Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is scheduled to name the next commissioner of the Boston Police Department on Wednesday.The mayor will host an 11 a.m. news conference at the Gertrude Howes Playground on Moreland Street in Roxbury to announce the new Boston police commissioner.The announcement comes eight days after she said the city was “getting very close” to naming a new leader for the Boston Police Department. The last commissioner of the Boston Police Department was Dennis White, who was active in the role for just two days in February 2021. White was promoted to the job in February by outgoing Mayor Marty Walsh after the resignation of the previous commissioner, William Gross. Two days later, after allegations of domestic abuse in the 1990s surfaced, Walsh put White on administrative leave.Then-Mayor Kim Janey fired White in June 2021, saying that it was an “inescapable conclusion.””I reached this decision after carefully considering the results of an independent investigation into multiple allegations of domestic violence against Dennis White along with testimony and information he provided,” Janey said at the time.On Tuesday, a federal judge tossed out 11 of 14 claims against the city made by White over his firing — including violations of the Massachusetts Civil Rights Act. However, due process, defamation and right to privacy claims will be allowed to proceed. “He was never given a chance to clear his name. That’s what we want — a chance to clear his name and to try to make him whole for the damages this has caused him,” White’s attorney said in a statement. In lieu of a permanent leader for the department, Superintendent-in-Chief Gregory Long has served as acting BPD commissioner. “It’s a process that involves the finalization and vetting and some further steps. We have a great pool of candidates and finalists that our search committee helped identify and we’re approaching the last few steps now,” Wu said last week.Boston recently named a new commissioner for the Boston Fire Department and selected a new superintendent for Boston Public Schools.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is scheduled to name the next commissioner of the Boston Police Department on Wednesday.
The mayor will host an 11 a.m. news conference at the Gertrude Howes Playground on Moreland Street in Roxbury to announce the new Boston police commissioner.
The announcement comes eight days after she said the city was “getting very close” to naming a new leader for the Boston Police Department.
The last commissioner of the Boston Police Department was Dennis White, who was active in the role for just two days in February 2021.
White was promoted to the job in February by outgoing Mayor Marty Walsh after the resignation of the previous commissioner, William Gross. Two days later, after allegations of domestic abuse in the 1990s surfaced, Walsh put White on administrative leave.
Then-Mayor Kim Janey fired White in June 2021, saying that it was an “inescapable conclusion.”
“I reached this decision after carefully considering the results of an independent investigation into multiple allegations of domestic violence against Dennis White along with testimony and information he provided,” Janey said at the time.
On Tuesday, a federal judge tossed out 11 of 14 claims against the city made by White over his firing — including violations of the Massachusetts Civil Rights Act. However, due process, defamation and right to privacy claims will be allowed to proceed.
“He was never given a chance to clear his name. That’s what we want — a chance to clear his name and to try to make him whole for the damages this has caused him,” White’s attorney said in a statement.
In lieu of a permanent leader for the department, Superintendent-in-Chief Gregory Long has served as acting BPD commissioner.
“It’s a process that involves the finalization and vetting and some further steps. We have a great pool of candidates and finalists that our search committee helped identify and we’re approaching the last few steps now,” Wu said last week.
Boston recently named a new commissioner for the Boston Fire Department and selected a new superintendent for Boston Public Schools.
