ARE PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY ABLE TO DO THIS. I MYSELF I'M COMING FROM A CORPORATE BACKGROUND NO MILITARY NO TYPE OF POLICE EXPERIENCE.  I DECIDED TO DO THIS AND DIDN'T QUITE WORK OUT FIRST COUPLE OF TIMES I HAPPENED TO BE A NUMBER ONE CALL TAKER AT CORPORATE AT HEADQUARTERS BOSTON POLICE HEADQUARTERS. I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE WORDS I'M FAMILIAR WITH A LOT OF THE POLICE PROCEDURES NOW AND AT THE AGE THAT I AM I DECIDED TO TAKE THE EXAM AGAIN, TRY IT OUT . THE FACT THAT I'M EXPERIENCING A LOT OF CALLS FROM MINORITIES THAT NEEDS BASICALLY BOSTON'S BECOMING A VERY DIVERSE CITY AND HOPING IT WILL BRING A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY IS FOR THE HAITIAN COMMUNITY, THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY, THE ASIAN COMMUNITY AS FAR AS DIVERSITY AND AGE GOALS.  SO THIS IS GREAT FOR THE CITY.  IT WOULD DEFINITELY WORK OUT.  THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY AND YOUR PERSPECTIVE. I APPRECIATE IT.  NEXT UP WE HAVE GINA JEAN. I APOLOGIZE IF I'M SAYING YOUR NAME INCORRECTLY. AND THEN LASTLY BUT NOT LEAST CHRIS JOHN, RIGHT? YES, JOHN, PLEASE, PLEASE GO AHEAD. HELLO. MY NAME IS.  MY NAME IS JEAN RAJNI AND I DECIDED TO JOIN THE BOSTON POLICE.  WANTED TO BE ABLE TO BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND EXPERIENCE BEING A POLICE OFFICER AS WELL. I'VE DONE I WORK FOR I'VE WORKED SECURITY AND I WORK SIDE BY SIDE WITH POLICE OFFICERS AND I DID ENJOY THAT. NOT THAT I YOU KNOW, I'M A LITTLE OLDER NOW AND TO BE TRUTHFUL I WAS TOLD THAT THE COURT AGE WAS 45. SO THERE IS A RUMOR OUT THERE THAT SAYING THAT THE AGE TO CUT AGE IS 45 AND IT'S ACTUALLY NOT . AND I DID TAKE THE EXAM. I DID PASS THE EXAM AND I DID LEARN THAT THE AGE WAIVER IS NOTHING HAS CHANGED. THEY'RE NOT SURE WHAT THESE RUMORS ARE COMING FROM. BUT I DID HEAR IT AND I WAS TRYING TO BEAT THAT AND FORTUNATELY I WAS TOLD THAT NO THAT NOTHING LIKE THAT HAS HAPPENED. BUT I DO THINK IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO TO EXTEND IT THE AGE WE WERE. YOU HAVE A LOT A GUY MY AGE THAT STILL LOOKS YOUNG. THEY STILL WANT AN OPPORTUNITY ,YOU KNOW, TO BE A POLICE OFFICER AND I DON'T THINK IT'S YOU KNOW, IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THE AGE AS LONG AS THEY CAN DO THE JOB AND IF IT WHEN YOU CAN PASS I THINK THEY SHOULD BE GIVEN GIVEN THAT CHANCE, YOU KNOW, TO BE A POLICE OFFICER. AND AGAIN, YOU HAVE OTHER PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF WHO WANTS TO TRY A LOT OF THINGS, YOU KNOW, WHO WANT TO TRY DIFFERENT CAREER PEOPLE TO SEE WHAT YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY YOU KNOW WHAT REALLY SUITS THEM AND THEN YOU HAVE LIFE ALSO GETS IN THE WAY. YOU HAVE YOU HAVE PARENTS THAT HAS KIDS AND YOU KNOW THEY HAVE TO MAKE LIFE CHOICES, YOU KNOW, AND THEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHERE THEIR MOTHER GETS SICK AND THEY ALSO HAVE TO MAKE LIFE CHOICES AND THEN THEY YOU KNOW, WHEN WE CAN THEN WHEN IT'S THAT TIME THEN WE GO OR OUR WE GO FOR OUR DREAM OR WE GO FOR THE CAREER THAT WE DESIRED THEY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, JOHN. THANKS. OKAY.  AND NEXT WE HAVE CHRIS BLOW, MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL . MY NAME IS CHRIS GLOBALISTS.  I'M A CURRENT RESIDENT OF EAST BOSTON. I BELIEVE THIS ACT WOULD HELP IN MANY WAYS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FUTURE CANDIDATES AND ITS CONSTITUENTS WITH THE CURRENT CLIMATE A FEW PEOPLE WANT TO BECOME POLICE OFFICERS COUPLED WITH CANDIDATES THAT HAVE WANTED TO BECOME OFFICERS WHEN THERE WAS A HIRING FREEZE NOW BEING PASSED THE AGE LIMITS TO APPLY TO POTENTIAL OFFICERS HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY LOW. RAISING THE AGE LIMITATION WOULD HELP THE DEPARTMENT FIND MORE QUALITY APPLICANTS THEREFORE PUTTING MORE QUALITY OFFICERS ON THE STREET BECAUSE OF THE HIRING FREEZE. THE CANDIDATES WHO WERE INTERESTED IN BECOMING AN OFFICER WERE FORCED TO WAIT AND ULTIMATELY BECAME TOO OLD.  IF THIS LAW PASSES THERE WILL BE A LARGER POOL OF PEOPLE TO CHOOSE FROM TO BECOME CAREER POLICE OFFICERS. THE AGE LIMIT RAISED WILL NOT ALLOW UNWORTHY CANDIDATES ON THE JOB BECAUSE THEY WOULD STILL HAVE TO PASS THE INTENSE SCREENING BACKGROUND IN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS.  THE CANDIDATES WOULD ALSO HAVE TO PASS THE RIGOROUS SIX MONTH POLICE ACADEMY THE TEST FOR PHYSICAL FITNESS AND ACADEMIC ABILITIES PRESSING OVER THE CURRENT AGE LIMIT WILL HAVE TO BE EVEN STRONGER AND MORE DETERMINED TO BE ABLE TO PASS TO THESE DEMANDS. THE MOST DETERMINED CANDIDATES WILL KEEP UP WITH PERSONS HALF THEIR AGE. I ALSO THINK HAVING OFFICERS OF A MORE MATURE AGE ON THE JOB WOULD BE HELPFUL. POLICE OFFICERS HAVE TO UNDERSTAND PROBLEM SOLVING EMPATHIZE WITH THE PUBLIC A PERSON WHO HAS LIVED AND HAD SEVERAL DIFFERENT OCCUPATIONS WOULD BETTER UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF THEIR COMMUNITY ESPECIALLY WHEN DEALING WITH THE COMMUNITY AT THEIR MOST STRESSFUL TIMES.  THE CURRENT AGE IS 21 TO BECOME A CANDIDATE AND ALTHOUGH YOU ARE MOST LIKELY AT THE TOP, PHYSICAL FITNESS, IMMATURITY AND DEPTH OF LIFE IS MUCH MORE LIMITED. A PERSON WHO HAS LIVED SEVERAL YEARS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR THAN TRAINED AS AN OFFICER IS MORE LIKELY TO BE ABLE TO ASSESS THE PUBLIC'S NEEDS DURING THE REST.  I KNOW PERSONALLY I'M A MUCH MORE INTELLIGENT UNDERSTANDING, EMPATHETIC PERSON THAN I WAS WHEN I WAS 21. I'M PROUD OF WHERE I AM NOW AFTER THE LESSONS I HAVE LEARNED FROM LIFE. MY WIFE HAS ALSO BEEN A POLICE OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON FOR 18 YEARS AND WE DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS COMPETITION ACT, SHE APPROACHED OFFICERS THAT WERE OVER THE AGE AND INQUIRED HOW THEY WERE ABLE TO BE HIRED.  THEY EXPLAINED THAT THIS PROCESS ABOUT THIS PROCESS BUT THIS PROCESS IS LIMITED TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE THIS KNOWLEDGE. IF I HAD KNOWN THIS I WOULD HAVE USED THIS ACT WHEN I APPLIED FOUR YEARS AGO. I'M EXCITED. I'LL BE FINALLY GIVEN THIS OPPORTUNITY. BUT I BELIEVE EVERYONE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON SHOULD BE AFFORDED THE SAME OPPORTUNITY BEING A PERSON AS A GROWN UP IN BOSTON AND NEVER LEFT THE CITY. I'VE WANTED TO BECOME A POLICE OFFICER FOR MANY YEARS BUT IT NEVER SEEMED LIKE IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THIS PETITION IT MIGHT ACTUALLY HAPPEN. