Menino Appoints Superintendent William Evans As Interim Police Commissioner

Photo via Associated Press

Mayor Tom Menino announced Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis’s replacement on Friday as the city’s top cop prepared to step down from his role after more than seven years in command.

Menino appointed Superintendent William Evans to the interim position, citing the officers leadership skills, and long-history with the department. “The Boston Police Department will be in great hands under … Bill Evans,” Menino said in a statement.  “He knows how to manage his team of talented officers, has the respect of the rank and file, and has proven his ability to diffuse even the most difficult of public safety situations.”

Evans had key roles in both the capture of alleged Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and dealing with the protesters that camped out on the lawn of Dewey Square for more than two months during Occupy Boston in 2012.

Evans has been with the Boston Police Department for 31 years, and started his career as a patrol officer in the 1980s, before becoming Captain of area D-4 in 2006. Evans graduated from Suffolk University in 1982, where he took classes while working for the department. He is an avid runner, having participated in more than 44 marathons, including the Boston Marathon in April, where he rushed to the aid of victims just hours after finishing the race.

Evans, a South Boston resident and native, will serve as police commissioner until the new mayor—who will be elected on November 5—officially takes the reigns from Menino in January. At that point, the city’s new mayor will pick the next head of the police department.

“He stands out for his compassion for the officer on the street,” said Davis, in an in-depth profile about Evans’s life published by Suffolk magazine. “He’s constantly engaging the police officer and also making it clear in conversations at the top of the organization what the street-level officer really needs.”

On Friday, Evans said in a statement he felt honored to be selected to take over for Davis, as his term as commissioner came to an end, adding that his door will “always be open” to the public. “I have spent my entire career with the Boston Police Department and have a deep respect for all its members,” he said. “The Department has made great strides in reducing crime and forging relationships with the community. I remain committed to that agenda and will work hard to maintain the community’s trust.”