Overview
- City leaders announced the 2026 summer safety plan on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, rolling out a package of policing updates, youth programs and health‑centered violence‑prevention services.
- Mayor Michelle Wu pledged that every Boston Public Schools student who wants a paid summer job will receive one, a central element meant to keep teens engaged during the summer months.
- Police Commissioner Michael Cox said city gunfire incidents are down 12% and shooting victims are down 33% compared with the five‑year average, and the city has recorded five homicides so far in 2026 with two involving guns.
- The city will expand Boston After Dark Friday‑night events into more neighborhoods, while the Office of Violence Prevention will offer trauma‑informed intervention, healing and connections to mental‑health and workforce services.
- Officials secured additional philanthropic funding and hospital partnerships to bolster victim support, but a small protest highlighted community concerns that the mayor’s proposed budget would cut about 1,800 year‑round youth jobs, risking year‑round opportunities for young people.