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.  THANK YOU SO MUCH TO EAST BOSTON RESIDENT CHRIS SCRABULOUS FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.  I'LL NOW PASS IT TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR ANY QUESTIONS COMMENTS OR CONCERNS THEY MIGHT HAVE AND CAN BE DIRECTED FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE STILL ON THE CALL. IT LOOKS LIKE WE WILL PARTICIPATE OUT OF EVERYBODY. I'LL FIRST GO TO COUNCILOR THEN COUNSELOR SANTANA FLYNN FITZGERALD LOUIJEUNE MURPHY SANTANA WEBER AND THEN WE'RE ALL COUNCILOR PRETEND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.  MADAM CHAIR, THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN FOR DOING THIS AND TO THE TWO THOSE THAT JUST TESTIFIED THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR AND YOUR TESTIMONIES AS WELL. LISA AND LARRY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WORK YOU DO ON THE OFFICIAL SIDE AND TO THE PINTA LC ALEX, ADAM, KENNY, JEAN, YOU GUYS ALL YOUR STORIES ARE ALL VERY FASCINATING AND JUST I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE LIKE YOU THAT WANT TO SERVE THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I DO WANT TO START OFF WITH A QUESTION TO LISA AND BEFORE ALL THIS HAPPENS, WHAT IS THE CURRENT PROCESS FOR SOMEONE THAT RECEIVES AN AGE WAIVER? WHAT IS YOUR RECOMMENDATION AND DO PEOPLE USUALLY TAKE THE TEST FIRST AND THEN APPLY FOR THE PETITION?  IS IT THE OTHER WAY AROUND? WHAT'S THE WHAT'S THE ENTIRE PROCESS? CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE ONES THAT I'VE SEEN IN MY TENURE HERE?  THEY USUALLY APPLY FOR IT AFTER THEY TAKE THE TEST.  AS I UNDERSTAND IT WITH CIVIL SERVICE ANYBODY CAN TAKE THE CIVIL SERVICE EXAM AT ANY AGE BUT OBVIOUSLY EACH TOWN EACH MUNICIPALITY EITHER HAS THE STATE LIMIT WHICH IS 32 OR WAS 32 BUT NOW IT'S 39 FOR BOSTON. BUT I'VE SEEN AND JUST TO BE CLEAR THAT THE DAY YOU SIT FOR THE TEST YOU'VE GOT 39 AND YOU TURN 40 IN THE ACADEMY YOU OBVIOUSLY STILL MOVE FORWARD TO PROCEED TO THE ACADEMY PROCESS BUT I'VE SEEN THE PETITIONS COME THROUGH AS THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THE RECRUIT PROCESS AND COMING DOWN TO THE WIRE. IT'S LIKE THREE DAYS BEFORE THE CLASS EVEN STARTS THAT THEY STILL HAVEN'T GOT THE PETITION BACK FROM THE STATE SO THAT'S THAT'S PRETTY TOUGH BECAUSE JUST TO GET INTO THE ACADEMY,  YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE EMPTY SEAT THE PATTY GOT TO GO THROUGH A PRETTY AGGRESSIVE, YOU KNOW, PHYSICAL PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION ALONG WITH THE RECRUIT INVESTIGATION.  SO THAT IN ITSELF IS LIKE A SIX MONTH PROCESS AND I'VE JUST SEEN THEM LIKE, YOU KNOW, EITHER COME IN AT THE LAST MINUTE OR THEY DON'T GET IN ON TIME AND IT'S IT'S HEARTBREAKING FOR THEM. RIGHT. AND IN TERMS OF THE TEST, WHEN YOU TAKE THE TEST, HOW LONG DOES THAT QUALIFY FOR? LIKE HOW LONG UNTIL YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT AGAIN? IS THERE A CERTAIN TIME FRAME? YES.  SO YOU CIVIL SERVICE NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN THE CIVIL SERVICE EXAM IS IN MARCH EVERY YEAR YOUR YOUR TEST SCORE IS GOOD FOR TWO YEARS. HOWEVER THEY THEY ROLL THE LIST TOGETHER IT'S IT'S CONSTANTLY GETTING REFRESHED EVERY YEAR EVEN THOUGH YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL LAST TWO YEARS SO YOU COULD TAKE IT AFTER YEAR ONE IF YOU WANTED A HIGHER SCORE BUT THE HIGHER SCORE YOU KNOW IF YOU FAIL IT YOU'RE AUTOMATICALLY OUT. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL WAIT THE TWO YEARS BEFORE THEY TAKE IT AGAIN AND TO BE WITH YOU WE'VE BEEN DREAMING THE LIST THE LAST FOUR YEARS THAT THAT HAS NOT BEEN AN ISSUE AND DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF HOW MANY FOLKS HAVE A ARE INTERESTED IN OVER THE AGE OF 39 OR IS THERE AN ESTIMATE OF HOW MANY MORE POLICE OFFICERS THE BPD WOULD HAVE IF WE WERE 20 PEOPLE? I'M I DON'T HAVE AN ESTIMATE. I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT OUR FOLKS IN H.R.  DID AN AGGRESSIVE RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN LAST FALL TO TO BOSTON RESIDENTS JUST TO TAKE THE CIVIL SERVICE EXAM AND THEY DID A FANTASTIC JOB THAT WE ENDED UP HAVING LIKE US, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE PREVIOUS YEAR ONLY 500 PEOPLE TOOK THE CIVIL SERVICE EXAM.  WE GOT IT UP TO LIKE A THOUSAND TO TAKE IT.  BUT I JUST THINK IF WE HAVE AGGRESSIVE RECRUITMENT EFFORTS LIKE THAT WE WOULD GRAB THAT CLASS OF PEOPLE BETWEEN 40 AND 45 THAT THAT ARE WILLING THAT I'M SURE THAT ARE PHYSICALLY ABLE BUT I COULDN'T PUT AN ESTIMATE BUT I BET IT WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT ESPECIALLY SOME PEOPLE DURING THAT TIMEFRAME LIKE TO MAKE CAREER CHANGES TO GOTCHA GOTCHA GOTCHA.  AND I GUESS THE LAST QUESTION I HAVE FOR YOU, LISA, IS YOU KNOW ,I ALWAYS LIKE TO HAVE BOTH SIDE OF THE TABLE PRESENTED HERE LIKE IS THERE A REASON WHY WE WOULDN'T DO THIS? IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU SEE BE A CHALLENGE? OBVIOUSLY I WANT TO SEE THIS PASS BUT I DO WANT TO BE READY. THERE'S A REBUTTAL. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT THAT NOT NOT THAT I CAN FORESEE I COULD I CAN FORESEE THAT IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, A DECISION A PERSONAL DECISION FOR THAT CANDIDATE BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T THEY WOULDN'T OBVIOUSLY IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY PRIOR CITY EXPERIENCE THEY JUST CAME IN, TOLD COLD TURKEY THEY WOULDN'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO QUOTED 80% AND IF THEY CAME IN AT 45 WITH NO CITY EXPERIENCE THAT DID THAT MANDATORY RETIREMENT AT 65 SO THEIR PENSION WOULD CAP AT 50% BUT THAT WOULD BE THEIR DECISION TO MAKE REALLY NOT OURS TO MAKE FOR THEM.  GOTCHA. OKAY. YEAH, I'VE BEEN HEARING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT SO I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF THAT WAS A MAJOR CONCERN OF YOURS BUT OKAY, IT'S IT'S MORE OF A PERSONAL DECISION. ALL RIGHT, LISTEN, I THE BOTTOM LINE IS I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I AM PUSHING FOR HEAVILY. I'M VERY AGAIN THANKFUL FOR THOSE TESTIMONIES BUT ESPECIALLY ALEX WHO'S ONE WHO I KNOW I THINK YOU WERE THE FIRST ONE I PUT FORWARD ON THE COUNCIL CHAMBER. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND TO LISTEN TO YOUR STORY ONCE AGAIN. BUT TO EVERYONE ON HERE YOU JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WANTING TO SERVE AND I'LL REMAIN I'LL GIVE THE REST OF MY TIME BACK TO YOU. CHAIR THANK YOU SO MUCH.  