This page is not authorized or endorsed by the city of Somerville. The contents, comments, ordering, and presentation are entirely the work of the author and do not represent any opinions except his own.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n January, 2001:<\/strong> Management Study of the Police<\/a> November, 2004<\/strong>: Strategic Review of Police Management Study<\/a> February, 2005<\/strong>: Curtatone Acts Quickly to Begin Police Reform<\/a> September, 2005:<\/strong> Report of the Somerville Police Advisory Group<\/a> July, 2016:<\/strong> Arbitration results between SPEA and Somerville<\/a> November, 2019:<\/strong> After Action Report, “Boston Straight Pride Parade” and counter protest<\/a> November, 2019<\/strong>: Next steps memo – straight pride and counter-protest<\/a> January, 2020<\/strong>: Next Steps for Police-Community Relations<\/a> June, 2020: <\/strong>Calling upon this Council to create a Police Commission and a Community Police Review Agency<\/a> December, 2020:<\/strong> Reimagining Community Safety in Somerville<\/a> January, 2021:<\/strong> A Brief History of Attempted Reforms<\/a> February, 2021<\/strong>: Civilian Oversight of Police in Somerville: Preliminary Analysis Report<\/a> May, 2021:<\/strong> “Just Us” Somerville’s Demands<\/a> May, 2021:<\/strong> Memo from the Police Chief to the City Council<\/a> March, 2022:<\/strong> RSJ Launches Staffing and Operations Analysis<\/a> November, 2023<\/strong>: The Police Staffing Study<\/a> November, 2023<\/strong>: Police Department Staffing & Operations Analysis<\/a> December 11, 2023:<\/strong> Act on the police staffing study<\/a> 2025:<\/strong> Public Safety For All Task Force – Final Report<\/a> 2025:<\/strong> Civilian Oversight Working Group – Final Report<\/a> 2025: <\/strong>Anti Violence Working Group – Final Report<\/a> March 15, 2026<\/strong>: Somerville could have skipped these police grants that come with strings attached<\/a> April 12, 2026: <\/strong>It\u2019s time for police oversight in Somerville<\/a> July 13, 2026:<\/strong> A long meeting of Somerville\u2019s City Council on police cameras, Inner Belt development and Disability Pride<\/a> July 27, 2026: <\/strong>Somerville\u2019s mayor is forcing a special council meeting to vote on body-worn cameras<\/a>
MMA Consulting Group
An extensive (149 page) report reviewing the structure, size, and function of the police department. It describes the department as “reactive,” “demoralized” and characterized by a “lack of accountability.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Scott Harshbarger<\/a>, former attorney general of MA
A review commissioned by Mayor Curtatone to document responses and progress against the 2001 management study. Harshbarger found that low morale, lack of effectiveness, and accountability gaps had persisted and perhaps gotten worse since the original study. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A press release from the city, published on its website, announcing “sweeping reform and modernization of the police department.” It announced the resignation of the then serving police chief (George McLean) and foreshadowed a home rule petition that would remove the police chief from the civil service and make it an appointed position. An independent advisory board was created at this time, including Mr. Harshbarger, State Police Colonel Robbins, and Attorney Dessin. The body’s remit was to recommend changes to the department based on Harshbarger’s earlier work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The readout from the police advisory group, which included the men named above and four additional people, including Alderman Jack Connolly. This report made 8 specific recommendations, including “civilianizing” positions that do not require police training and publishing a “police manual” of standard operating procedures. It also recommended re-convening the advisory board at the end of 2006 to monitor progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The results of arbitration between the city and the police employees association after negotiations to update the police contract came to a standstill. Interesting both for the contract itself, and also for the insights into the arguments on topics that include both external oversight and body-worn cameras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Somerville Police Department
A report from the police department describing their actions at the “Straight Pride” parade. Includes the remarkable self-praise that “none of the 36 counter-protesters arrested required hospitalization.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mayor Curtatone
A memo from the mayor describing his intended path forward after the violence at the straight pride parade and counter-protest. These include pursuing a program of body-worn cameras and the formation of a police advisory committee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Toby Berkman of the Consensus Building Institute
The report from a facilitated session in the wake of the violence by Somerville Police against residents at the “Straight Pride” parade and counter-protest of August 31, 2019. It documents a call for more transparency, including some sort of review or oversight body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Somerville City Council
