In light of Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis retiring, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino appointed Superintendent William Evans Friday as interim police commissioner until the new mayor of Boston choses the permanent commissioner.
Davis has played a significant role in the BPD, including handling the 70-day occupation of Dewey Square by Occupy Boston, as well as the capture of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.
Menino said Evans would ensure the transition between commissioners is smooth.
“The Boston Police Department will be in great hands under the leadership of Bill Evans,” he said in a Friday release. “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 said he accepts and looks forward to the challenges ahead and appreciates the responsibility he is given as the interim police commissioner.
“I am honored and humbled that Mayor Menino has entrusted me to lead the Boston Police Department,” said in the release. “I have spent my entire career with the Boston Police Department, and have a deep respect for all its members. I strongly believe in partnerships and am committed to community policing.”
Evans, as a 31-year veteran of the BPD, said he would continue the BPD’s commitment to crime prevention and reducing violence in Boston.
“The Department has made great strides in reducing crime and forging relationships with the community,” he said in the release. “I remain committed to that agenda and will work hard to maintain the community’s trust. My door will always be open.”
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