THANK YOU, COUNCILOR COUNSELOR SANTANA THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING ON THIS CALL. I WON'T NAME EVERYONE AT THE COUNCIL OFFENDED BUT I WAS REALLY MOVED BY ALL THE TESTIMONY ON THIS CALL.  AND I JUST HAVE ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION FOR LISA IF I MAY BESIDE YOU FROM THE TESTIMONY YOU KNOW, THERE WERE SOME RESIDENTS WHO EXPRESSED, YOU KNOW, HOW YOU KNOW, THE AGE REQUIREMENT WAS AT 39 AND SOME PEOPLE THOUGHT IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE MAYBE RUMORS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AT 45. BUT YOU KNOW, CLEARLY NOT ALL RESIDENTS ARE INFORMED ABOUT ABOUT THIS. CAN YOU JUST TALK ABOUT KIND OF LISTING THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE ENSURING THAT THIS INFORMATION IS OUT TO RESIDENTS AND JUST WHAT'S CURRENTLY BEING DONE?  WELL, I DON'T KNOW OF ANY INFORMATION THAT WENT OUT SAYING THAT IT WAS 45. COUNCILOR , I KNOW THAT IF THIS PETITION PETITION GOES THROUGH OBVIOUSLY IT WILL BE PART OF OUR RECRUITMENT EFFORTS WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO IT. I MEAN LIKE I SAID EARLIER WE DID SOME AGGRESSIVE RECRUITING LAST FALL FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE EXAM BUT I THINK WE WOULD USE OUR MEDIA OUTLETS TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THE CITY OF BOSTON WEBSITE OBVIOUSLY TO KNOW TO LET RESIDENTS KNOW I MEAN EVEN THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMUNITY POLICING EFFORTS TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEIR MAXIMUM AGE NOW IS IS FOUR WOULD BE GOLDEN AND POSSIBLY COULD GO TO 45 TO GET THE WORD OUT MORE AND MORE DOES GET OUT BUT I JUST THINK WOULD HAVE TO BE JUST AS AGGRESSIVE HAVE BEEN RECRUITMENT EFFORTS AS GETTING THIS WORD OUT SO THAT PEOPLE WOULD KNOW THAT THERE WAS THAT THAT ONGOING PETITION IF GOES UP TO STATE AND PASSES THAT IT'S IT'S NOW 45 NOW THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. I THINK EVERYONE MADAM CHAIR, I THINK AS YOU MENTIONED AT THE TOP OF THE POWER OF A MEETING I BELIEVE THIS IS A NO BRAINER AND AFTER LISTENING TO THESE TESTIMONIES I STILL BELIEVE IT WAS A NO BRAINER. SO I'M FULLY IN SUPPORT OF THIS AND REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE TAKING THE TIME TO TESTIFY TODAY.  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN AND THEN COUNCILOR FITZGERALD.  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND SAY THANK YOU TO LISA WHO HAS DONE AN EXCEPTIONAL WORKING AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON SO MANY ISSUES AND VERY PROFESSIONAL AND VERY, VERY HELPFUL.  SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOU LISA.  BUT LISA, YOU MENTIONED THE THE MANDATORY RETIREMENT AGE 65. IS THAT IS THAT ACCURATE? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.  OKAY. I'M JUST THROWING TRYING THIS OUT TO TO ANYONE FOR A COMMENT WHETHER IT'S POLICE OR OTHER CAREER. BUT I'VE I'VE HEARD FROM POLICE OFFICERS THAT ARE GETTING TOWARDS THAT AGE AND I SUPPORT THE PROPOSAL THAT WAS PRESENTED. I THINK IT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA . BUT I ALSO HEARD FROM POLICE OFFICERS THAT ARE APPROACHING THE AGE OF 65, 64, 63. THEY WANT TO STILL CONTINUE SERVING ON THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. THEY LOVE THE JOB.  THEY'RE A GREAT HELP. THEY'RE IN GREAT HEALTH. THEY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO CONTRIBUTE LIKE MY FRIEND SEAN WHO WAS ASKING ME ABOUT THIS HE'S BEEN ON FOR A LONG TIME.  BUT IS THIS SOMETHING THAT THE BOSTON POLICE WOULD LIKE TO SEE ALSO IS TO KIND OF INCREASE THE MANDATORY RETIREMENT AGE?  TO BE HONEST WITH THE COUNCIL WE HAVEN'T HAD MANY DISCUSSIONS ON THAT. SO I REALLY DON'T KNOW. I KNOW THAT AT ONE POINT WHEN I THINK I WAS JUST A KID AT THE TIME THERE WAS A COUPLE OF POLICE OFFICERS THAT WERE TRYING TO GET IT TO 70 BUT IT DID IT DIDN'T PASS BUT AGAIN I COULDN'T SPEAK TO THAT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THERE'S REALLY BEEN NO DISCUSSIONS INTERNALLY INSIDE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT EXTENDING THE RETIREMENT AGE. NO, THANK YOU, LISA AND I BRING THAT UP BECAUSE I ALSO KNOW THAT WHEN A LOT OF BOSTON POLICE OFFICERS RETIRE THEY THEY SOMETIMES GO TO OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS AND DO AND DO SOME OTHER POLICE WORK OVER THERE. BUT ANYWAY, MAYBE TO THE CHAIR MADAM MADAM CHAIR, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD EVER CONSIDER IS DOING A HOME RULE PETITION ON INCREASING THE RETIREMENT AGE?  I CERTAINLY WOULD CONSIDER IT. I THINK WE'D HAVE TO ALSO LOOK TO RAISING FIRE AND SOME OF WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS ARE FOR OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY PROFESSIONALS.  LISA DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW WHERE THIS LIVES LIKE IN WHAT STATUTE IN EITHER STATE LAW? NO, BUT I'LL DO SOME RESEARCH AFTER THIS HEARING AND GET THAT TO YOU. OKAY?  YEAH. OKAY. QUICKLY WHY DON'T WE CIRCLE BACK AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE HOW WE COULD POTENTIALLY DO THAT? OF COURSE THERE MIGHT BE ADDITIONAL QUALIFIERS WHERE YOU WOULD HAVE TO PASS ANOTHER PHYSICAL EXAM OR MENTAL EXAM, WHATEVER THAT IS.  I THINK WE HAVE TO PUT WE WOULD HAVE TO PUT SOME THINGS IN THERE BUT BEFORE I SPEAK TO YOU SOON LET'S JUST LOOK INTO IT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.  YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.  AND AGAIN I SUPPORT THIS. I THINK IT'S AN EXCELLENT PROPOSAL. IT'S AN EXCELLENT PLAN. A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE ALREADY HAD A CAREER AND WANT TO JOIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IF THEY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO OFFER TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY AND TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, I THINK THEY SHOULD BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK HARD, GO TO THE ACADEMY AND BE SUCCESSFUL IN AGE SHOULD NOT BE A DETERRENT FOR THEM. I KNOW PEOPLE IN THEIR FORTIES THAT ARE AS COMPETITIVE AS AS ANYONE ELSE SO I SUPPORT THIS. I ALSO WANT TO AND I KNOW IT'S A TOPIC FOR ANOTHER CONVERSATION I ALSO SUPPORT GETTING RID OF THE RESIDENCY FOR FOR FIRST RESPONDERS BUT ALSO FOR LOW WAGE WORKERS IN THE CITY WHETHER IT'S LOCAL 93 OR WHATEVER. BUT THE PRESIDENCY IS HAVING A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON RECRUITMENT RETENTION AS WELL. I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT AND MADAM CHAIR YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS.  