Boston police Commissioner William Evans raises his hand in thanks as he gets applause from Suffolk District Attorney Dan Conley (left) and Mayor Marty Walsh (right) during his introduction as the new head of the BPD.
Credit: Nicolaus Czarnecki, Metro
Saying it is the most diverse command staff in the history of the Boston Police Department, Commissioner William Evans promoted several officers and demoted and reassigned others.
The changes were announced Tuesday afternoon.
“I have the utmost confidence in the dedication, devotion and capabilities of each of these command staff members to work with myself and Mayor Marty Walsh in our ongoing efforts to make Boston the safest city it can be,” Evans said in a statement. “Both Mayor Walsh and I are confident that these promotions will continue to move us forward as we work closely with our community partners.”
Evans, who was appointed as the city’s top cop last week, said he and new Superintendent-in-Chief Willie Gross met with each command staff member on Tuesday to discuss the promotions and added responsibilities.
Evans also highlighted that the new command staff is the most diverse in the department’s history, making good on a campaign promise by Walsh to increase diversity in the department and city government.
“We are most pleased that the makeup of this command staff underscores our commitment to a police department that represents and reflects the diversity of the neighborhoods that it serves,” Evans said.
The promotions take effect Wednesday and the new command staff includes: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, Drug Control Unit; andSgt. Det. Jeffrey Walcott to deputy superintendent, Bureau of Investigative Services, Family Justice Center.
Several former leaders in the police department were reassigned, including Daniel Linskey, who served as Superintendent-in-chief under former commissioner Ed Davis. He will now serve as a lt. detective in the Bureau of Professional Development (Police Academy).
Also reassigned were: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 Paul Joyce, Jr. to sgt. detective, Office of the Chief; andDeputy Superintendent Juan Torres to sergeant, Bureau of Field Services.
Superintendent Kenneth Fong will be the new captain of the department’s downtown district while Deputy Superintendent Al Andres will be the new captain at department’s Jamaica Plain district.
Some of the command staff members will remain in their current roles including:Superintendent Paul Fitzgerald, Bureau of Intelligence and Analysis;Superintendent Frank Mancini, Bureau of Professional Standards;Deputy Superintendent Colm Lydon, administrative hearings;Deputy Superintendent John Daley, Information Systems Group;Deputy Superintendent Michael Cox, Operations Division; andDeputy Superintendent Nora Baston, Community Outreach.
Follow Michael Naughton on Twitter @metrobosmike.
