By Tiffany Williams –
Governor Maura Healey rolled into Brockton on Wednesday with a blunt message: the state’s Project Safe Neighborhood Initiative is working, and the numbers prove it.
Flanked by cops, prosecutors, and local leaders inside the Brockton Public Safety Building, Healey pointed to nearly 500 arrests, 65-plus illegal guns seized, tens of thousands of grams of drugs ripped off the street, and more than a quarter-million dollars in dirty cash recovered just this year.
That’s the haul from the 2025 Commonwealth Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) push — a data-driven crackdown that’s become the state’s go-to crime-fighting playbook.
“When state and local law enforcement work together with strong engagement from District Attorneys and community partners, we get results,” Healey said. “We are all safer because of these partnerships, and we are going to keep building on this progress together.”
Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll didn’t mince words either. “This initiative is a clear example of what can be achieved when we prioritize teamwork and focused engagement,” she said. “By focusing resources on data-driven enforcement and crime prevention, we’re helping cities and towns address the challenges they face and build stronger, safer neighborhoods.”
A Full-Court Press on Crime
Launched in 2023, PSN was designed to hit hardest where crime was climbing. The plan: put state troopers shoulder-to-shoulder with local cops, flood hot spots with enforcement, and match arrests with community programs to keep kids from ending up back in the system.
It’s not just routine patrol. Massachusetts State Police have thrown their Gang Unit, Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section, Community Action Teams, Detective Units, and High-Risk Victim Squad into the mix. District Attorneys got \$925,000 in state funding this year to back up prosecutions — and by rule, at least a quarter of those funds must go to prevention and diversion efforts. Another \$974,000 was funneled into youth programs, mentorship, recovery services, and reentry work.
It’s a two-track attack: rip the bad guys off the corners, and give the next generation something better than a corner to stand on.
Public Safety Secretary Terrence Reidy said the results are undeniable. “The Commonwealth Project Safe Neighborhood Initiative highlights the importance of coordinated, data-driven enforcement strategies to disrupt violent crime and drug trafficking,” Reidy said.
Arrests, Guns, Drugs, and Cash
The stats out of the first half of 2025 tell the story.
Boston notched 76 arrests and 23 illegal guns, with more than 60 percent of the busts tied to firearms. Brockton logged 35 arrests, nearly 600 grams of cocaine, and 58 grams of fentanyl — plus \$12,000 in dirty cash.
Fall River added 23 arrests, three guns, and a pile of dope: 52 grams of fentanyl, 52.5 grams of coke, and 46 grams of meth.
Lawrence police and troopers hammered away with 67 arrests, three guns, 1.5 kilos of fentanyl, 242 grams of coke, and more than a half-kilo of meth. They also hauled in nearly \$19,000 in cash.
In Lynn, cops made 56 arrests, bagged one firearm, and seized more than a kilo of coke.
Holyoke recorded 86 arrests, one gun, 146 grams of drugs, and nearly \$39,000 cash.
Springfield stood out: 72 arrests, 21 illegal guns, 377.5 grams of narcotics, and \$99,631 in seized cash.
Statewide since 2024, the totals are even starker: more than 1,000 arrests, 130 guns, 108 kilos of drugs, and \$627,000 in suspected drug proceeds off the street.
Police Chiefs Say It’s Working
The cops in the trenches aren’t shy about what it means.
“Through the Project Safe Neighborhood Initiative, every illegal firearm we remove and every drug network we dismantle brings Brockton closer to safety,” said Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez.
Lawrence Police Chief Maurice Aguiler called it “a step toward a safer Lawrence,” adding that his officers remain committed to partnerships that “protect the people of our city through proactive, community-focused policing.”
Holyoke Chief Brian Keenan said the initiative cleared open spaces for kids and families that were once choked by drug activity.
Springfield Police Superintendent Lawrence Akers put it plainly: “As you look across the state, the results here in the city of Springfield speak for itself and undoubtedly saved lives.”
Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble said the whole strategy hinges on targeting “high-impact offenders” and tearing down the violent networks they run. “The state’s PSN Initiative is sustaining positive public safety trends statewide,” he said.
Dollars and Prevention
The state has now pumped nearly $3.8 million into the initiative since 2023, and lawmakers are signaling more to come.
Representative Daniel Cahill, chair of the Joint Committee on Public Safety & Homeland Security, called it a model for balancing enforcement with prevention. “By working together, we are not only removing illegal firearms and dismantling drug networks, but we are also investing in the future of our communities,” Cahill said.
The Big Picture
Wednesday’s roundtable in Brockton was about more than rattling off arrest numbers. It brought state and local leaders together to hammer home a single message: the system works better when everyone’s in the fight together.
Nearly 500 people were locked up this year. Dozens of guns off the street. Tens of thousands of grams of drugs yanked away before it could be sold. Hundreds of thousands in drug money seized. And at the same time, nearly a million dollars in prevention programs aimed at kids who might otherwise end up as the next headline.
That’s the math Healey wants voters to remember. And for once, the math looks good.