Safety at Pride
PRIDE WEEK
When producing events, the safety and security of our guests Liaison to the LGBT Community for Police Commissioner Evans, is Boston Pride’s number one priority. As the largest annual public member of Gay Officers Action League of New England (GOAL), celebration in New England, we host hundreds of thousands of and recipient of the 2013 Boston Latin@ Pride Ejemplar Award, members of our community at various venues, public and private, and Sergeant Beth Donovan, who serves as Special Events lead, indoor and outdoor, small and large. The diversity of our crowds with purview over Pride events. Leaders of Boston Pride have and the wide range of event characteristics yield a multitude of po- forged a productive relationship based on mutual trust and transtential risks, from unexpected crowd movements to inclement parency, whereby any concern of Boston Pride or the BPD is imweather, from vehicular accidents to threats of violence. Conse- mediately addressed in a constructive and caring approach. quently, we have a duty to our community Boston is fortunate to have an exto implement measures necessary to minitremely supportive Police Department, Boston Pride is one of mize the impact of these risks to the attenwhich values our community and is commitdees. ted to working with our organization to the safest celebrations But let us be clear: Boston Pride is one guarantee the safety and security of all event of the safest celebrations in the country, with attendees. We are proud of our men and in the country. only one reported incident in the last 13 women in uniform who work hand-in-hand years. with Pride staff year after year. Such a relaTo maintain such a stellar status in the public events world, tionship is rare in the Pride world, even in the United States. Boston Pride takes security very seriously, at all levels. Each year, Every year, typically in March or April, Boston Pride presents one member of our Board of Directors (currently President Sylvain its plans to a city-wide meeting that assembles multiple municipal Bruni) is designated as security coordinator. On the Boston Pride agencies, including those related to public safety: the BPD, the Committee, each event chair or area manager is charged with the Boston Fire Department, Boston EMS, Parks & Recreation, the supervision of safety and security measures for their respective ac- MBTA, and transportation representatives. At these meetings, tivities. On our volunteer teams, all volunteers are apprised of se- Boston Pride details its emergency procedures, which must be valcurity measures, and volunteers in key positions are specially trained. idated by the City of Boston. Occasionally, Boston Pride hires extra security to be a visible presBoston Pride works hard each year to ensure a rapid, effective ence at our events. response to any situation that could arise, from heat strokes to acts of Additionally, Boston Pride has worked hard over the last terrorism. But safety and security also rely on every attendee’s particdecade and a half to build strong relationships with law enforce- ipation. We count on guests to alert us if something is or seems ment agencies, starting with the Boston Police Department (BPD). wrong. As the slogan goes, “If you see something, say something.” Our main points of contact at the BPD are Officer Javier Pagan, Each year, Boston Pride works closely with local authorities to ensure that our annual celebrations remain among the safest in the United States. Credit: Marilyn Humphries.
150 | Boston Pride 2016