THANK YOU COUNSELOR FLYNN AND IF I DIDN'T ALREADY ACKNOWLEDGE HER I APOLOGIZE.  COUNSELOR MAKIYA HAS JOINED US. WE'LL GO TO COUNSELOR FITZGERALD LOUIJEUNE MURPHY WEBER AND THEN COUNCILOR HERE.  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, TO SUPPORT THIS WHOLEHEARTEDLY. NOT ONLY BECAUSE I FALL WITHIN THE AGE RANGE THAT THIS WOULD ALLOW ME TO GO FOR A COPY AND IF I HAD PUT ANY EFFORT INTO KEEPING UP WITH THE PHYSICAL ASPECT BELIEVE I COULD HAVE STILL BE ABLE TO TAKE THE TEST AND JOIN THE FORCE.  HOWEVER, AGAIN I MENTIONED EARLIER JUST GOT BACK FROM THE POLICE ACADEMY THIS MORNING, HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO SOME OF THE FOLKS ABOUT THIS HEARING. I THINK IT'S WELCOMED AND SO I KNOW IT'S A GOOD IDEA. THEY SPOKE OF THE NEED. YOU KNOW WELL, WE ARE TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION OF RECRUITMENT FOR INCOMING CLASSES.  THE NUMBERS ARE UP AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SEE THAT THERE'S STILL A BIG GAP TO GO AND I BELIEVE THAT IF THERE ARE WILLING AND ABLE FOLKS THAT CAN DO THIS JOB AND LOOK FOR A GOOD CAREER AND PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILY THAT THIS IS A THAT THIS IS A NOBLE ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION TO TAKE TO HELP THAT I DO TO TO COUNCILOR AT CAPTAIN'S POINT THOUGH RIGHT YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO THINK ABOUT OKAY, WHAT ARE THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES THIS MAY HAVE DOWN THE ROAD BECAUSE I KNOW AND WHEN WE LOOK BACK ON HISTORY OF A LOT OF POLITICAL THINGS, YOU CAN SAY WELL, IT A GOOD IDEA AT THE TIME BUT HERE'S WHAT WE DIDN'T SEE COMING AND SO JUST WONDERING ABOUT LIKE IN TERMS OF PROMOTION MORALE I MEAN IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT IN THE FUTURE? AND LISA, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOU REPRESENTING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HERE TODAY.  YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT THAT MEANS YOU MIGHT HAVE A A 45 YEAR OLD OR WITH THE VETERAN, A FOUR YEAR VETERAN, A 49 YEAR OLD ROOKIE ON THE FORCE HAVING SOME POTENTIALLY 29 YEAR OLD SERGEANT TELLING HIM WHAT TO DO AND THEN WHEN IT COMES TIME FOR PROMOTION, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE AS THEY GET LATER INTO THEIR LIFE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SET UP AND THAT'S PRESUMABLY WHY THEY'RE APPLYING TO THIS JOB OR BUT WHEN PROMOTION TIME COMES AND THE THOSE I'M NOT SAYING THAT ANYTHING WOULD HAPPEN BUT IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED AT ALL BECAUSE OF THIS OR IS THERE ANY OTHER ISSUES LIKE THAT THAT WE COULD FORESEE AGAIN, RELATIVELY SIMILAR TO COUNCILOR TO THIS POINT?  NOTHING TO THAT EXTENT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED THERE. THERE ARE OTHER DISCUSSIONS THAT YOU LOOK AT LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, WITH THEIR INJURY TAKE LONGER TO HEAL BEING YOU KNOW, AT AN OLDER AGE. BUT I THINK IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE PHYSICAL STAMINA OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND NOT JUST THE THE AGENTS ITSELF.  YOU KNOW, WITH OUR WITH THE ACCIDENTAL DISABILITY RETIREMENTS INCREASE BECAUSE IT'S A 72% RETIREMENT RATE VERSUS THE 50% AND THOSE ARE JUST CONSIDERATIONS. BUT I THINK THAT THEY'RE AT THIS POINT ISN'T AS SIGNIFICANT AS MAYBE INCREASING OUR POPULATION HERE. THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT GET QUALITY OFFICERS OUT OF THE STREETS OF BOSTON BUT WE HAVEN'T REALLY GOT INTO LIKE THE WEEDS OF LIKE WHAT WHAT COULD HAPPEN DOWN THE ROAD BECAUSE THERE WERE ALWAYS THAT THERE ALWAYS COULD BE THAT 29 YEAR OLD SERGEANT AND A 45 YEAR OLD MAN AND YOU MIGHT EVEN HAVE A KID THAT'S 20 YOU KNOW BUT BUT IT IS A PARAMILITARY MILITARY ENVIRONMENT AND THERE'S THERE'S THERE'S HIGH RESPECT FOR THE RANKS BASED ON WHAT ON YOUR YOUR CIVIL SERVICE RANKS. SO I THINK COMING INTO THAT ENVIRONMENT THAT WOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE MAYBE FOR SOME BUT NOT ALL. YEAH, NO, NO I DON'T WANT TO SPECULATE AT ANY YOU KNOW THE FUTURE SCENARIO RIGHT LIKE BECAUSE WE CAN'T PREDICT THAT I AGREE I DO APPRECIATE THE PARAMILITARY BUT THAT THAT RESPECTING THE RANK THAT THAT GOES WELL AND I JUST DIDN'T WANT IT FROM A FISCAL STANDPOINT RIGHT AS YOU IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE GO IF THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO GO OUT ON DISABILITY, DO WE GET THIS OFFICER ON THE FORCE AND THEN LOSE THEM 2 TO 2 AN INJURY ON THE JOB SOONER AND WHAT IS THE FISCAL COMPONENT OF THAT AND DO WE YOU KNOW, WE JUST DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANYTHING ON THE BACK END WEIGHING US DOWN FISCALLY EITHER.  BUT AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST THINGS THAT BRING UP THOUGHTFUL SUPPORT OF THIS AND HAPPY TO SEE THE POLICE FORCE GROW AND TO TAKE DOWN ANY BARRIERS THAT MIGHT ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN. SO THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND AGAIN THANK YOU, LISA. YOU COME THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD AND TO THAT POINT I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW WHAT ARE THE PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AFTER THE AGE OF 45 FOR EXISTING POLICE OFFICERS IF THERE ARE ANY, DO THEY HAVE TO TAKE UP DO THEY HAVE IS ANYBODY ON THE FORCE RIGHT NOW DO THEY HAVE TO TAKE A PHYSICAL EXAM ONCE THAT ONCE THEY GET ON? YEAH, NO, I MEAN OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE TO TAKE A PRETTY DETAILED PHYSICAL EXAM TO GET ON THE FORCE AND HAVE TO PASS THE REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH BY AMPUTEE. BUT ONCE THEY'RE ON THE ONLY TIME THAT THEY WOULD BE REQUIRED TO TO GET A PHYSICAL EXAM OR TO COME BACK TO THE DOCTOR'S, YOU KNOW IF THEY WERE OUT INJURED THEY WOULD OBVIOUSLY HAVE PERMISSION TO COME BACK FROM THEIR DOCTOR BUT THEY'D ALSO SEE OUR MEDICAL PROVIDERS HERE FOR EVALUATION TO SAY YES, THEY'RE FIT TO RETURN TO WORK OR MAYBE THEY MIGHT NEED A FEW MORE WEEKS BUT COULD COME BACK, MODIFY DUTY UNTIL THEY'RE FIT. BUT WE DON'T RANDOMLY REQUIRE THEM TO GET TO GET PHYSICALS AS SUCH. YOU KNOW THAT'S NOT A MANDATE ONCE THEY'RE IN HERE WE'D HOPE THAT EVERYBODY GETS AN ANNUAL PHYSICAL BUT THE ONLY TIME THAT THEY WOULD GET ANY TYPE OF LIKE PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT IS COMING BACK TO WORK AFTER THAT RESULTING FROM AN INJURY ON THE JOB. OKAY, THANK YOU. THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT I WANTED TO CONFIRM. OKAY. WE HAVE A CAPSULE LOUIJEUNE IF SHE'S ON STILL OR I SHE MIGHT HAVE JUMPED OFF AT THE SHOWER, JUMPED OFF. SO WE'LL GO TO COUNSELOR MURPHY AND THEN COUNSELOR WEBER AND ORAL.