Boston Police Commissioner Bill Evans To Step Down? Report

BOSTON, MA — Boston Police Commissioner Bill Evans may be stepping down to take a roll leading the Boston College police department, WBZ is reporting.

Patch was not able to independently confirm this. Boston Police Department officials did not return request for comment Thursday night.

Update: Mayor Marty Walsh responded to the WBZ report Friday afternoon. “He’s the police commissioner,” he said, according to the Boston Herald. The information, based on unnamed sources still has not been confirmed. Walsh also told the Herald he didn't blame other police departments for courting Evans. Evans also denied the rumors. “I hate these rumors … they’re not true,” said Evans.

Evans replaced Edward Davis III who served as commissioner from December 5, 2006 to October 2013.

Evans was born in South Boston and grew up in a triple-decker apartment there raised by his four older brothers after the death of his mother when he was 3 years old. He joined the Boston Police Department in 1982, spent five years as a patrolman, during which time he was awarded the BPD's Medal of Honor for his role in apprehending an armed robbery suspect following a high-speed chase, according to the Boston Police webpage.

As a captain, Evans was first stationed at Allston–Brighton. In 2009 Evans was promoted to Superintendent in charge of the Bureau of Field Services, overseeing special events and the Department's patrol division. Evans played a role in the peaceful handling of Boston's 70-day occupation of Dewey Square and had pivotal responsibilities in the Boston Marathon bombing strategic response team.

On November 1, 2013, Mayor Menino appointed Evans interim commissioner of the Boston Police Department. In January 2014, Mayor Marty Walsh asked him to take the commissioner job. Evans appointed the first black superintendent-in-chief, William Gross, and upped command staff with a 40 percent representation of minorities and women.

"As a Boston police officer for over thirty one years, I have seen first-hand how the department has evolved. Today, we are a very well trained, well resourced, and incredibly professional organization committed to serving and protecting our residents, visitors, businesses, and institutions," he said in a statement after he was appointed in 2014.

In 2016 he made $245,300 according to public records.

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Photo courtesy Boston.gov