Replacing Ed Davis as Police Commissioner of the Boston Police Department must have seemed a momentous challenge for Mayor Marty Walsh upon assuming office. Davis was, after all, the Boston’s guiding light during its most trying times back in April when the Boston Marathon bombings rocked the city to its core. But Walsh’s official replacement, William Evans, is just as capable of standing guard over The Hub as Davis was.

From Boston Police Department Headquarters in Roxbury, Mayor Walsh alongside Suffolk County DA Dan Conley formally announced Evans as Commissioner. Formerly appointed in an interim role by longtime Mayor Tom Menino, Evans was permanently tapped by Mayor Walsh on Tuesday evening. Similarly, William Gross was named by Evans as the next Superintendent in Chief.

Both Evans and Gross joined the police force as cadets before moving steadily up the ranks. Evans’s older brother Paul also upheld the role of Commissioner from 1994 to 2003.

“I’m glad you’re here to see the best kept secret in Boston,” joked Mayor Walsh when introducing Evans. “Seriously, though, I just want to say that this is an important day for the people of our city. We are getting a proven and effective leader for the Boston Police Department.”

Mayor Walsh continued to note that Evans’s leadership abilities shone brightly through the cloudy times during and after the Marathon bombing, and touted the way Evans handled the Occupy Boston movement, in which countless protestors sat on public grounds in protest of the voracious greed that was taking place in America’s financial sector.

“For these reasons and more Commissioner Evans has my full confidence and support,” said Mayor Walsh.

Gross, a Dorchester native by way of Maryland, became the first African-American Chief in the history of the BPD.

Evans, Gross and Walsh all made it abundantly clear that priority number one is addressing neighborhood violence and reducing the amount of homicides on the street.

“Homicides are down right now at a 13-year low,” noted Evans in his first public appearance as Commissioner. “And like Mayor Walsh said in his speech the other day, like we all say, one homicide victim is too many… I promise to Mayor Walsh I’ll work my hardest to do that.”

Congratulations to Commissioner Evans and Chief Gross, we look forward to helping you in making Boston a safer place for everyone.