District Commander Captain Haseeb Hosein

As part of my graduate capstone project, I developed the Neighborhood Engagement Safety Team (NEST) using Professor Anthony Braga’s Focused Deterrence model to address chronic quality-of-life issues involving homelessness and substance use through evidence-based, problem-oriented policing. I led the implementation of a specialized team consisting of one sergeant and three officers who combined targeted enforcement, community engagement, and partnerships with service providers to reduce repeat calls for service and improve neighborhood safety. Within six months, the initiative produced measurable positive results, demonstrating the effectiveness of integrating data-driven policing with collaborative outreach. Based on its success, the Boston Police Department adopted the model, merging it with the Street Outreach Unit to create the Neighborhood Engagement Safety Team (NEST)/Street Outreach Unit as a permanent operational strategy.