By Mike Deehan, Special to the Reporter
Jul. 22, 2010 After a disturbing incident on July 4 that left one boy hospitalized, Boston and State Police, in collaboration with state and local officials, have set a “no tolerance” policy for criminal activity along the Dorchester and South Boston waterfront.

All public beaches from Castle Island to the mouth of the Neponset River will close at 11 p.m. According to a letter signed by city and elected officials announcing the increase in law enforcement supervision, anyone on the beaches or in closed parking lots after that hour will be considered trespassers.
“I’m pleased with the response so far. I’m hoping that the response will continue,” said Savin Hill resident and neighborhood activist Bill Walczak.

Officials decided on the plan at a meeting held at BPD District C-11 headquarters on July 8. Both C-11 and C-6 captains attended the meeting where they were joined by representatives from the MBTA Police, State Sen. Jack Hart, Savin Hill State Rep. Martin Walsh, South Boston State Rep. Brian Wallace, City Councillor Maureen Feeney, and Dorchester Neighborhood Coordinator Lauren Smyth, representing the mayor’s office.

According to Walsh, the meeting lasted for about an hour and all parties agreed on on the plan. “They’re not down there to enjoy the water, to enjoy the facilities. They’re down there to cause havoc,” Walsh, who called the July 4 incident the “last straw,” told the Reporter. Walsh said that new signs clearly stating the hours of operation for beaches and parks in the area will be posted soon...

Read the rest in the Dorchester Reporter.

In a poorly argued editorial on July 14, 2010, the editors of the Boston Globe suggest that the recent accidents involving licensed captains in Boston & Philadelphia show the need for the government to start requiring all boaters to go through "safety" training. No doubt to be followed by state licenses. Aren't enough of us running up on sand bars? Maybe the captain who ran aground 3 miles east of Deer Island could teach the course, since he won't be piloting ships anytime soon. Read the beginning of the editorial below:

Boston Globe Editorial
FOR A state with 1,500 miles of coastline and many lakes and rivers, Massachusetts is surprisingly lax about requiring safety education for boaters. Flotillas of commercial and recreational craft ply the waterways each day, usually without running into each other or running aground. But recent accidents in Boston and Philadelphia show the need for vigilance and safety training — not just by commercial captains but by everyone who operates motorized watercraft...

Read the rest of this editorial from The Boston Globe.