Hank Phillippi Ryan's investigation of police details revealed a shocking amount of overdue bills in communities across the state: companies hiring police details and then paying the bills for them late, or not at all.
Now in Boston at least, big changes are in the works.
Our exclusive investigation revealed its a statewide problem. Private companies, hundreds of them, hiring off duty police, and then turning their backs on the bills. Leaving cities and towns in the lurch for millions and millions of dollars.
In Boston, as in other cities, the off duty officers are a familiar sight. They watch over construction projects, utility installations, road work, they do crowd control, provide protection of workers, making sure traffic keeps moving, and people stay safe.
The companies who hire them are supposed to pay the city for the service–But in Boston alone, we found the overdue bills for police details are massive–totaling 6.9 million dollars.
We showed Boston's mayor the disturbing bottom line–and he told me–the City already has a budget problem–and now things are going to change.
Hank Phillippi Ryan "The police have performed this service and yet they are not paying for it."
Mayor Thomas Menino, (D), Boston"And that's right so I'm going to send a letter from my corporation counsel asking him to notify them they are on 30 day notice if all this money is not paid within 30 days they will not be able to get a permit from inspectional services or the water department or whatever department they work with in the City of Boston."
Hank Phillippi Ryan "So you are cracking down on this?"
Mayor Thomas Menino "I'm cracking down on this no question about it."
The mayor says the city's demand letters are going out immediately to get some of that past due money back.