Seven days ago, fumes from an ammonia leak at the Stavis Seafoods warehouse on the city's waterfront killed a worker there. According to Boston Police Commissioner Bill Evans, it also provided the backdrop for a longstanding jurisdictional dispute between city and state police to come to a head.
Evans alleged that when one of his officers arrived on the scene, he became embroiled in a discussion with a Massachusetts Port Authority captain over which agency should take charge of the situation.
"We're fighting over jurisdiction, and in the meantime the Boston Fire is doing a great job trying to contain [it]," said Evans. "Unfortunately we had a person dead there, and the State Police and one of the security directors came along, and the whole idea of not knowing what the other agency is doing comes into effect."
For eight years, the city's police department and the Massachusettes State Police have locked horns over which agency policies the area and responds to calls there. Though the area is serviced by Boston EMS and the Boston Fire Department, police calls are handled by Massport and the Massachusetts State Police.
"If we let this go on, it's a disaster waiting to happen," Evans said.
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