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE TESTIMONY. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS REALLY STRUCK ME WHEN WE TELL THESE INDIVIDUAL HEARINGS IS THAT WE'RE EXPECTING EACH INDIVIDUAL TO COME IN AND REALLY BEAR THEIR SOUL AND SHARE THEIR STORY AND EXPLAIN WHY THIS PATH MAY HAVE TAKEN THE LONGER OR WHY THEY THINK THEY'RE FIT.  SO I DO THINK THAT THIS WILL BRING BACK SOME OF THAT RESPECT AND DIGNITY THAT IT'S NOT A ONE OFF AND IT WAS SAID I THINK BY MORE THAN ONE OF THE CANDIDATES WHO TALKED ABOUT NOT KNOWING. RIGHT. AND THE ONES THAT HAVE COME IN FRONT OF ME HAVE BEEN PEOPLE WHO SAID IT'S NOT SOMETHING I HAD EVER THOUGHT OF BUT SOMEBODY MENTIONED THAT I COULD. SO HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM? THAT'S A BIGGER QUESTION I THINK FOR US TO JUST MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING A BETTER JOB AT THAT THAT IT'S NOT JUST CONNECTED PEOPLE YOU KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE A FRIEND WHO TOLD THEM THEY SHOULD DO IT.  THE ONE QUESTION AND MAYBE LISA YOU COULD ANSWER THIS ONE I KNOW A LOT OF IT IS TIED TO THE FUNDING OF HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN EACH CLASS AND HOW MANY CLASS CLASSES WE PUT FORWARD. AND I WAS TOLD THAT WE HAD FUNDING FOR MANY MORE MAYBE 100 MORE THAN WHO WE CHOSE BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY EVEN IF YOU YOU KNOW THE OPPORTUNITIES THEY ARE BETTER FOR CANDIDATES DON'T MEET ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS. THEY'RE NOT ASKED DO YOU HAVE THAT NUMBER IN THE CURRENT CLASS THAT IN THE ACADEMY THAT THAT THE NUMBER THAT'S THERE AND THE NUMBER THAT WE ACTUALLY HAD THAT WE COULD HAVE PUT FORWARD WHAT IS THIS THE ACADEMY CLASS THAT'S IN THERE NOW THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST THAT WE CURRENTLY HAD IN THERE . I WANT TO SAY THERE'S STILL OVER 100 CANDIDATES IN THE ACADEMY CLASS BUT I CAN CONFIRM THAT NUMBER. YOU KNOW, THE FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS OF THE ACADEMY IS WHEN YOU SEE A LOT OF THE CANDIDATES DROP OUT. BUT NOT I'M SORRY BUT IT'S NOT ONCE THEY'RE IN. BUT I WAS TOLD LIKE WE COULD HAVE SAY BROUGHT FORWARD LIKE 280 IN THE CURRENT CLASS BUT WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH QUALIFIED CANDIDATES TO CHOOSE FROM. SO THE NUMBER WAS MUCH SMALLER THAN WHAT THE ACADEMY WAS EQUIPPED TO TAKE ON OR THAT MUCH SMALLER THAN WHAT THE CITY WAS WILLING TO PAY OUT IN THE CLASS THAT THE CITY ACTUALLY I WORK A LOT WITH OBM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE APPROPRIATELY FUNDED AND WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT RETIREMENTS AND WORKING WITH OBM WE WERE SHOOTING FOR A CLASS OF ROUGHLY 200 CANDIDATES BUT UNFORTUNATELY AT THE END OF THE DAY WE ONLY I THINK WE PUT IN A CLASS OF LIKE MAYBE 140 AND I THINK IT'S DOWN TO LIKE 111 NOW WE ARE FUNDED FOR APPROXIMATELY 250 WITH THE EXPECTATION WE'LL HAVE TWO CLASSES OF 125 EACH A CLASS WILL BE GOING IN JANUARY OF 2025 AND ANOTHER CLASS WILL ROLL INTO THE ACADEMY IN MAY OF 2025. BUT AGAIN IT'S IT'S IT'S AMAZING HOW YOU'LL SET UP WITH A POOL OF LIKE FIVE 600 CANDIDATES AND YOU YOU BARELY GET THE CLASS OF 150 TO GO INTO THE ACADEMY.  NO, THAT'S HELPFUL. THAT'S THE AGAIN FOR ME I WANTED SO THANK YOU AND I THINK THAT SPEAKS TO WHAT A LOT OF US HAVE BEEN SAYING THAT THIS IS ONE TOOL NOW NOT THE ONLY TOOL BUT IT DOES WIDEN THE POOL OF QUALIFIED CANDIDATES THEN WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO HELP. ONE OTHER THING I JUST WANT TO PUT OUT THERE IS YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT HAVING THIS CONVERSATION WITH FIRE FIRE YOU KNOW, TURNS PEOPLE AWAY. THEY YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WANT TO JOIN AND THEY CAN'T GET PICKED. AND THE REASON WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION IS BECAUSE WE'RE DESPERATELY LOOKING MORE POLICE OFFICERS. WHAT IF AND I HOPE ONE DAY YOU KNOW, WE CAN SAY THAT WE WE HAVE TO TURN PEOPLE AWAY AND THERE WAS A TIME WHEN IT WAS REALLY HARD TO GET ON TO THE POLICE FORCE SO WHAT IF WE FIND OURSELVES IN A FEW YEARS WHERE WE DID SUCH A GOOD JOB OF CONCLUDING AND YOU KNOW, THE STIGMA AND ALL OF THE THINGS ARE WORKING AGAINST THE RECRUITMENT FOR THE POLICE AREN'T THERE ANYMORE AND WE FIND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TURNING AWAY, YOU KNOW, YOUNG VETERANS OR YOU KNOW, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY OR WOULD WE EVER BE ABLE TO THEN SAY LET'S LOWER IT BACK DOWN BECAUSE NOW OUR POOL IS TOO BIG OR WE'RE NOT ABLE TO CHOOSE THE CANDIDATES WE WANT? IS THAT SOMETHING WE'VE THOUGHT ABOUT YOU WE HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT THAT. I'LL BE HONEST WITH THE LAST THE LAST FIVE YEARS FOUR YEARS WE'RE WE'RE BARELY GETTING GETTING THE CLASS SIZE THAT PEOPLE WANT TO GET. IT'S TOUGH, YOU KNOW? YEAH, I KNOW. BUT WHEN WE WHEN WE LOOK BACK AND I THINK THIS WAS MENTIONED BY THE CHAIR TOO LIKE WHEN YOU LOOK BACK IN HISTORY OF LIKE WHEN HILLARY BROUGHT THIS FORWARD AND OTHERS WE WERE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE NEVER THOUGHT WE'D BE IN RIGHT. AND IF WE SEE OURSELVES IN A SITUATION WHERE IT WAS JUST TOO MUCH OF AN AGE RANGE BUT I AM 100% IN SUPPORT AND ALSO IN SUPPORT OF WORKING WITH YOU AND THE UNIONS AND YOU KNOW, THANK YOU IZZY AND OTHER CURRENT POLICE OFFICERS WHO ARE ALWAYS ADVOCATING, YOU KNOW, JINGO AND MANLY ALL FOR RECRUITING AND REALLY SELLING THIS AS THE CAREER THAT IT SHOULD BE. SO THAT'S A GREAT CAREER AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE FILLING THESE SLOTS. SO THANK YOU.  THANK YOU.  COUNCILOR MURPHY SEEING THAT COUNCIL DROP WOULD GO TO COUNCIL WEBER IN THE COUNCIL I'M HERE.  