Boston’s police commissioner expressed optimism that changes to a morning parade route, aggressive enforcement, and support from state police will fend off the violence that has historically marred a Caribbean festival set for this weekend.

The changes, outlined by Police Commissioner Michael Cox Friday at BPD headquarters, were highlighted by a new location for the J’ouvert parade, a morning celebration in Dorchester marred by a mass shooting that left eight people injured last year.

Rather than wind through Blue Hill and Talbot avenues, where last year’s violence occurred, Saturday’s parade will take place exclusively on Circuit Drive in Franklin Park, beginning near Shattuck Hospital and proceeding through the park toward Blue Hill Avenue, where it will end, per information provided by BPD.

“It removes some of the elements that may have existed before,” Cox said, later adding, “It’s more on the outskirts. It keeps it out of areas where there’s a large urban environment where people live together.”

Boston Caribbean Carnival President Shirley Shillingford, who worked with the city and police on the changes, said the new J’ouvert route is “much safer.”

“There’s no homes for people to hide out in and all this nonsense,” Shillingford told the Herald earlier this week, saying that violence occurred during that early-morning parade “two years in a row and that’s too many.”

Cox said the route will allow for increased enforcement from State Police, who, according to the commissioner, have jurisdiction over Peabody Circle in Franklin Park and Morton Street. State troopers will be patrolling those areas during the event, he said, which also features a second main Caribbean parade later in the day.

He also outlined a number of road closures that will be in place during the 12-hour event, saying that parking will be limited in that area of the city.

Addressing the issues that have occurred at the Caribbean Carnival celebrations in past years, Cox said there will be “zero-tolerance for any kind of violence whatsoever,” but did not elaborate on whether police may consider shutting down the event, should violent crime occur.

The Carnival celebration is considered to be “family-friendly,” Cox said, meaning that no weapons, including permitted guns, will be allowed. He also urged residents to call police to snitch on any neighbors holding late- or overnight parties, which the commissioner said have led to problems in past years.

He emphasized that city crews will be out cleaning streets immediately following the parades, so people should not linger to engage in any malfeasance. He also warned so-called “revelers,” largely out-of-towners with off-road vehicles and car speakers that blare loud music, to stay away from the event and city.

“The fact is if someone has ill intent on their minds,” Cox said, “we will be there to hold people accountable. But the expectation is that nothing will happen, because we have folks here that understand what’s important in this city, and that’s safety for all of us.”

While the festival has been marred by past violence, Emergency Medical Services Director James Hooley insisted that the majority of people treated at the event or transported to the hospital have been for issues related to the heat, dehydration, or hydrating with the “wrong liquid,” such as overindulging with alcohol.

The day’s press conference followed a week’s worth of concerns heading into this weekend’s Carnival celebration, due in part to the violence that marred the popular Dominican Festival last Sunday, when five people were shot in Franklin Park.

Police union officials sounded the alarm on low staffing levels, casting doubt over the department’s ability to provide adequate coverage to fend off violence at the Caribbean festival, where all available officers will be working.

City Councilor Ed Flynn also sent a letter this week to the police commissioner, urging Cox to request “law enforcement assistance of neighboring cities and towns for this weekend with many events taking place across the city, including the Caribbean parade.”

Larry Calderone, president of the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association, the city’s largest police union, said Friday that while BPD working with State Police on the event is not a new development, “the sheer numbers that we’re going to attain from them this weekend” is.

Strategically moving the parade to Franklin Park puts the onus on State Police, who will take an abundance of police calls related to the event, Calderone said, citing the way he interpreted comments from the commissioner.

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“I applaud the commissioner for working with the state police and moving the J’ouvert parade,” Calderone told the Herald. “It’s definitely the right thing to do, but it’s the right thing to do because the city of Boston Police Department doesn’t have enough manpower to properly secure the normal route.”

“We’re glad the State Police can help us,” he added, “but what about when they can’t? And what are we doing so that we can police our own city like we should without relying on the State Police?”

The commissioner noted that while the department is below its ideal staffing levels, he was confident that there would be enough officers to adequately cover regular patrol shifts along with the large-scale festivals and events, like the Caribbean Carnival, happening throughout the city this weekend.

“We’re doing all we can,” Cox said. “We have all officers working and types of specialized units working in general to address some of the areas we’re worried about. But this is a positive event for our community. We have an incident that happened that marred the event in general, but overwhelmingly, people come here, enjoy themselves, and go home, and that’s it. We expect the same thing this year.”

Boston Police motorcycle officers slowly open Blue Hill Avenue following a shooting during last year’s Caribbean Carnival that left seven people injured. The parade route this year has been shifted to Franklin Park. (Stuart Cahill / Boston Herald, File)