Boston Mayor Wu dismisses calls for National Guard deployment to tackle Mass and Cass spillover

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu dismissed calls from South End residents to bring in the National Guard to deal with the war zone that Mass and Cass spillover has created in that particular neighborhood Wu disclosed this week that while it s not acceptable for residents to have to side-step needles and fear for their safety at and around the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard the open-air drug use filth and violence that has spilled over into surrounding neighborhoods like the South End does not warrant a response from the U S military I don t believe we need or should have a military deployment in our city Wu explained reporters after an unrelated event Monday I do know that as we are looking to keep tackling the specific challenges with the opioid predicament at the national level and how that s felt in local communities every single day we re doing more and trying something that brings more support into the conversation Wu mentioned an additional in grant funding that will allow the city to expand its partnership with the Gavin Foundation with the aim of helping addicts instantly access recovery beds and providing them with the transportation to get there The mayor s office noted last week that the city has increased residents safety enforcement and support in the area to meet the scale of the challenge at and around the intersection that s become known as Mass and Cass South End residents who took part in a virtual public meeting last week noted however that there are not enough police available to deal with the violence and drug use that s spilled over into their neighborhood and called for more support from State Police and even the National Guard One resident Brian McCarter described the South End as a war zone Related Articles Battenfeld Michelle Wu ducking summer crime spree in safest city in America Kraft calls for exigency measures from Mayor Wu after -year-old moves on needle Editorial Boston must prioritize family safety over swanky new stadium South End neighborhood group calls for greater Mass and Cass policing propose National Guard deployment South Boston mom calls for change after -year-old jabbed by needle in park We would love to see the National Guard called in Andrew Brand co-president of the Worcester Square Area Neighborhood Association declared at the meeting Everyone is saying we don t have enough people Maybe we should ask the mayor Brand backed off his remarks somewhat in a Tuesday interview with the Herald He revealed Boston Police had indicated in the meeting that they didn t have enough tools to respond to our demands in a timely fashion and what I revealed was do we need to call in the State Police or National Guard to help you I think the State Police would be a better fund and I would call on Mayor Wu to work with Gov Maura Healey to get those guidance Brand stated whether it s the State Police or the National Guard acting in a civilian maximum or getting other towns to chip in