BLOW THANKS SAID TO ME YOU CAN HEAR ME JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, LISA I GUESS SO FOR OTHER TOWNS CITIES LIKE CAMBRIDGE THEY DON'T HAVE MAT ON AGE LIMIT IS THAT CORRECT? THERE ARE QUITE A FEW TOWNS THAT DON'T HAVE AGE LIMIT OR EVEN INCREASE THE AGE LIMIT ASIDE FROM MASSACHUSETTS MALDON FOR EXAMPLE IN 2024 SUCCESSFULLY PASSED A HOME RULE TO ELIMINATE THE AGE MAX ALTOGETHER. NATICK HAD OVERRULED PETITIONS TO RAISE THE AGE QUITE A FEW MUNICIPALITIES HAVE RAISED THE HAVE RAISED THE AGE HAVE REMOVED PETITIONS TO RAISE THE MAXIMUM AGE TO GET INTO THE ACADEMY AND SO DO YOU OR DO WE KNOW WHAT THE IMPACT OF THAT IS ON STAFFING APPLICATIONS? HAS THERE BEEN ANY REVIEW TO THESE PLACES HAVING THE SAME ISSUES AS US IN TERMS OF FILLING POLICE OFFICER POSITIONS? YES, I COULD SAY THAT. BUT THE 100% CERTAINTY THAT YOU KNOW, MANY POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN MASSACHUSETTS ALONG WITH THE COUNTRY HAVE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME RECRUITING OFFICERS FOR THE AIR FORCE.  OKAY. YEAH. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY LIKE THIS COULD BE A TOOL BUT NOT IT'S NOT THE SOLUTION IS WOULDN'T SOLVE OUR STAFFING PROBLEMS.  WELL I THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE MORE INTEREST. I THINK THAT YOU KNOW, SEVERAL PEOPLE ON THIS CALL HAVE MENTIONED YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN THIS WHEN YOU WERE 2021. YOU MIGHT HAVE WANTED TO PURSUE, YOU KNOW, COLLEGE FOR US AND THEN AS YOU GET OLDER, AS YOU MATURE, YOU MIGHT BE LOOKING FOR A CAREER CHANGE SO YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME YOU MIGHT HAVE SIGNIFICANT INTEREST THERE . I MEAN I THINK YOU WOULD BUT I JUST THINK IT'S THERE'S STILL HOPEFULLY THAT OUT THE STAFFING ISSUE BUT I CAN'T PREDICT THAT IT'S GOING TO SOLVE THE STAFFING ISSUE THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY FACING BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME TIME BUT IT'S BEEN GOING ON ACROSS THE COUNTRY LIKE THIS AS WELL. IS THAT SO? I KNOW THE QUESTION WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ACADEMY. I THINK YOU'VE I GUESS YOU HAD A CLASS OF 140 AND SORRY DOWN TO 110 LET'S SAY WE GET YOU KNOW, CLASS OF 200 IS SORT OF THE MEET OUR GOALS BUT IT'S PRIMARILY PEOPLE WHO ARE OVER 40 AND THERE'S PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO CAN PASS THE REQUIREMENTS. BUT YOU KNOW, YOU KIND OF EXPECTED THERE WOULD BE MORE A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WHO MAYBE CAN'T PASS OUT OF THAT GROUP OR WHAT'S THAT IS THERE COST TO US FROM HAVING MORE PEOPLE IN THE ACADEMY WHO DON'T MAKE IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH? I MEAN HOW SHOULD WE BE THINKING ABOUT THAT? I MEAN THERE IT'S JUST THE RESOURCES THAT WE USED TO TO START A CLASS FROM YOU KNOW, FROM CALLING THE CIVIL SERVICE LIST ALL THE WAY UP TO GRADUATION. YOU KNOW, THERE'S THERE'S MANY CANDIDATES THAT, YOU KNOW, GO THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS HERE THAT ARE 21, 23, 24, 25, GET TWO DAYS BEFORE THEY'RE INTO THE ACADEMY AND THEY SAY I JUST DECIDED I DIDN'T WANT IT. SO ALL THAT TIME AND EFFORT DOES DOES UNFORTUNATELY GO BY THE WAYSIDE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T PICK SOMEBODY ELSE UP AND REPLACE THEM RIGHT AWAY. BUT WE ALSO SEE THAT IN THE ACADEMY THAT YOU KNOW, THERE WILL BE SOME SOME PEOPLE WILL DROP OUT AFTER TWO DAYS JUST THIS WASN'T FOR ME THE PARAMOUNT MILITARY ENVIRONMENT ,JUST THE PHYSICAL THERE'S THE COST TO ANYBODY WHO DOESN'T LAST OR DOESN'T MAKE THE ENTIRE ACADEMY FROM RECRUITMENT ALL THE WAY THROUGH THAT THE GRADUATION.  BUT IN TERMS OF LIKE IF WE HAVE A LARGER CLASS AND A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF DROPOUTS, WOULD THAT CREATE A COST ISSUE OR NOT? NO, BECAUSE I MEAN I THINK THE CLASS WOULD BE A PRIORITY BUDGETED FOR IT WOULD ALREADY BEEN APPROPRIATED THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR BUDGET.  SO FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE CONSTANTLY WORKING WITH OBM TO LOOK AT OUR ATTRITION RATE IN OUR RETIREMENTS BUT NORMALLY LIKE FOR EXAMPLE IF WE WERE BUDGETED SAVE FOR A CLASS OF 150 AND WE ONLY GRADUATED 100, THOSE 50 VACANCIES WILL ROLL INTO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.  I'LL ALWAYS REACH OUT TO JIM AND JOHANNA AT OBM TO SAY I KNOW WE'VE GOT APPROVED FOR 100 BUT CAN I ADD THOSE 50 VACANCIES THAT WE DIDN'T GET FILLED THE LAST TIME ON TO THAT? SO IT'S ALREADY IN OUR NUMBERS BUT I MEAN PEOPLE DROP OUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A COST OF RESOURCES AND PERSONNEL THAT WORKED ON GETTING THAT CLASS IN THE ACADEMY.  OKAY. AND THEN I THINK ONE OF THE POLICY REASONS FOR HAVING THE AGE LIMIT THAT I'VE READ IS THAT YOU YOU WANT SOMEBODY TO HAVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF YEARS YEARS YOU KNOW, THE DEPARTMENT IS INVESTING A LOT IN TRAINING YOU KNOW, HAVING THIS PERSON AROUND. BUT WHAT WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHTS ON SHORTENING THAT WINDOW? OBVIOUSLY IF YOU'RE COMING AT IT AS A 4546, SEVEN YEAR OLD, WHATEVER YOU KNOW SO GOING UP TO 45 OR 45, WE STILL HAVE THAT INDIVIDUAL FOR 20 YEARS. 20 YEARS IS A LONG TIME. IT ALSO GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE UP IN THE RANKS BECAUSE THEY WILL BE YOU KNOW, THEY'LL THEY'LL HAVE THE ABILITY TO TAKE THE CIVIL SERVICE PROMOTIONAL EXAMS. I THINK IT'S MORE OF A PERSONAL ISSUE WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY WON'T BENEFIT FROM THE RETIREMENT BENEFIT OF BEING HERE LIKE 32 YEARS AND YOU KNOW AND BE ELIGIBLE TO RETIRE AT 55 AT A MAX OF 80%. SO THAT THAT'S A PERSONAL DECISION THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO MAKE. BUT AS FAR AS AS YOU KNOW, 20 YEARS IS STILL A PRETTY LENGTHY TIME AND I THINK THAT WE WOULD TAKE IF WE COULD INCREASE OUR PATROL NUMBERS I THINK THAT 20 YEARS IS NOT UNREASONABLE. I MEAN I THINK IT'S MORE OF A PERSONNEL JUST PERSONAL DECISION FOR THE INDIVIDUAL TO MADE THAT THEY'D ONLY BE RETIRING WITH 20 YEARS OF SERVICE VERSUS OTHER PEOPLE THAT WOULD TIE WITH THE 80% PENSION. BUT WITH MY GOD FORBID THEY GET INJURED FOR FOR YOU KNOW, FOR THE POLICE OFFICER SAKE. BUT I THINK IF YOU GOT A DISABILITY THAT YOU GET BUMPED UP TO 72 OR SOMETHING THAT 70 TO 2% BUT THAT WOULD BE OBVIOUSLY UP TO THE RETIREMENT BOARD AND POWER TO REVIEW THOSE CASES TO SEE IF THEY WERE REALLY INJURED DOING THE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THEIR JOB AND THAT THERE'S ALWAYS THAT THERE'S ALWAYS THAT THAT CHANCE YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS A CHANCE THAT WE COULD SEE MORE INJURED OFFICERS BASED ON THEIR AGE I DON'T KNOW. BUT I THINK IT'S MORE ON THEIR PHYSICAL FITNESS AS AN INDIVIDUAL NOT JUST AN AGE GROUP SAYING THAT PEOPLE 45 AND IS FIT ARE DON'T DON'T BOUNCE BACK AS SOMETHING THAT'S 25. OKAY.  OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. I MEAN I SUPPORT THIS AND I WANT QUALIFIED PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO SERVE THE CITY AND I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING WHAT I CAN TO HELP GET THIS TO THE FINISH LINE. THANK YOU, CHAIR. BACK TO YOU.  THANK YOU, VICE-CHAIR WEBER. APPRECIATE YOUR THOUGHTFUL AND DILIGENT QUESTIONS. COUNCILOR MCKEON.  HI. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU AGAIN TO THE SPONSORS. I JUST WANTED TO COME ON AND JUST SAY THAT I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS AND I DO APPRECIATE THE QUESTIONS THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ASKED ACTUALLY BEING ASKED MOST OF MY QUESTION. SO I DON'T WANT TO OCCUPY SPACE . THE ONLY THING THAT I WILL OFFER IS THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT WHAT THE AGE REQUIREMENTS ARE, WE'RE IN A VERY DIFFERENT TIME, YOU KNOW, OF WHEN THIS, YOU KNOW, 39 BECAME I BELIEVE LIKE THE NEW YORK 45 IS THE NEW 35 HOLIDAYS. RIGHT. AND SO WE LOOK AT THIS FROM LIKE THE MOMENT THAT WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW.  IT REALLY IS IT'S REFLECTIVE OF JUST CRITICALITY OF LIFE. OKAY. SO I JUST WANTED TO COME OUT AND JUST SAY THAT I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS AND I THINK WE WASTE A LOT OF TIME WHEN WE'RE SENDING THESE PETITIONS OVER TO THE HOUSE. SO TO BE ABLE TO JUST MAKE THIS INTO LAW AND ONCE AND FOR ALL I THINK IT'S A GOOD STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION ONCE THEY MAKE IT TO THE SPONSORS, TO THE CHAIR. THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO HAS SPECIFIED IT.  GREAT. I APPRECIATE YOUR COUNCILOR HERE. I JUST HAVE ONE CLARIFYING QUESTION. SORRY TO AND THEN I THINK WE CAN GO TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY JUST UNDERSTANDING THAT FOLKS DIDN'T HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS TO ASK OR THE NEED FOR SECOND ROUND. BUT THIS IS DIRECTED TO LISA. I APOLOGIZE. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO TAKE DILIGENT NOTES AS YOU CAN SPEAKING.  YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT A 50% RETIREMENT NUMBER. CAN YOU JUST CLARIFY THAT LIKE IF I'M GETTING INTO THE FORCE AND I HAVE THIS AGE OR THIS GOES THROUGH AND I'M GETTING ON A 45 OR WHATEVER IT IS. CAN YOU JUST WALK ME THROUGH WHAT MY RETIREMENT BENEFITS ARE? AND THEN FROM THERE I DO ASK MY FOLLOW UP QUESTION SO IT BASICALLY HOW MANY OFFICERS WHO DO RETIRE ROUGHLY HAVE 3032 YEARS OF SERVICE AND BECAUSE THEY'RE IN GROUP FOUR UNDER CHAPTER 32 THEY CAN RETIRE AT THE AGE OF 55. SO THOSE OFFICERS THAT COME ON WHEN THEY'RE 2122 CAN GO OUT WITH AN 80% PENSION.  SO BUT FOR EXAMPLE, IF I IF AN OFFICER COMES ON BOARD AT 45 AND HAS NO PRIOR CITY EXPERIENCE TO COUNT TOWARDS HIS RETIREMENT BENEFIT, IT'S 20 YEARS THAT HE WOULD PUT IN BECAUSE THE MAXIMUM AGE OF RETIREMENT IS 65 HE HAD ROUGHLY HIS PENSION BENEFIT WOULD BE 50% VERSUS THE 80% HAD HE HAD A LONGER RUN WITH THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. OKAY.  THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT AND I UNDERSTAND THAT. AND IF I MAY, THE MAXIMUM AGE IS UNDER MASS GENERAL LAW CHAPTER 32, SECTION ONE, CHAPTER 32, SECTION ONE. OKAY. AND THAT GOES TO COUNCILOR FLYNN'S EARLIER QUESTION.  CORRECT. I THINK YOU ASKED ME WHERE THAT MAXIMUM IS TO COUNCILOR FLYNN'S AND THEN YOU ASKED WHAT LAW IT WAS COMING FROM OR WHERE DID IT LIVE. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR FINDING THAT SO QUICKLY. I APPRECIATE IT. AND SO IS THERE I THINK IF BECAUSE I DO WANT THIS TO PASS AND I THINK GIVEN THE BROAD CONSENSUS OF MY COLLEAGUES AND GETTING A CLARIFICATION FROM YOU AND CONFIRMATION THAT THE COMMISSIONER IS IS IN FAVOR OF THIS, I WOULD LIKE TO THIS TO PASS COME WEDNESDAY. OF COURSE THEN IT GOES TO THE MAYOR AND THEN GOES THE STATE LEGISLATURE FOR PASSAGE IN THE EVENT THAT THIS DOES PASS WHICH I HOPE IT DOES. DO YOU FORESEE ANY LEGAL NEED TO HAVE FOLKS WHO DO IT ON THE FORCE TO BE ABLE TO SIGN ALMOST LIKE A DISCLAIMER HAVE SOMETHING ON FILE WHERE THEY RECOGNIZE THAT IT IS THEIR PERSONAL DECISION TO COME ON TO THE FORCE UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY WILL ONLY GET 50% OF THEIR PENSION. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE TYPICALLY DO? IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO TO PROTECT OURSELVES IN THE EVENT THAT THEY COME BACK AND I DON'T BELIEVE SO. I'D ALWAYS RUN IT UP TO THE LEGAL ADVISOR IF YOU KNOW AS A POSSIBLE QUESTION.  BUT I DOUBT IF PEOPLE ARE VERY WELL VERSED WHEN THEY COME INTO THE CITY AND YOU KNOW WE PROVIDE THEM A LOT OF INFORMATION ON ON YOU KNOW, THEIR BENEFITS ONE OF THEM BEING THAT THE PENSION THAT THE CITY OFFERS WHICH IS VERY LUCRATIVE UNDER CHAPTER 32 BUT I DON'T FORESEE THAT I WOULD ALWAYS RUN IT THROUGH MY LEGAL ADVISOR UPSTAIRS BUT I MEAN I KNOW THAT I CAME TO THE CITY LATER SINCE HALF MY CAREER IS IN PRIVATE AND I KNOW THAT TO GET TO 20 YEARS IS PROBABLY ABOUT YOU KNOW, 20 PLUS BUT I KNEW RIGHT AWAY THAT I WOULDN'T GET THE FULL BENEFIT OF A PENSION WHERE SOME OF THE FOLKS HERE ARE GOING TO WALK OUT WITH 80%. THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO BOSTON TO COMING IN FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO PUBLIC IS USUALLY NOT THE TRAJECTORY. SO WE APPRECIATE YOU.  I WOULD CHANGE THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT.  OKAY. I THINK THAT THAT'S IT FOR ME . I DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.  I'LL PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MY COLLEAGUES ANY OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS, THOUGHTS, COMMENTS, QUESTIONS CONCERNS RAISE YOUR HAND. I THINK WE'RE GOOD. THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY THAT JOINED US TO PROVIDE THEIR TESTIMONY. I'M GOING TO GO TO CENTRAL STAFF TO ASK IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS BEEN SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY THAT HAS JOINED THE ZOOM. NOPE. WE'RE ALL SET.  I DO SEE ALEX, YOU RAISE YOUR HAND, YOU HAVE A FINAL COMMENT TO PROVIDE US? YES. NATURALLY A QUICK QUESTION AND I'M SORRY TO TAKE MORE OF EVERYONE'S TIME HERE.  