Editorial: City Hall can’t afford to miss another security lesson
In a striking incident that has raised alarms about security protocols within government buildings, Boston’s City Hall recently experienced a significant breach. An unauthorized individual managed to enter the building, rifling through office suites and stealing personal belongings from city employees, including wallets filled with cash and credit cards. This incident comes on the heels of a previous security lapse in 2023, when George Williams, a project coordinator for the City of Boston’s Task Force on Reparations, was arrested for sleeping in City Hall after hours, having bypassed security measures. The irony of a sanctuary city promoting openness while facing such vulnerabilities has not gone unnoticed, prompting city officials to reconsider their security protocols.
The recent theft involved multiple employees reporting stolen wallets, which contained not just cash but also credit cards, health savings account cards, and personal identification. One victim described the harrowing experience of having her wallet snatched from her purse, resulting in unauthorized purchases totaling $1,500 at popular retailers like Macy’s and Walgreens. This incident has left employees grappling with the aftermath of identity theft and the logistical nightmare of replacing stolen items. City Councilor Ed Flynn emphasized the need for a collaborative effort to enhance security measures for both city employees and the public, asserting that the safety of confidential documents and data must be a priority moving forward.
As Boston grapples with the implications of this security breach, it serves as a critical reminder of the importance of robust security protocols in government buildings. The city must act decisively to ensure that such incidents do not recur, reinforcing the trust and safety that employees and residents deserve. The recent theft should act as a catalyst for change, urging city officials to prioritize security and protect the integrity of public spaces. As discussions around sanctuary policies and border security continue, this incident underscores the need for vigilance and responsibility in safeguarding both physical and digital environments within the heart of the city.
Sanctuary City Boston just gave an inadvertent lesson in the need for border security with a recent
“security breach”
at City Hall.
While an email from Mayor Michelle Wu’s office described City Hall as “a welcoming building open to the public,” one of the public allegedly took that welcome too far, rifling through office suites and stealing wallets stuffed with cash and credit cards from employees.
Now there are calls to tighten security protocols.
Sound familiar?
Irony aside, one would assume the government building would have tight security as a matter of course. The mayor’s office is there, as well as the City Council and numerous city agencies. None of these should be vulnerable to “rifling.”
And yet, the city stated in an email Tuesday, “Yesterday, an unauthorized member of the public entered several office suites in City Hall and stole personal belongings from employees. Property management and Boston Police are aware of the incidents and are collaborating on the investigation, as this is unacceptable and clearly violates feelings of trust and safety in our workplace.”
It does, however, help explain how in 2023
George Williams
, the project coordinator for the City of Boston’s Task Force on Reparations, managed to enter City Hall after hours, bypassing metal detectors and security to then sleep in offices on the upper floors, Municipal Protective Services told Boston Police officers who then arrested him. Williams was subsequently fired.
That should have been a major wake-up call. There shouldn’t be security lapses two years on. And yet here we are, with three city employees reporting that their wallets, which contained cash, credit cards, health savings account cards, insurance cards, and personal ID were stolen from their offices on Monday, according to BPD reports.
One woman who had her wallet snatched out of her purse with two credit cards, her City Hall ID, Massachusetts driver’s license, insurance and library cards, and $100 in cash told police two of her coworkers saw an unknown man “in the area who was wearing a brown beanie, dark jacket, sweatpants, and a blue face mask.”
Two other employees told police that not only were cash and credit cards stolen from their offices, but the thief used the cards to rack up hundreds of dollars in unauthorized purchases — totaling $1,500 at Macy’s and Walgreens.
We can’t imagine the employees’ nightmare scenario of having to deal with credit card companies, stolen cash, replacing their drivers licenses and fears of identity theft.
This shouldn’t happen in any workplace, much less a government building.
“It’s important we work together to provide a safer work environment for city employees and the public as well. Boston works best when we work together,” said City Councilor Ed Flynn.
We should have been working together since 2023 at least.
Flynn added that the city should also investigate whether confidential documents or data was stolen, saying that “the privacy of residents and maintaining confidential data in a secure setting must be first and foremost.”
Consider this City Hall’s wakeup call #2. Don’t hit snooze on security.
Editorial cartoon by Al Goodwyn (Creators Syndicate)
