Councilor blocks crime lab vote

A vote to change hiring rules for the Boston Police Crime Lab ended abruptly on Wednesday when Councilor Sharon Durkan invoked procedural objections. The move stopped the city council from acting on a resolution filed by Councilor Ed Flynn. Flynn proposed waiving the residency requirement for the director position. That role carries a six-figure salary and oversees the testing of sexual assault kits.

Flynn argued that the current leadership lacks the necessary direction to manage the lab effectively. He stated that the issue centers on supporting survivors of sexual assault and violent crime. Flynn claimed that survivors deserve to know their data is thoroughly investigated and documented before reaching court officials. He asked his colleagues to set aside political differences to focus on those victims.

Durkan, who identified herself as a past victim of sexual assault, responded with visible distress. She described the framing of the debate as offensive to survivors. Fighting back tears, she told the chamber she wanted to object to a vote that day. Under council rules, her objection forced President Liz Breadon to send the resolution to the Public Safety and Criminal Justice committee for a hearing.

The disruption affected the rest of the meeting agenda. Durkan was too shaken to introduce her own resolution regarding parking enforcement officers. She requested a second and left the chamber to compose herself. Breadon skipped to a different filing to give Durkan time to recover. The council allowed a separate emergency resolution from Councilors Ben Weber, Brian Worrell, and Enrique Pepen to move forward during the same session.

This incident continues a months-long tension between Flynn and Durkan. Durkan, a close ally of Mayor Michelle Wu, has frequently blocked late-file matters from Flynn and his ally Councilor Erin Murphy. Both Flynn and Murphy are viewed as critics of the mayor. Flynn has pushed for more resources at the crime lab for years due to its history of missing state-mandated 30-day testing deadlines for sexual assault kits.

Flynn intensified his rhetoric in the week preceding the meeting. He was frustrated after Boston Police Department staff declined to testify at a hearing he held on the crime lab. The residency rule dispute now moves to committee, delaying any immediate decision on who can apply for the director role.