A detailed resolution that describes the reasons for swiftly establishing independent oversight of the police, provides detailed recommendations for the structure of the bodies, and includes references to supporting material from other municipalities. Originally submitted by Councilor Lance Davis as agenda item 210235<\/a>, he was joined by councilors Mbah, Scott, Ewen-Campen, Strezo, Rossetti, Ballantyne, Clingan, and White. The discussion in the online minutes is an excellent review of the thinking of the city council at the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Students at the Harvard Kennedy School, in collaboration with the Trotter Collaborative for Social Justice<\/a>
A class project undertaken by students at the Kennedy School. The team reviewed the history of policing and public safety in somerville, interviewed elected officials and staff, and performed a fairly in-depth comparative study of policing in cities similar to Somerville across the nation. Discussed in city council under Agenda Item 211130<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Defund SPD: Sam Alterman, Myles Herbert, and Derrick Rice
A lengthy (43 slide) presentation by a group of local activists documenting consultant and working-group recommendations and reformed from 2001 to 2021. It focuses on the 2001 management study, the 2004 Harshbarger memo, the 2005 police advisory group, and 2019 “Straight Pride” incident and response, and the defund movement that sprang from the murder of George Floyd in 2020. Discussed in city council under agenda item 211826<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ayerim Decena, Legislative & Policy Analyst, Somerville City Council
A report commissioned by the city council and authored by one of the few city employees ever to be hired and managed directly by the council itself rather than the Mayor. It reviews the major models of police oversight that have been tried nationwide, and includes extensive references to codes of ordinances, city charters, and similar enabling legislation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just Us was founded with the goal of amplifying and centering the voices of somerville’s black and brown community, particularly regarding the conversation around police and policing. Their first demand about the police is the creation of a truly independent oversight body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Charles Femino, Chief of Police
A five-page memo from the police chief, responding to city council agenda item 211826<\/a>, which asked for a review of the past 20 years of recommendations and reforms in the police department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A press release, posted to the city’s website, announcing the launch of the consultant-led staffing study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My article analyzing the contents of the police staffing study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Raftelis<\/a>
The extensive (52 page) final report of a consultant-led analysis of policing in Somerville. It was commissioned by the Department of Racial and Social Justice and recommends civilianizing positions that do not require arrest authority, moving away from the ward-based patrol rotations, and establishing a Civilian Review Board. Despite frequently being used to justify the adoption of body-worn cameras (BWC), this report actually emphasizes the risks and expense of such a program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My article urging the city council to act swiftly and implement the recommendations of the police staffing study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A lengthy (50 page) and well referenced report from the multi-year efforts of the public safety for all task force convened as part of the department of racial and social justice. Its recommendations track with many of the reports above, including using non-armed personnel for “civilian” roles, establishing an oversight commission, and generally increasing transparency. The report also calls for the body to be re-convened on a regular basis to track progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A lengthy (54 pages) and detailed document that provides specific, actionable recommendations for the makeup, terms, and powers of a body to oversee the police. The focus is on collaborating with the police while increasing transparency with residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A shorter and higher-level overview than the other two reports, describing best practices in deterring and preventing violence in urban environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My article discussing the problematic conditions that attach to some grants for police overtime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My article recapitulating some of the history of police oversight and calling on the city council to move swiftly to establish a civilian oversight body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My article that includes coverage of the lengthy closed-door executive session that led to the council’s acceptance of funds for body-worn cameras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My article on Mayor Jake Wilson’s mid-summer push to accept funds to establish a body worn camera program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n