Newly appointed Boston Police Commissioner William Evans is wasting no time trying to rid the force of its history of alleged discriminatory hiring practices under Ed Davis. This afternoon, Evans introduced “the most diverse command staff” in BPD history.
In a statement released by the BPD, Evans said he and Superintendent-in-Chief William Gross met with each newly appointed command staff member individually to discuss promotions and various additional responsibilities.
Starting tomorrow, the following promotions will take effect:
- Superintendent William Gross to Superintendent-in-Chief
- Deputy Superintendent Randall Halstead to Superintendent, Night Command
- Deputy Superintendent Lisa Holmes to Superintendent, Bureau of Professional Development (Police Academy)
- Deputy Superintendent Bernard O’Rourke to Superintendent, Bureau of Field Services
- Lt. Detective Robert Merner to Superintendent, Bureau of Investigative Services
- Lt. William Ridge to Deputy Superintendent, Bureau of Field Services, Assistant Chief
- Lt. Gerard Bailey to Deputy Superintendent, Bureau of Field Services, Field Support Unit (Youth Violence Strike Force and School Police Unit)
- Lt. James Chin to Deputy Superintendent, Bureau of Professional Standards (Internal Affairs Division)
- Lt. Joseph Harris to Deputy Superintendent, Bureau of Field Services, Zone 2 Commander
- Lt. Dennis White to Deputy Superintendent, Bureau of Field Services, Night Command
- Sgt. Det. John Brown to Deputy Superintendent, Bureau of Investigative Services, Criminal Investigations Division
- Sgt. Det. Norma Ayala Leong to Deputy Superintendent, Bureau of Investigative Services, Major Case Division
- Sgt. Det. Jeffrey Walcott to Deputy Superintendent, Bureau of Investigative Services, Family Justice Center
“I commend Commissioner Evans on these selections today,” Mayor Marty Walsh said in a statement. “We’ve stressed over and over again the importance of the Boston Police Department reflecting the diversity of our City, and these appointments are clearly a key step forward. Each member of this command staff brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Police Department and they will serve as a foundation for keeping our kids and families safe.”
In addition to the promotions, Evans announced new assignments for the following:
- Superintendent Kevin Buckley to Superintendent, Office of the Police Commissioner
- Deputy Superintendent Steven Whitman to Deputy Superintendent, Labor Relations
- Deputy Superintendent Kelly Nee to Deputy Superintendent, Bureau of Intelligence and Analysis
- Superintendent-in-Chief Daniel Linskey to Lt. Detective, Bureau of Professional Development (Police Academy)
- Superintendent Paul Joyce, Jr. to Sgt. Detective, Office of the Chief
- Deputy Superintendent Juan Torres to Sergeant, Bureau of Field Services
Superintendent Kenneth Fong and Deputy Superintendent Al Andres will serve as district commanders. Fong will captain District A-1 (Downtown) while Andres will captain District E-13 (Jamaica Plain).
“These moves further reflect our commitment to diversity at the district level,” Evans statement read.
Evans assumed his role as BPD commissioner last Thursday, January 9, following a formal announcement.
