Council hearing finds planning gaps after March disorder at Future Boss youth job fair; event rescheduled for May 10

Boston City Council members and city staff on April 10 examined planning and security shortcomings after disturbances at the March 28 Future Boss youth jobs and resource fair at the Reginald A. Lewis Center, and the administration said the fair has been rescheduled for May 10.

The hearing, convened by At-large City Councilor Erin Murphy, chair of the Committee on Strong Women, Families and Communities, focused on crowd control, whether Boston Police Department (BPD) and the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) were properly engaged, and steps the city will take before the May 10 event.

"We dropped the ball," Murphy said at the hearing, describing traffic congestion outside the venue, long lines and overwhelmed onsite staff. Councilor Flynn urged stronger police involvement, saying, "The police are part of the solution. They are not the problem," and recommended including BPD command staff at future fairs so officers can engage with youth as role models.

City staff from the Office of Youth Employment and Opportunity (YEO) told the committee the department is reviewing what happened and will use lessons learned to change operations for the rescheduled fair. Adeola Bekozian, deputy director (serving as interim executive director) for YEO, said the office will host the May 10 event and a series of pop-up school and community-site events to reach youth who…