YOU MEAN THAT I'M ESSENTIALLY AT THE CORE OF AGE HERE AT 4445 COMES 2025 JULY IF I WASN'T ABLE TO GET ON SAY THIS CLAUSE IN JANUARY OR OR MARCH, I BELIEVE IT'S WHEN LISA SPOKE THAT THERE MIGHT BE PUTTING IN ANOTHER CLAUSE WOULD I BE ABLE TO SUBMIT ANOTHER WAIVER BEING THAT THIS IS A POINT THIS IS POTENTIALLY BE APPROVED AFTER I'VE SUBMITTED MY WAIVER FOR THE AGE THE WAY FOR ME OR IS THAT SOMETHING WHERE AT THAT POINT I'M ESSENTIALLY OUT OF THE POSSIBILITY OF PURSUING THIS CAREER DOWN THE LINE? DOES EVERYONE KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT?  ALEX YOU'RE TURNING SORRY YOU'RE TURNING 45 JANUARY 20, 25 NO, I'LL BE TURNING 45 IN JULY 2025 IN JULY. OKAY.  OKAY. AND YOU'VE ALREADY SUBMITTED A WAIVER. I DID. I BELIEVE I SUBMITTED THAT IN FEBRUARY BEFORE I ACTUALLY WENT FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE EXAM. OKAY. AND THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN PUT THROUGH TO THE STATE I BELIEVE IS ROB GONZALES WAS IS THE REPRESENTATIVE THAT HE WENT TO WORK FOR OUR DISTRICT.  I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THESE WERE TO BE APPROVED.  HOPEFULLY IT IS OBVIOUSLY FOR OTHER COUNTRIES AS WELL BUT EVEN THAT I'M SO CLOSE TO THAT 45 AGE THAT THIS HAS BEEN RAISED TO WOULD IT BE WHAT HAVE YOU A SITUATION WHERE I COULD STILL DO ANOTHER WAIVER AFTER THAT OR NOT LEAST LISA, PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG BUT IT IS CONTINGENT ON THE ON THE WHOLE PETITION THAT YOU'VE ALREADY SUBMITTED TO RECONCILE AND THEN ALSO OF COURSE THIS PARTICULAR DOCKET TOO. BUT AS IT RELATES TO TIMING AND POLICE ACADEMY SUBMISSION, I DON'T KNOW LISA, IF YOU'D LIKE TO EXPLAIN OR IF YOU HAVE AN ANSWER ON THAT I DON'T REALLY.  SO ARE YOU ARE YOU IN THIS THIS CLASS AT BEING BE CURRENTLY LOOKED AT LOOKED AT HOW TO START A CLASS IN JANUARY OF 2025?  YES. AT THIS POINT I'M BASICALLY WAITING FOR THE HARM IS THAT PSYCHOLOGICAL AND AND BASICALLY JUST GOING FOR THE FOR THE PHYSICAL EXAM REQUIREMENT TO ENTER THE ACADEMY SO THOSE STEPS REALLY BUT I KNOW IT'S COMPETITIVE ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT A HUGE POOL BUT BECAUSE THE NUMBERS THAT ARE BEING PUT IN FOR THESE CLASSES BEING 100 AND SO AND THE CANDIDATE POOL BEING I BELIEVE OVER CLOSE TO A THOUSAND OVER 8000. SO YOU KNOW, THAT'S PART OF MY CONCERN REALLY OR I GUESS MY QUESTION WELL I KNOW THAT THEY'RE DOWN TO APPROXIMATELY 300 RIGHT NOW THAT ARE STILL IN THE POOL AND IT'S STILL A WAYS TO GO THE EMPTY IS IS IS WE SEE A LOT OF SENSE NOT OF THE YOU KNOW, THE EMPTY PHYSICAL PART BUT AS LONG AS IF YOU ARE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS AND YOU'RE GOING RIGHT UP TO THE VERY END AS LONG AS WE HAVE THAT WHOLE PETITION, THERE'S NO REASON WHY YOU WOULDN'T BE IN THE ACADEMY . OKAY THAT IF THAT MAKES SENSE IT DOES. IT DOES.  THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. I FIGURE I ASKED SINCE THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK AND I GUESS I WAS HOPING THAT SOMEONE HERE WILL BUT WE WE'VE WE KNOW THAT AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE IF YOU'VE TOLD ANY OF THE RECRUIT THE RECRUIT INVESTIGATOR THAT YOU WERE FILE ON, YOU KNOW, A PETITION FOR A WAIVER IF WE KNOW THAT SOMEBODY IS FILING AND WAITING FOR A PETITION WE'RE WE'RE CONSTANTLY IN COMMUNICATION WITH THEM. DO YOU HAVE IT YET? YOU HAVE IT. YOU HAVE IT. SO IT'S NOTHING THAT WE PUT BY THE WAYSIDE IF YOU FLAGGED THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL CONTINUOUSLY ASK BECAUSE WE'RE PUTTING YOU ALL THROUGH THIS PROCESS. OF COURSE WE WANT YOU TO GET YOU INTO THE CLASS. I UNDERSTAND I DID I DIDN'T MENTION IT TO MY INVESTIGATOR OF CLASS CLASSROOM IS FLYNN SEAN FLYNN I BELIEVE AND HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HE DID GET BY MY PACKET AND HE JUST HADN'T GONE TO MY FILE YET. THE RESPONSE I GOT FROM AN EMAIL THAT I PLAN TO FOLLOW UP WITH THEM AND I BELIEVE THAT ACTUALLY LATE LAST WEEK I GOT THAT EMAIL BACK SO I THINK IT'S A MATTER OF WAITING. YES. AND I DON'T MEAN TO BE IMPATIENT BY ASKING. I THINK IT SPEAKS TO THE FACT THAT THIS IS ONLY BEING RAISED AS THE 45 AGE AND ME BEING AT THAT POINT COURT OF AGE ESSENTIALLY IF YOU WILL. I WANTED TO TO JUST ASK THE QUESTION IN PLACE THAT IT CAME TO THAT I WANT TO KNOW IF I SHOULD TRY AGAIN OR NOT IF I COULD TRY AGAIN AND DO ANOTHER WAIVER HAD IF THAT WAS A POSSIBILITY I GUESS YEAH I THINK I THINK IT IS IS A POSSIBILITY. I MEAN A RULE OF THUMB RIGHT NOW IS IF YOU ARE 39 ON THE DATE THAT YOU WOULD TAKE THE EXAM AND TURN 40 WHEN YOU START THE CLASS YOU'RE IN THE CLASS. BUT AGAIN IF YOU'RE IF YOU'RE ALREADY IN THE PROCESS AND YOU'RE APPLIED FOR A HOME RULE PETITION THAT'S JUST BASICALLY THE WAIT TIME THAT IT TAKES TO GET THAT ADMINISTRATIVE PIECE DONE.  BUT IF YOU'RE IN THE PROCESS AND YOU GET THE PETITION APPROVED OR THIS PETITION IS APPROVED, I DON'T SEE WHY YOU WOULDN'T BE IN THE NEXT CLASS. OKAY, I'M GOING TO MOVE YOU TO CONNECT YOU BOTH VIA EMAIL IN THE EVENT THAT THERE ARE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS I JUST GIVEN THAT THIS IS A FORMAL HEARING, I'M GOING TO MOVE TO CLOSE AT THIS POINT BUT SUPER GRATEFUL AGAIN ALEX THAT YOU ARE TAKING THIS TIME THAT YOU'RE ASKING THESE QUESTIONS BUT I DO THINK WE CAN CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION ONLINE AND I'LL BE SURE TO CONNECT YOU BOTH. I JUST I'M CHECKING AGAIN WITH MEGAN IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER FOLKS FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY.  NOPE. BURLESON OKAY, I'M GOING TO WAIVE CLOSING REMARKS TO I WILL JUST SAY MY INTENT IS TO BRING THIS FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL TO VOTE ON IT AND I HOPE MY COLLEAGUES WILL JOIN ME IN VOTING IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. OBVIOUSLY THAT THERE IS A DEMONSTRATED NEED FOR THIS TO PASS. FOLKS, I'VE BEEN WAITING FOLKS ARE CURRENTLY ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT WHERE THEY'RE AT IN THE PROCESS AND SO IT JUST THERE'S A LOT OF INSTABILITY AND UNCERTAINTY FOR FOLKS AND THEIR FAMILIES. SO REAL WORLD IMPLICATIONS AND WE HAVE WONDERFUL QUALIFIED PEOPLE AS DEMONSTRATED HERE TODAY THAT ARE WILLING TO SERVE THE CITY AND DO SO WITH HONOR AND IN RESPECT TO THE PROFESSION.  SO SUPER EXCITED THAT FOLKS CAN MAKE IT TODAY. THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR QUESTIONS. I'M GOING TO MOVE TO CLOSE THIS HEARING AND THEREFORE THIS HEARING ON DOCKET 0926 IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD ONE, EVERYBODY. YEAH