With hundreds of thousands of people expected to flood the banks of the Charles River, the Esplanade and Hatch Shell for the Fourth of July, state police urged visitors to work with police to make the celebrations safe.
“We want this Fourth of July to be a happy, safe and joyous occasion for everyone,” said state police Colonel Tim Alben. “We want you to work with us to make this the safest and best Fourth of July in memory.”
In a video posted on YouTube by state police on Monday,Alben urged visitors to the Esplanade toreport suspicious activity to police through the agency’s new text-a-tip effort. Visitors can text “Boston4” to 67283 with the info.
The Fourth of July celebration on the Charles River is the largest open, public event to take place in the city since the Boston Marathon bombings in April.
“We all have a role to play in safety and security,” Alben said. “If you see something suspicious or have concerns about something that you see, we’re asking each of you to text us.”
In the video, Alben said if there’s an emergency, people should still call 911.
Follow Michael Naughton on Twitter @metrobosmike.
